davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
NINE LOCAL men
TAKEN INTO ARMED
FORCES AT TOLEDO
81 Registrants Sent BY Draft
Board No. 3 Are Inducted
Into Service
Army Takes 16 of Group; 10 Go
Into Navy And Marines
Get Four

Nine Bluffton men were among 81
Allen County Draft Board No.
registrants who passed physical ex-
aminations at the Armed Forces In
duction Center in Toledo, last
Saturday.
The local men accepted for the
various branches fthe services in
cluded:
Richard Oberly, air force; Floyd
Herr, Norman Kirkland, Herbert
Conrad, James Stonehill, Byron E.
Betz, Ralph Althaus and Robert
Oberly, all in the army; and Edgar
Evan Huber, in the Marines.
Of the 81 from Allen county who
passed their physical examinations 1t
went. into the Army; 10 into the
Navy; four into the Marines and one
into the Air Corps.
Those taken by the Army are to
report for induction three weeks
from last Saturday. Navy and Ma
rine candidates viii get their call
earlier, but no date has been set yet
Others who passed at Toledo in
cluded Philip Piper, and Robert
Piper, both of Beaverdam; Walter
Kraft, Lima; Robert Roth, Cairo;
Virgil Mather, Delphos; Clarence
Clevenger, Lima; Homer Gaskill,
Spencerville; William Brinkman,
Lima, and Richard Druckemiller, Del
phos, all in the Navy.
Leo Bowsher, Lima; Ivan r. Clum,
Ada; Henry Glasco, Lima; Charles
Bockey, Delphos; Charles Niedecker,
Delphos; Verne Thomas, Lima; Eu-
gene Archer, Lima, and Ray Dodds,
Lima, all in the Army.
Marine candidates were George X.
Miller, Jr., Delphos; John H. Point,
Spencerville, and Paul Helser, Ada.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Bluffton Officer In Charge OF Signal
Installations At Tehran Conference
Winter Officially
ArriUes Wednesday

Winter officially arrived in the
Bluffton district at 1880 p. m. We'd
nesday when the sun on its monoton-
Gus annual journey reached the
southernmost point of its journey
and started back in this direction.
With the winter solstice falling on
Wednesday, the day was the short
est of the year. Long nights will
continue for quite a while before
there will be little appreciable diff
ference in the abbreviated period of
daylight each day provides.
To add the proper atmosphere,
weather forecasts indicate this dis
trict may expect colder weather on
Thursday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Red Cross Elects
Officers For Year

Mrs. j. S. Steiner was named
chairman of the Bluffton Red Cross
chapter for the coming year at the
annual election of officers held Tues
day night.
Other officers elected were:
Vice chairman, Mrs. Paul Studler;
sec.-treasur., Mrs. Edith Mann.
Directors: One year term, M. M
Bogart, Edgar Hauenstein; two year
term, c. G. Coburn, Mrs. Forrest
Steinman; three year term, G. R
Bogart, Mrs. ]. S. Steiner.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
st. Johns Reformed
Sunday School Elects

Carl Derringer was chosen super
intendent of the So Johns Reformed
Sunday school at the annual election
of officers Sunday morning. C. A
Stauffer was named assistant super
intendent.
Other officers elected were:
Secretary, w. o. Geiger; assistant,
Paul Greding; treasurer, Roy Hau-
enstein; assistant, Henry Balmer;
chorister, Mrs. Paul Greding; assist
ant, w. A. Amstutz; pianist,
Bettye Lewis; assistant, Mrs. Mard-
en- Basinger; librarian, Margaret
Groman; assistant, Richard Minck.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Harold AndreUs Ends
Specialist Training

Pfc. Harold E. Andrews, son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Paul w. Andrews, of
Route 2, Bluffton, has graduated
from basic and advanced courses of
the communications school at Fort
Benning, Georgia.
This is one of the five special
courses offered to qualified para
chutists, and only the better men
from each qualifying class receive
instruction, a school bulletin an
nounced.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Births

The following births at Blufftor
hospital:
Mr.. and Mrs. Clyde Young, Leip-
sic, son, Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Won Stein
Bluffton, a daughter, Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis Wyncoop, Pan.
dora, son, Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Lingel, Bluff
ton, a daughter, Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Burdell Huber, Bluff
ton, daughter, Monday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Sl25 Damage In Fire
At e.. L. PretO Home

Damage estimated at s125 resulted
from fire at p. m. last Wednes-
day at the residence of G. l.. Preto,
on Cherry street.
The blaze was caused by an over
heated chimney, Fire Chief Guy
Corson said. Chemicals were used to
extinguish the blaze.
Preto's residence is generally
known as the former Battles prop
erty.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Ralph Marshall Is
Graduated At O. S. u.

Mrs. Rosamond Marshall, residing
in Beaverdam, has received word
that her husband Pvt. Ralph Marsh
all stationed at Camp Cooke, Calf,
has been graduated with the degree
of bachelor of science in agriculture
at commencement exercises of Ohio
State university, Friday.
Marshall received the degree of
bachelor of science in agriculture.
He was an enlisted reserve student
at Ohio State University until last
April when he left for California
to take up basic army training.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
WHITE CHRISTMAS
PROSPECTS GAIN
AS HOLIDAY NEARS
Cloudy Weather Following Cold
Wave Results in Odds Fa-
v0ring Snow
Eighteen White: Fourteen
Green Christmases Here
In Last 32 Years

Snow furries Wednesday morning
materially increased hopes for a
white Christmas" this year, altho
predictions of colder weather may
cut short prospects for a heavy
snowfall before Saturday.
Last year, Bluffton had snowfall on
Christmas for the first time in seven
years, and grownups and children
alike are hoping for a repetition this
Yuletide.
In the last 32 years Bluffton has
had Is white and Ia green Christmas
es, the records reveal. But, in the
16year period beginning with 1928
there have been occasions when it was
quite scant.
IL Inches i'm 1916
The heaviest snow of the 32-year
span was in 1916 when a blizzard
blanketed the ground with II inches
of snow. In 1885, the Bluffton area
had eight inches of snow, the heaviest
in recent times.
Last year, snowfall did not come to
Bluffton until Christmas Day, Start
ing at noon, the snow covered the
ground to depth of more than two
inches by nightfall. Most of it dis
appeared on the following day, how
ever.
The all-time warm record was
Bluffton's Christmas weather in 1882
when the thermometer recorded a
mark of 62 shortly afternoon.
32-Year Record
The 32-year record of Christmas
weather for Bluffton is as follows:
1911, no snow; 1872. no snow; 1913,
trace of snow; 1914, seven inches;
1915, three inches; 1916, II inches;
1917, seven inches; 1918, trace of
snow; 1919, one inch; 1920, no snow;
1921, no snow; 1922, trace of snow;
1923, no snow; 1924, five inches; 1925,
one inch.
1926, three inches; 1927, no snow:
1928, one inch; 1929, FIVE inches; 1880,
no snow; 1881, no snow; 1882, no
snow; 1888, no snow; 1874, three inch
es; 1885, eight inches; 1886, no snow;
1897, no snow; 1898, no snow; 1899,
trace of snow; 1910, no snow; 194l,
no snow; 1912 two inches.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Christmas Programs

Defenseless Mennonite, Friday, 500
st. Johns Reformed, Friday, 7:30.
Missionary Church, Friday, 7:30.
Presbyterian, Friday, 500.
Methodist, Friday, 7:30.
Ebenezer Mennonite, Friday, 500.
Emanuel's Reformed, Saturday, 500
First Mennonite, Saturday, 7:30.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
Two Bluffton Persons Unhurt In
Tragic Train Wreck That Killed SO
Ensign And Mrs. Richard Carts
In Northbound Train
Wrecked In n. C.
Local Couple Helps I'm Rescue
Work; Mrs. Carts Now At
Home of Parents

Two Bluffton persons were among
the fortunate number who escaped
when north and south bound luxury
trains of the Atlantic Coastline rail
road collided in North Carolina early
last Thursday morning, killing 50
persons and seriously injuring more
than 100.
Ensign Carts, of the Navy, was be-
the northbound Tamiami Champion
were unhurt except for minor bruises
when the train crash occurred at
1:30 a. m. in an isolated section of
North Carolina.
Ensign aris, of the Navy, was be-
ing transferred to Baltimore, and
Mrs. Carts was accompanying him as
far as Washington, from where she
came to the home of her parents
Mr.. and Mrs. c. A. Triplett, in Bluff
ton.
THROWN FROM BERTH
Mrs. Carts was sitting up in her
berth to see what time it was when
the crash occurred. Both she and
her husband were thrown from their
berths by the impact.
Occupants of their pullman car
were badly shaken up and some were
bruised, but there were no fatalities.
They were two cars behind the one
in which practically all occupants
were killed.
Mrs. Carts said the lighting and
heating services of the train We're
put out of commission, making it
difficult to search among the wreck
age for the injured and take care
of them. 1t was cold outside and
there was snow on the ground.
RESCUE WORK SLOW
Passengers who were unhurt
helped in the rescue work, and the
injured were put in the pullman
berths of cars that were not wreck
ed. Some doctors and nurses ar
rived at daybreak, but it was noon
before there was treatment for the
less severely injured.
The train was due in Washington,
D. c., at s a. m. Thursday, but 1t
was Friday night before Ensign and
Mrs. Carts arrived there. She
came on to Bluffton Immediately, ar
irving at the home of her parents,
Saturday afternoon.
The wreck occurred when three
cars derailed from the south bound
train tore up the rails of the north
bound fier.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
CLOSING NOTICE

The following stores will close
Friday at p. M: The Lape Co., A..
& P. Store, Basinger Furniture
store, Walter Gratz, Bluffton Imple-
ment & Harness Co., Mrs. Peter
Gratz, Ruff's.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
HEAVY VOLUME OF
XMAS MAIL SETS
new RECORD HERE
Holiday Business This Christ
mas Season Will Surpass
Vast Years Mark
Peak of Mailing Rush Came
Much Earlier, However, To
Make Handling Easier

With cancellations for December
already nearly $4,000 ahead of last
years figure, new all-time record
for outgoing mail has been establish
ed at the Bluffton post office this
Christmas season.
Altho much of the 1943 Yuletide
mailing was done in October and
November, cancellations at the post
office from Dec. to 20 amounted to
72,06l, as compared with 60,613 can
cellations last year, it was announced
by postal officials.
Earlier mailing has been the only
thing that made it possible for the
post office department to cope with
the record volume of letters and
parcels handled.
Heaviest Dec. 13
The heaviest volume of incoming
mail this year was on Monday, Dec.
13, nearly two weeks in advance of
Christmas. On that day 104 sacks
of incoming mail were cleared thru
the local office.
BY contrast, Monday of this week,
when ST sacks of incoming mail was
received, was considerably lighter
than is usual on the Monday before
Christmas. Last year. for example,
the Monday preceding the holiday
brought flood of 109 sacks of mail
for local postal employees TO handle.
y Outgoing mail, too, was posted
much earlier than in other years. The
heaviest day was Friday, Dec. 10,
when "a sacks were made up and
dispatched. On Monday, Dec. 13,
there We're 81 sacks of outgoing mail.
and the volume Monday of this week
dropped to 81 sacks. Last year on
the Monday before Christmas there
were 63 sacks of outgoing mail.
Good Delivery
Altho help is restricted this year,
local delivery of the record volume
of Christmas mail is well in hand
because mailings generally were
made earlier than usual, local postal
officials pointed out.
All first-class mail has cleared thru
regular delivery channels on it's
customary schedule, they said, and
altho there was a backlog of un-
delivered greeting cards with IL
cent postage at the post office on
Monday, all of it will be in the hands
of the Bluffton persons to whom it
is addressed by the middle of the
week.
Air Mail Greater
Air mail cancellations at the local
post office also have shown the eff
fects of the Yuletide, it was an
nounced. On Monday there were 264
air mail letters as compared with 90
one year ago, and the average so
far this month has been $50 daily in
comparison with TO per day last
year.
A large volume of Christmas mail
was handled at the post office as
early in October, to meet the dead
line for mailings to servicemen over
seas, and much of the normal home
land mailing was completed in
November. Cancellations for the last
half of November this year were
1898 in comparison with total of
1907 for the same period last year.
The largest single day of letter
cancellations at the post office for
this Christmas season was last Fri
day when 1854 went thru the
machine. Most of that mail, how
ever, was for local delivery.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
LIBRARY HOURS

The public library will be closed
during the holiday vacation except
on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 80 and
81 when it will be open in the after
noon and evening.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
TO MOVE HERE

Albert Gossman, residing south
east of Bluffton will move to town
in January and occupy the property
known as the former Storer residence
at Cherry and Mound streets which
he recently purchased.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1943-12-23
BLUFFTON MARKETS
Wednesday morninu

Wednesday morning
Grain (bu. prices)-Wheat S1.57;
old corn S1.05; new corn 94c; oats
Zoe; soys $3.50.
Evening star., 1943-02-27
Freak Storm Ruins Broadcast
And Heru|ds New Cold Wave

A freak storm, heralding a new
cold wave which sent the mercury
to % degrees this morning, played
tricks with radio and telephone re-
ception last night, threw radio CEN
sors, into confusion and gave pro-
gram listeners many laughs.
The storm, combination snow
and thunder squan, struck the city
at 8:44 pm. and In less than two
hours had spread a blanket of wet
snow nearly an inch thick. It was
accompanied by wind which
reached a velocity of 40 miles.
At the height of the storm q
woman in the Shepherd telephone
exchange, who had picked up her
receiver to dial friend, found her
self on the Philip Morris Playhouse
program being broadcast locally
over Station WJSV..
Listeners, some of them believing
1t to be part of the broadcast, found
It very funny. Not so the broadcast
division of the Office of Censorship.
Among other things listeners heard
the woman say the following
Lightning has struck out here and
everything is all balled up
The station and the censorship
Office had to admit this. An official
of the Government department ex-
Evening star., 1943-02-27
0PA Grants Increase
OF SO Gents a Barrel
On Soft Wheat Price
Ceiling Order Prepared,
Based on Current
Market Levels
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Office of Price Administration
today granted 6O-cent-a-barrel in
crease in prices Of soft wheat -four
and announced a forthcoming CELL
ing on the price of soft wheat. Soft
wheat flour is used largely for crack
ers, biscuit and pastry.
The ceiling on soft wheat, the first
on any type of wheat, has been re-
quested by James F. Byrnes, director
Of economic stabilization, and will
be set, OPA said, approximately at
market levels which prevailed in the
middle of the week and are slightly
higher than parity"
The actual ceiling order is still
being drafted and will not be issued
for a few days, though the price
level to be incorporated has been
determined.
Will Raise Pastry Prices.
The soft wheat -four order, ex-
pected eventually to cause slight
increase In the retail price of crack
ers. cakes and pastry, applies to flour
milled east of Wyoming, Colorado
and New Mexico and south of South
Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. The
forthcoming ceiling order on soft
wheat will apply generally to soft
wheat grown east of the Rocky
Mountains.
One unusual feature of the price
order was the fact that the new
soft wheat flour price will, OPA said
reflect prices higher than parity
before taking into consideration any
of the benefit payments now made
to farmers"
Heretofore, OPA and the White
House have held that benefit pay
ments to farmers must be deducted
from parity levels in fixing the
prices of agricultural commodities
However, there were indications OF
an administration compromise on
this policy when the Senate voted a
few DAYS ago for proposed legislation
prohibiting OPA from deducting the
benefit payments.
Squeeze" Cited.
However, in today's order. OPA
gave as the reason for choosing the
new level of soft wheat flour prices
the fact that raising soft wheat
prices in the East have put severe
squeeze on flour millers.
For grades of soft wheat flour
intermediate between straight
grades" and "cake flours" the new
order, In effect, gave an increase OF
Sl.l0 barrel because q so cent q
barrel premium was established, for
the first time, on these intermediate
| grades.
Evening star., 1943-02-27

planned that in mentioning light
ming the woman had violated wealth
er broadcasting censorship.
Studio engineers explained that it
appeared lightning had caused a
private telephone wire to get crossed
with loop leading from the station
downtown to its transmitter at
Wheaton, Md.
First intimation that something
was wrong came when an odd noise
was heard during the play which was
titled Life Begins a 8:30." Then
came the ringing of a phone. Next
a surprised woman's voice saying:
1--WE got a radio program in my
phone, but my radio isn't on" A
mans voice came next, also sur
prised. He was from the station.
She phoned again, this time giving
the information which sent the radio
censors into dither. On the third
call, the man at the studio pleaded
with her to get off the air-or tele-
phone-until things could be
Strengthened out.
Most of the snow had disappeared
from streets here this morning and
no further fall was in prospect. The
forecast was for continued cold to-
night, with lowest temperature near
q and moderate to fresh winds.
This mornings low of % occurred at
8 o'clock. The high yesterday was 80
at 2:30 pm.
Evening star., 1943-02-27
III. ). Air Forces Hold
Fair Edge in So|omons,
Gen. Saunders Says
Former West Point Coach
Who Won DSC Believes
Ball Is Now in Midfield'

American Air Forces are holding
fair advantage" over the Jap
anese in the Solomons area, but
it is not as much as we would like,
Brig. Gen. Laverne G.. c'Blondie'D
Saunders, recently returned COM
mander of the famous 11th Bom-
bardment Group, declared today.
The former all-American tackle
and coach at West Point, who won
the Distinguished Service Cross after
almost five months of daily air fight
ing in that area, compared the sit
uation with a football game.
I'VE are working the ball up
towards midfield," the 40-year -old
airman told press conference, but
we could use little more offensive
strategy, little more equipment and
little more reserves"
Halls Unity of Command.
Gen. Saunders praised the unity
Of command in the area between the
American ground and air forces and
declared that 1t. Gen. Millard F.
Harmon, Army commander of air
forces in the South Pacific was lone
of the best
I'VE are not fighting ourselves out
there; we are fighting the enemy
and the situation is in fine hands, u
he added.
American air forces accounted for
200 japanese planes destroyed dur
ing the five months operations OF
which he gave an account today.
His own 11th Bombardment Group
destroyed go enemy place planes and
damaged 33 others Of a total of 24O
actions.
Reverting to football strategy, he
said the 6,000-mile supply line from
San Francisco to the Solomons was
considerable longer distance than
from the dressing rooms to the
field"
And more men get hurt" he
added.
Five Months of Air Fighting.
During the five months of air
fighting, Gen. Saunders either took
part in the flying each day or was
on Henderson Field to send off his
group and meet them on Its return
His own plane was shot down in
one action in which the pilot, Maj
A. Stewart, and the co-pilot, 1t
Jack Lee, were both killed. The
survivors landed on a small island
from which they were rescued the
next day by a naval patrol bomber
1t. Nelson Levi of Milan, Idaho
the bombardier, was wounded dur
ing the fight, but continued to op-
crate the guns until his ammuni-
ton was expended. He will live,
Evening star., 1943-02-27
Is Indicted in Liquor
Fraud Plot Case
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, Feb. 27.-An indict-
ment charging 13 persons with use
of the mails and conspiracy to de-
fraud 600 investors OF about ST.
100000 in whisky warehouse receipts
transactions was returned before
Federal Judge John P. Barnes yes
terday.
United States Attorney J. Albert
Woll said George Brent, the movie
star, lost $4,000 as one Of the in
veStors.
The indictment said the defend
ants were officials or statesmen OF
Consolidated Associates, Inc, OF
Chicago, which organization, be-
tween December, 1898, and Decem-
ber, 1941, allegedly promised to pay
profits to owners of whisky ware
house receipts after the whisky rep
resented by such receipts was bottled
and distributed by the company un-
der the trade name "Old Switch"
Mr.. Woll said the company, in
stead OF carrying out these promises,
filed a voluntary petition in bank
ruptcy September 4, 1941. Subse-
quently the bankruptcy trustee sold
whisky owned by the company for
100000 but, Mr.. Woll said, this az
forded only "a small distribution" to
the 600 investors making claims as
creditors.
Evening star., 1943-02-27
Tiny Samoan Island
Is Naval Air Base,
Knox DiscIoses
Secretary Sees Need
For Permanent Fields
All Over World
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
The island Of Upolu is a tiny dot
on map of the South Pacific, but
the United States has established
there wide runway on which five
fighting planes can land abreast.
The 6,000-foot long, 1,00O-foot wide
runway, built Of crushed volcanic
rock, gets harder every time it rains.
Secretary Of the Navy Knox de-
scribed this Samoan air base yester-
day in expressing belief the United
States should undertake discussions
with other powers now looking to
the permanent military bases over
the world needed for this country's
protection.
The Upolu base, on an island
which is under the mandate of New
Zealand, was established for use
during this war, but is one of those
under discussion as a possible per-
manent base for American forces,
Secretary Knox told reporters yes
terday.
Il don't think we ought to be
grabbing for territory" Mr.. Knox
observed. "All we are interested in
is having military bases in which we
have final and complete control in a
military sense"
Any such negotiations as the Sec
retary proposed are up to the State
Department, he added.
Evening star., 1943-02-27
4 Victory Gardens -

plants are tolerant and will do fairly
well under the general conditions
that exist In this area If the soil
is fairly rich and not too dry or
too wet.
Since we expect our plants to
make good growth, 1t will probably
pay us to test our soils with pieces
of red and blue litmus paper from
the drug store. II the blue paper
turns red when placed between
moist pieces of soil, it is acid. If
red paper turns blue, the soil is
sweet. If both turn purple the soil
is neutral.
For the gardeners who wish to
obtain more information about soil,
there are testing kits of simple as
we'll as of complicated equipment.
However, 1t is suggested that the
simplest and surest method Of all
is to take a sample "a tobacco can
will hold all that Is necessary and
send 1t to a soil laboratory. For
residents Of Maryland. the Univer-
stay Of Maryland soils department