davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Bluffton High Commencement Week
To Open With Baccalaureate May 19

A six-day program of Bluffton
High school commencement activity
will open on Sunday night, May 19,
with a baccalaureate union service
and end with the Alumni reunion on
Friday, May "a, it was announced
this week.
Speaking on eff | Were Eighteen,
Rev. E. N. Bigelow, of the Presby-
terian church, will deliver the bacca-
laureate sermon in the high school
gymnasium.
On Monday and Tuesday night,
May 20 and 21, the senior class
play, Papa Is ALP, will be staged
in the Button High school auditor
ium. Senior class night will be pre-
scented in the gymnasium on We'd
nesday night, May %.
Commencement exercises in the
gymnasium on Thursday, May %,
will be addressed by Grove Patterson,
nationally known editor of The Toledo
Blade, and the alumni reunion on
Friday night, May "a, will close the
commencement season.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09

Friday night. according to word re-
ceived by Hofer from railroad head
quarters.
Local Train to Run
Beginning Saturday the Nickel
Plate passenger and mail service will
be taken up by two local trains now
running daily between Peoria, H.,
and Lima. These viii have their
runs extended from Lima to Fostoria.
This will give Bluffton the same num-
Der of trains as are now in operation.
The westbound train to Peoria
will arrive here at approximately
7:20 a. m. and the eastbound train
to Fostoria will be due here at about
7:10 p. m. Other changes, it is an
nounced, may be made about May
Is.
Under the new arrangement Bluff
ton will be without direct train con-
nections to Cleveland. The morning
and evening thru trains were exten-
sively used for that purpose. Also
earlier closing of Buttons night
outgoing mail will be necessary.
No word has been received rela-
tive to any change of mail trains on
the A. C. e. Y. railroad, it was stated
by the agent here, Tuesday after
noon.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Ten Federal Housing Units For War
Vets AllOcated to Bluffton College
Truck and Auto In
Main Street Crash

A misty rain and slippery streets
were blamed for an auto-truck crash
in which no one was injured at 11:45
p. m. Monday night on South Main
street at College avenue.
Keith Collins, 81, of Cygnet, was
the driver of northbound car which
crashed into a Brada Carriage Co.
truck, travelling in the same direction,
which had stopped at the College
avenue traffic light. The side of
the car was demolished when Collins
attempted to pass to the right of the
truck, to avoid a collision.
The auto, owned by Marvene Cam
nell, of Cygnet, was badly damaged
and was taken to the Bixel garage.
Collins and a girl companion were
unhurt. Driver of the truck, who
also escaped injury, was Walter Ma
son, of Detroit.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
BROWNOUT may BE
DECLARED BECAUSE
OF COAL SHORTAGE
Reduction OF Street Lighting Is
Contemplated To Ease
Light Plant Load
Municipal Plant Has Enough
Remaining Coal For Only
80 Days Operation

Emergency declaration of Bluff
ton brownout, similar to that of the
last war year, likely will come within
the next 10 days if there is no inn
provement in the critical national
shortage of coal because of the
month-long United Mine Workers
strike.
Bluffton's municipal light plant has
only a 30-days supply of coal on
hand, and it is estimated that it will
take from two to three weeks to get
additional shipments after mines
again are in operation.
First step in the brownout pro-
gram would be curtailment of the
towns street lighting, with about
half of the villages lights shut off
until the situation is improved.
Save Ton of Coal Weekly, Estimate
Reduction in street lighting service
results in saving of one tone of
coal per week it was explained.
Warnings to conserve coal were re-
ceived last week by the Board of
Public Affairs from the Civilian Pro-
ducts Administration and the Solid
Fuel Administration in Washington.
The only favorable factor in the
coal shortage picture is the fact that
with days growing longer, the light
plants night time load has been
somewhat reduced, resulting in a fur
ther saving of coal.
Domestic Fuel Situation
On the other hand, Buttons do
mestic fuel situation is bad. There
is no coal in town except for a
trickle trucked in from wagon"
mines in Ohio and West Virginia
which are not involved in the strike.
Bluffton college and Bluffton High
school have a sufficient supply of
goal for the remainder of the school
year, and the Page Dairy Co. has
enough coal for Immediate needs.
The Central Ohio Light and Power
Company's generating plant has a
two-months' supply of its operations.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Last Rites Held
For Philip Kurtz

Funeral services for Philip Kurtz
SO, retired farmer and pioneer resi-
dent of this district were held We'd
nesday afternoon in the Riley Creek
Baptist church. Rev. William O. Mat
ter of Findlay officiated and inter-
ment was in Hassen cemetery.
Mr.. Kurtz died Sunday afternoon
at his home in Orange township four
miles north of Ada. Death, due to
infrmities, followed six days. ILL
ness.
A son of Peter and Magdalena
Kurtz, he was born June z, 1852 in
Darmstadt, Germany. He came to
this country at the age of 10 with
his parents and settled near Jenera.
He was member of the Lutheran
church.
Mr.. Kurtz was married to Emma
line Shilling who died October 3,
1923.
Surviving are son, John Kurtz
and daughter Nora Kurtz, both at
home.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Booster Concert At
College On May II

Funds raised from Bluffton Coll
lege Booster concert to be held Fri
day evening, May 1T, in Ramseyer
chapel will be used to purchase a
radio phonograph and recorder for
the music and speech departments os
the school.
The concert, scheduled as opening
event of commencement week activi-
ties, will be similar to that present.
ed last spring. Following the con-
cert, a reception will be held in the
Musselman library.
Featured on the program will be
Elmer Ende, organist, Akron univer-
sity; Fred Welty, vocalist, Home
stead, Pa; Fred Baumgartner, vocal
ist, Nashville, Tenn; Guyneth Craig
Mikesell, pianist, Lima; Laurence
Burkhalter, violinist, Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
NICKEL PLATE TO
DROP THRU TRAIN
DURING COAL TIEUP|
Cleveland st. Louis Passenger
to be Discontinued Be-
ginning Friday
Passenger and Mail Service to
be Taken Over by Local
Trains.

Operation of the Clevland-St. Louis
train over the Nickel Plate road will
be discontinued temporarily begin
ming Friday because of shortage of
coal due to the mine strike.
Word to this effect was received
Tuesday afternoon by Fred Hofer,
Bluffton agent for the Nickel Plate
railroad. Hofer said that his notice
from headquarters of the road indi-
Gated that dropping of the two trains
would be only during the period of
coal shortage and that operation of
the train would be resumed thereaf-
ter.
The last train on the Cleveland
st. Louis run will pass thru Bluffton
on Friday morning eastbound to
Cleveland. There will be no train
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
PRIMARY ELECTION
BRINGS LIGHT VOTE
TO POLLS TUESDAY
About Sixteen Per Cent of
Towns Vote Is Cast in
Four Precincts
Electors Here Manifest Little
Interest in Outcome
of BaII0ting

Bluffton was too busy to vote at
Tuesdays primary. There was the
spring housecleaning. farm tillage
and a dozen and one other demands
on electors time and as result only
about 16 per cent Of Buttons vot-
ers went to the polls.
A total of 1875 votes we're cast in
Bluffton's four precincts, consisting
of SO Republicans and 96 Democratic
ballots. The total vote here is esti-
mated at 1,200.
Few farmers came in from Rich
land North precinct which votes in
Bluffton, as a result Of which the
rural precinct showed the highest
vote in recent years with IA Repub-
lican and % Democratic ballots.
The vote here by precincts was:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
With Service Men

Cpl. Richard Rusmisel, son of Dir.
and Mrs. c. A. Rusmisel of near
Pandora has received his Army dis
charge. He was overseas % months
the latter part of which he was
stationed at Wiesbaden, Germany on
Army Special service.
Marion Fisher. in the assembly and
department of the Naval Air Station
at Jacksonville, Fla, has been ad-
vanced from machinist's mate sec
ond class to first class. He is the
son of Mrs. Geo. Swank of Riley
street.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Funeral Services
Held for Jane Raul

Funeral services for Miss Mary
Jane Rayl, 65, of Orange township
were held at the Paul Diller funeral
home, Tuesday afternoon. Rev. Ir-
win Kaufman officiated and inter-
ment was in Gambler cemetery near
Ada.
Miss Rayl died in Bluffton hospital
Sunday morning where she had been
a patient for the past ten weeks.
Death followed two years illness of
paralysis.
A daughter of George and Harriet
(McElroy) Rayl, she was born in
Orange township, September 27, 1880.
She was a member of Liberty Chapel
Evangelical church.
Surviving are brother, John Raul
Rayl of Orange township; two nieces
and two nephews, Mrs. Beryl Down
ey, Beaverdam; Mrs. Louella New
land, Ada; Daryl Robenolte, Beaver
dam and Cloyce Robenolte, Findlay.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Funeral Service for
Peter BddertScher

Funeral services for Peter Bader-
fischer, 80, retired engineer and GUS
todian at Bluffton high school, were
held at st. Johns Reformed church,
Wednesday afternoon.
His death occurred Sunday after
noon at 5:55 o'clock at his home on
Poplar street following a three
months illness of a heart ailment.
A son OF John U. and Elizabeth
(Neuenschwander) Badertscher, he
was born November 12. 1865 in
Richland township near Bluffton. On
June s, 1898 he was married to
Sarah A. Herr who survives.
A lifelong resident of this COM
munity he became widely known to
successive generations of students
during the years in which he was
connected with the high school. He
was a member of the st. Johns
church here and its brotherhood.
Besides his wife he is survived by
one son Ralph Badertscher and five
grandchildren of South Jackson
street.
Five sisters surviving are: Mrs
Katherine King of Los Angeles
Calf; Mrs. Sarah Basinger of Cali
fornia, Mo-; Mrs. Susan Aeschbache,
of Versailles, Mo, and Barbara ane
Lydia Badertscher, both Of Denver
Colo. One brother and three sister:
preceded him in death.
His pastor, Rev. V. c. Oppermanr
officiated at the funeral services ane
interment was in Maple Grove GENE
terry.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
SHOWERS COME
AS THREAT OF
DROUGHT WANES
Light Rainfall First of Week
First Relief from Months
Dry Spell
Crops Get Temporary Respite
Drought Still Threat to
Food Production

Intermittent showers the first of
the week which developed into an all
night rain Monday brought the first
tangible break in a record spell of
dry weather.
Following the dryest April ever
known here in which less than three
fourths of an inch of rain fell dur
ing the month, rains st a r e d
last Saturday and gave hope of some
measure of relief.
While the rainfall has been far
from sufficient, farmers said it af-
forded substantial temporary respite
from effects of the drought in re-
viving pastures and putting fields
into tillable condition.
Cool Weather Aids
Overcast skies and cool weather
also served to preserve effects of the
moisture and make possible benefit to
the soil.
During the past week some farm
ers have stopped spring blowing until
rains come to soften the ground
while on the other farms clouds of
dust rolled over fields where tillage
was under way.
To change the overall outlook for
farm crops here, several days OF
steady downpour will be necessary
farmers said. Drought this spring
has been particularly severe and
poses a defenite threat to food pro.
duction in this area.
Pastures Short
Pasture fields are virtually driec
up just at time when they ordinar,
lily are growing rapidly, and lacl
of sufficient moisture has retarded
the termination and growth of oat!
seed on most area farms.
Wheat so far has suffered no ser
ious damage, altho the straw thi!
year will be short due to a lat,
start in the lush growth spring rain
ordinarily give the crop. Heavy rain
fall is needed soon, however, to pre-
vent reduced yield next harvest.
Prospects for good hay crop thi
summer are virtually gone, a dev
elopment that will further aggravat
the already critical feed situation.
Substantial rains within the mex
two weeks will be the only answe
to saving pasture fields to the ex
tent that heavy spring milk produc
tion can be maintained. SO far, tn
milk intake at the Bluffton plant 0
The Page Dairy Co. has not indicate
any falling off in volume, but past
lures cannot long sustain ordinar
spring grazing under present cond
tions.
Drought conditions are gener,
thruout the entire Ohio river vale,
and it Is estimated that the stat
is 45 per cent short of the norms
rainfall for the first four months {
the year.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
GEORGE SWANK JR.
RESIGNS AS COACH
AT BLUFFT0N HIGH
Coach Who Left Here To Go
Into Army In 1913 Will
Enroll At Ohio State
Swank's Resignation Leaves Lo-
cal School Without A Coach
For Next Year

Bluffton High school again is with
out an athletic coach, with the an
nouncement this week that George
Swank Jr., has submitted his resig-
nation and does not intend to return
to guide the destinies of Bluffton
teams.
Recently discharged from the
Army, Swank will enter Ohio State
university in June to take post-grad-
uate studies.
He was coach here in 1942-43, but
was inducted into the Army before
the season ended. His successor was
Kent Cotterman, son of Hardin
County School Superintendent Cot.
terman, who was then a student al
Ohio Northrn university.
Hasson Succeeds Cotterman
Cotterman was here only during
the baseball season, going into the
Navy in June, and Russell Hassor
came here as coach of 1943-44 teams
Coach A. C. Burcky, Bluffton col
lege athletic director, took over tht
coaching reins for the next two years
but is returning to the college mex
fall to direct Beaver athletic team.
and no longer will be available.
Consideration of what to do Will
respect to finding coach for mex
year is exported to be one or tn,
major problems coming before thu
Board of Education at its meeting
this Wednesday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
COUNCILMEN WELD
AXE ON MUNICIPAL
LIGHT PLANT PLANS
Council Approves Only Boiler
Installation In Action At
Mondays Meeting
Public Pressure Seen In Failure
To Go Along With Engineer
ing Recommendations

Bluffton town councilmen Monday
night swung the axe on recommenda-
tions of consulting engineers for a
proposed expansion program at the
municipal electric light and water
works plant.
The overall plan designed to pro-
vide for the towns growing electrical
generating needs, drafted by Froeh-
ligh & Emory, Toledo engineering
firm and submitted to the Board of
Public Affairs was vastly modified at
the hands of the council which ap-
proved only the installation of a new
37,500 pounds per hour boiler.
Where the boiler is to be placed
however, is a problem for the Board
of Public Affairs to cope with, for
action of the council embodied a re-
commentator that a proposed 40
foot addition to the present building
be dropped from further considera-
ton.
Construction at the present of a
new stack, installation of ash hand
ling equipment, dust and cinder col
lection and other extras were addi-
tional items the council recommended
dropping at this time.
Where To Put Boiler?
Major problem resulting from the
councils attitude toward the overall
program, however, is represented in
what the Board of Public Affairs will
have to decide to do with relation to
installation of the new boiler.
Froehlich & Emory, Toledo con-
sulting engineers had recommended
a 40-foot addition to the present
boiler room to accommodate the new
installation and the extras, but Mon
day nights action of the council
means in effect that the new boiler
must go into the present building.
Continued on Page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Births

The following births at Bluffton
hospital:
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Nemire, OF
tawa, girl, Nancy Lou, Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Nick Mathewson,
Ada, a girl, Diana Kay, Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Claude Benroth, Col.
Grove, a boy, Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Marion Fisher, Jack
sonville, Florida, girl, May 4. Mr..
Fisher, in Naval service is the son
of Mrs. Geo. Swank, Sr., of Riley
street.
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Scoles, Yon-
kers, N. Y, a girl, Lillian, April rs.
The paternal grandparents are Mr.
and Mrs. Alva Scoles of Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
FLOy McBain, Grade
School Teacher Weds

Wedding of Miss Floy McBain of
Bluffton and Robert j. Koenig of
Botkins took place in the rectory of
Immaculate Conception church in-Bot-
Botkins, Saturday night at o'clock.
Rev. E. G. Depenbrook officiated in
the double ring ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of MIR.
and Mrs. Wilson McBain and a
teacher in the Bluffton grade schools.
The couple was attended at the we'd
ding by Mr.. and Mrs. Chris Koenig
of Dayton. They will reside in Bot
kins.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09

Two Bluffton community projects
benefited to the extent of 1915 from
proceeds from the Lions club minstrel
which was staged two weeks ago.
Announcement A to this effect was
made after a final checkup of re-
ceipts and expenditures.
The net proceeds will be divided
with $3.50 going to the fund to pro-
vide school band uniforms and sos
for playground improvements on Har-
mon field.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Real Estate Deal

Charles Sheridan, engineer at the
Triplett plant has purchased the Rev.
Eli Steiner property on South jack
son street. Mr.. and Mrs. Sheridan
occupying an apartment in the Ross
Bogart property on Cherry street will
move into their new home early next
month. The Rev. Steiner family
will move to Lafayette, Ind, where
he has accepted the pastorate sof the
Defenseless Mennonite church.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
High School Ball Team Trailing II
Runs Wins in Movie Thriller Finish

You can put it down in the books
that Bluffton Highs baseball team
last Friday morning fashioned a
Frank Merriwell finish that will stand
for all time in the schools records.
Bluffton fans, accustomed to gar
rison, last-ditch rallies of the Pirates
can find nothing in school history to
compare with what the Burckymen
came up with in their first start in
the district baseball tournament
and chances are they never will.
When you say that Bluffton trailed
Lima St. Gerards, II to 0, at the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09

end of the third inning, yet won 13
to II when the seven-inning contest
ended, you have told the tale.
How the Pirates turned the trick
further adds to the games unreality
for st. Gerards still held COM
Portable II to 3 lead with only two
more innings to play.
Then the sky literally fell in on
the Lima team. In the sixth frame,
Bluffton batsmen finally discovered
their latent hitting power and drove
five runs across the plate. Five more
Continued on Page 81
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
College Chorus Will
GiUe Rose Maiden"

"Rose Maiden, a Cowen cantata,
will be presented by the Bluffton
College Chorus at s p. m. next Mon
day in Ramseyer chapel on the cam
pus.
Soloists will include Roger Howe,
baritone; Lois Oyer, mezzo-soprano;
Alice Oyer, soprano, and Elizabeth
Brand, soprano. Prof. Russell A.
Bantz is directing the chorus in its
first major postwar appearance.
Marguerite Jones is the piano ac-
companist.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Road Improvement
Starts In TOUnship

Summer road improvement pro-
gram in Richland township got under
way Tuesday when grading of the
Tom Fett road was begun under dir
ection of the county engineers office.
A three mile stretch is being grad
ed from Rockport north to the Allen
Putnam county line. Cost of the
improvement will be divided between
the county and the township.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Alumni Dinner Ticket
Sale Closes Friduy

Sale of tickets for the Bluffton high
school alumni banquet to be held
May "a will close this Friday night.
No tickets will be obtainable after
that time, it is announced by the ex-
ecutive committee in charge of ar
rangements.
Because of the current food situa-
ton it is necessary to determine two
weeks in advance the number of
plates TO be prepared.
Tickets may be obtained at either
drug store or by mail from Miss
Donna Hagerman at the high school
office.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Pre-SchO0I Child
Clinic Here Friday

A pre-school clinic for physical ex-
animation of children starting to
school next September will be held
at the Grade school building Friday
morning beginning at 9 o'clock. The
clinic is sponsored by the Mothers
Study club.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09

The small vote reflected lack of in
terest generally in the primary in
which there were few contests on
county tickets.
Electors showed little concern in
the outcome and few gathered at the
polling places Tuesday night after
precinct election returns were posted.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09
Plants Here Cut Hours

With the growing coal crisis cur
failing railroad movement of mater
ials for manufacturers and plants
generally cutting back production,
The Triplett Electrical Instrument
Co, Wednesday announced reduction
of its working schedule from Al to
40 hours per week.
The Boss Glove Factory plant in
Bluffton last week went on 40 hour
work week.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-05-09

Friday night, according to word re-
ceived by Hofer from railroad head
quarters.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-06-12

about iS0 over l00-a difference of 50."
 Moreover. Nardiello said Louis did not look as sharp" tn the ring as expected of a champion who had been grooming for eight months. He stressed that Joes counter punching seemed slow.
 Disagrees
 However. pr William H. Walker Another boxing commission physi- cian--disagreed with Nardiello to some extent. Walker said that Joe seemed in good condition and that his refiexes appeared sharp. "Natur- ally. his condition is not quite as good as before the war" he admit ted.
 This split in opinion vas shared by notables at the ringslde. Those who thought Louis looked about half the fighter he was" included Ray Carlen of Oakland, Calif.. former manager of ex-chailenger Lou Nova: Jack Kearns. former manager of Jack Dempsey and Mickey Walker: and Ted Broadribb Of London. who managed challenger Tommy Farr.
 Those who thought Louis looked good included ex-champions Mickey Walker and Bob Olin. and Promoter Jack Solomons of Lon- don.