davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1947-02-09

Poultry, spicy and different,
is growing in popularity :.
NRRE's smoke in your mouth. If there
Il isn't, there will be. Everywhere smoked
birds are roosting on platters Turkey.
capon, chicken, duck, pheasant, mallard -
are getting the spicy brine cure, then into
the smoke to be readied for party tables.
Itwas lOyears ago that gourmets through
out the nation began breathing heavily over
new dish called THE smoked turkey" The
smoking was claimed to be private art,
known in this country to only three men.
But others learned smoking in hurry when
they saw how the bronzed, smoke scented
bird was catching on with the public. Today
there are dozen, or two dozen, firms claim
ing the smoke-it know-how. Each frankly
admits its bird is the best because of some
special trick in its preparation.
Not u New Idea
HERE'S nothing new about smoked poul-
try it's been smoked through the centu-
ries. Originally the idea was preservation
measure; The birds were cured in herb
scented brine, then smoked almost black,
the flesh tough as leather. Today poultry
gets light smoke, just enough to give the
flesh favor The bird cooks while it smokes
in leisurely fashion that insures juicy
tenderness.
These smoked birds sell in delicacy stores
throughout the country; they sell by mail
order direct from the smokehouse, the price
$l.5O to $l.70 pound. If you haven't
tasted smoked bird, you have thrill COM
ing. They are deliciously different from any
thing else in the meat line.
It's important in using these smoked
masterpieces to remember they are pre-
cooked, and already highly seasoned. The
meat can be used in any recipe calling for
cooked poultry. but no salt. go easy with
the herbs. heated or cold, the birds make
handsome platter pieces for buffet service.
When the choice white meat is gone, the
leftover is perfect in casserole combinations.
When the last silver of meat is carved
from the bones, reserve the carcass and
oddments for the soup, sauces and gravies.
Keep the skin to add to various Dishes Use
it as you would garlic - that is, remove
after cooking.
If it's party with hors d'oeuves and
punch, thinly slice the breast of the bird,
be it game or the banyard fowl, and lay
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
OhiO's First
Thanksgiving

Not only, by official proclamation,
did Ohioans celebrate their first
Thanksgiving Day on Christmas but
in so doing set precedent for the
World War ii custom of Judging
Thanksgiving back and forth to any
sime best suiting scattered localities.
Roosevelt wasn't the first to switch
the Thanksgiving date-Arthur St.
Clair did it too.
The first official Ohio Thanks
giving Day was observed December
%, 1890.
I'm as much as it is incumbent on
all men to acknowledge with graft
tude the infinite obligation to Al
mighty God for benefits received"
he proclamation of Arthur st. Clair,
governor of the Northwest Territory
and Commander in Chief, started off
and then he fixed the first Thanks
giving Day as December 25, 1890.
That President George Washington
already had by proclamation fixed
the national Thanksgiving Day to fall
on Thursday, November 26, 1889, and
on the corresponding Thursday in
November thereafter, meant little to
st. Clair. What was the decree of a
mere President of the United States
as compared with the ideas of ter
ritorial governor?
So Marietta and Cincinnati, which
was all of settled Ohio then, took the
Continued on page 10)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Raise $3.50 In Drive
Here For Scout Fund

A financial drive for the Shawnee
Council of Boy Scouts was conducted
on Monday by 20 friends of scout
ing. A total Of ss59.50 was raised
in cash, with two solicitors still to
be heard from.
The program began with a "kick-
off" breakfast at the Walnut Grill
at z a. m, with keynote address
by Ray Schryer, chairman of Allen
District of Shawnee Council. In
the evening the solicitors turned in
their funds to the committee meet
ing in the First Mennonite church.
Those securing the funds were:
Forest Steinman, Ralph Lanham,
Charles Alderman, Jack Vermilya,
Cloyce Bame, Gerhard Buhler, Rob-
ert Ewing, w. A. Howe, Paul En-
inert, Gordon Bixel, Wilford Gratz,
Clay Henderson, Ralph Badertscher,
Ralph Stearns, Wade Shook, Ed
Chamberlain, Evan Basinger, James
Benroth, and Lament Diller. The
program was organized under an
administrative committee consisting
of Rev. Paul Cramer, Rev. ]. N.
.Smucker, Rev. v. C. Oppermann,
and Rev. E. N. Bigelow.
Bluffton has two scout units at the
present time: Boy Scout Troop 56,
of which Kenneth and Robert Oberly
are the leaders, and Cub Pack 81 of
which Harold Koch is the leader.
The field executive for Allen district
is Robert Changon.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
MAN IS FATALLY
BURNED; WIFE'S
CONDITION GRAVE
Albert Amstutz Accident Vic
tim Starting Fire in Kitchen
Stove
COnflagration i'm Cioverdale
Home of Former BlufftOn
Area Family

Albert Amstutz, A, a former
employee of the Gray and White
Produce Co. in Bluffton, was fatally
burned and his wife sustained critical
injuries, in an early-morning fire
last Thursday at their home in
Cloverdale, where they had recently
moved They formerly lived near
Beaverdam.
Amstutz died at $3.50 p. m. on
Thursday in Bluffton Community
hospital, 10 hours after the house
fire was started when kerosene
can exploded as he was kindling a
fire in the kitchen stove.
His wife is in the hospital in
critical condition, suffering from
burns received when she collapsed
In her blazing bedroom, and was in
jured before being rescued by son.
A daughter, Dorothy Amstutz, is
nurse at the Bluffton hospital.
Other members of the family were
in bed when the early-morning blast
occurred, and son, Richard IL,
looking from an upsteairs window
saw his father in the yard with his
clothing aflame. He leaped from
the window to go to his fathers
assistance.
Meanwhile Mrs. Amstutz, who had
been ill, was in a downstairs bed
room, and three other children, Dale,
10, Marjorie, Ia; and Linda, 5, We're
upstairs. Dale carried little Linda
to safety through the flames, follow
ed by Marjorie.
The children could not locate their
mother until Richard finally found
her on the bedroom floor, unconscious
from suffocation and shock. She was
painfully burned about the hands and
face.
Meanwhile, Marjorie had run bare
footed and in her night clothing half
mile to a neighbor to call aid. The
Kalida volunteer fire department
extinguished the flames after the
house was badly damaged, and Mr..
and Mrs. Amstutz were brought to
the Bluffton hospital.
Born March /, 1903, north of
Beaverdam, Amstutz was the son OF
John and Rosina (Henze) Amstutz.
Survivors include the widow, the
former Rena Moore; and the follow
ing children, Mrs. Selma Long, Ada;
Dorothy, the nurse at the Bluffton
hospital; Dale, Alberta, Marjorie,
Richard and Linda, all at home.
Sisters and brothers include Mrs.
Roy Best, Beaverdam; Mrs. Harley
Grant, Route 5, Lima; Mrs. William
Wiedenan, Toledo; Mrs. John Weller
Route 8, Lima; Melvin, Jesse, and
Noah Amstutz, all of Route 2, Bluff
ton; and Oliver Amstutz, Route B.
Lima.
Funeral services were held Sunday
in the Paul Diller funeral home. Rev.
Howard Landis, pastor of the Ebene-
ger Mennonite church, officiated,
Burial was in the Ebenezer cemetery
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27

Body of Pfc. James Amstutz,
killed in action in Germany on Feb
ruary 9, 1916, has been returned to
this country, and soon will be sent
to Bluffton with a military escort,
according to word received by his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Am
stutz, former Bluffton residents.
On its arrival here, the body will
be taken to the Paul Diller funeral
home, and after lying in state there,
funeral services will be held in the
Emmanuels' Reformed church, of
which Pfc. Amstutz was a member.
Rev. V. c. Oppermann, pastor of the
church, and Rev. Paul Cramer, chap
lain of Bluffton Legion post will
officiate.
Inducted into the army on May 10,
1943, Pfc Amstutz took his basic
training at Camp Shelby, Miss. He
went to England on July S, 1944,
and first entered combat duty in the
Aachen, Germany, sector, Sept. 16,
1914.
Amstutz graduated from Bluffton
High school in the class of 1912
and worked for the Bluffton Stone
Co. and the City Market before en-
listing.
Mrs. Eli Amstutz, of Poplar
street, is grandmother, and Mrs.
Rayon Boutwell,, of near Bluffton, a
sister. His parents now live in
Harrod..
His body arrived at New York
early this week on the Army trans
port, Robert Burns.
Also on the transport was the
body of Pfc. John F. Beach, son of
Mrs. Mary Beach, Lima, who was
born in Bluffton, January 90, 1911.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
QUIET observance
OF THANKSGIVING
IN PROSPECT HERE
Union Service To Be Held At
Reformed Church Thurs
day Morning
Traditional Family Dinner Is
High Spot of Day For Fam
lily Circles

Highlighted by the traditional
family dinner at noon, Buttons
observance of Thanksgiving Thurs
day viii be a quiet one, in keeping
with the pre-war custom of family
gatherings amid a general cessation
of business and industrial activity.
Public observance of the holiday
will be centered in union Thanks
giving church service at 9:3o a. m.
in the st. Johns Evangelical and
Reformed church under auspices of
the Bluffton Ministerial association.
Speaker at the union service will
be Rev. Paul Cramer, pastor of the
First Methodist church. Special
musical features also viii be present
ed.
Buttons business establishments
and industries will suspend opera
tions for the day, and there viii be
no mail deliveries on town or rural
routes. Windows at the post office
will be closed, but outgoing mail will
be made up and dispatched as usual.
Buttons public schools will OBJ
serve a two-day Thanksgiving holi-
day, with no classes on Thursday
and Friday Pupils will return to
the regular classroom schedule on
the following Monday.
Bluffton college students, however,
will be dismissed from their classes
only on Thanksgiving day.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
MEETING IN LIMA
is CALLED TO AIR
WATERSHED PLANS
County Asked to Join Creation
of Maumee Conseryancy
Area; Discuss Costs
Discussion May Guide Allen
Commissioners in Decision
on Participation

Arguments pro and con including
explanation of the cost of including
Allen county in the proposed Maumee
watershed conservancy district will
be heard at 1870 p. m. Saturday,
December 6 at a public meeting call
ed in Lima Memorial hall by county
commissioners.
Bluffton's Riley creek is one of
the streams which links Allen county
to plans for the conservancy district,
it was pointed out in an announce
ment several months ago.
The stream, formed by convergence
in Bluffton of Big and Little Riley
creeks, flows into the Blanchard
river, which empties into the Au-
gIaize, and then eventually into the
Maumee river.
Seeking public opinion on the
proposal, Allen county commissioners
have called the meeting for open
discussion.
Among questions to be answered
are details of the cost to Allen
county municipalities and rural
areas, and the possible extent of
condemnation proceedings against
lands needed for backwater from
dams.
A 3 mill assessment for not more
than two years for preliminary costs
would entail a cost of $4,000 to
Allen county taxpayers, it was re-
ported recently.
1t has been stated actual construc-
tion costs would be borne by the
federal government under the flood
control act, but there has not yet
been an answer to questions whether
additional local assessments for
maintenance could be made.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Winter Recreation Activity Will
Get Under Way Here In December
Organized Recreation Program
Starts in Two Gymnasiums
December
Coach Kent Cotterman WIN
Serve Again AS Winter Re
crea Jon Director

Bluffton's winter program of or
ganized recreational activity will get
1nder way next week, with opening
Of basketball and volleyball play and
yther activities in Bluffton High and
8iuffton college gymnasium.
Coach Kent Cotterman, who di-
rected last years successful pro-
gram, has been re-employed by the
recreation committee as supervisor
of winter activities.
For the program, the Bluffton
High school gymnasium will be
available each Monday night and
Saturday morning, and activity will
be conducted in the Bluffton college
gymnasium each Tuesday night.
Periods will be arranged in each
weeks program for young and mid
die aged men, women and grade
school children, on much the same
basis as last years schedule.
Detailed plans for the winter were
completed last week by the re-
creation committee, with the pro-
gram starting the first week in De-
cember.
Basketball play will start at 7
p. m. next Monday night in the high
school gymnasium. General practice
sessions will mark the meetings on
the first two Monday nights in
December, after which teams will be
selected and league will be organ
lied.
In each Tuesdays activities at
the Bluffton college gymnasium, the
first half of the evening will be
devoted to a program for men inter
ested in volley ball, work with gym
nastic equipment, etc. Those of
middle age and older are especially
urged to attend from to $3.50 p. m.
Girls and women will have pro-
gram designed for them in the
gymnasium from $3.50 p. m. until 10
p. m. on the same night, according
to the present schedule.
Saturday mornings program in
the high school gymnasium viii be
for boys from the fourth, fifth and
sixth grades, Coach Cotterman an
nounced. The mornings program
will start at 10 a. m.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Births

The following births at Bluffton
Community hospital:
Mr.. and Mrs. James Van Alta,
Arlington, boy, Stephen Douglas,
Thursday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edw. Lauck, Nc
Comb, a boy, Ronald Neal, Thurs
day.
Mr.. and Mrs. Olan Wolfrom, Find
Law. a boy, Godfrey serelle, Friday.
Mr.. and Mrs. jerome Allen, a
girl, Beverly Lucille, born Nov. II
at Presbyterian hospital, Newark,
N. J. Mrs. Allen is the former Della
Amanda Pifer, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ami Pifer of Orange township.
Mr.. and Mrs. Orlando Brand, q
how born Tuesday at Seattle, Wash
Mr.. Brand is son of Mrs. d. J
Brand and brother of Miss Eliza
beth Brand of this place.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Meetings at Riley
Greek Baptist Church

Rev. O. G. Lewis of Minneapolis,
who was a commercial artist before
entering the ministry, viii conduct a
series of evangelistic meetings at
Riley Creek Baptist church in Orange
township from December to Ii, it
is announced by the pastor, Rev.
Robert Turner. Services viii be held
every night at 8 o'clock.
Rev. Lewis, with long experience
as an illustrator, paints large
pictures before his audience while
singing the hymn which is illustrated
in his painting.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Lecture On Atomic
Bomb At C0llege

DR.. NJ. L. Pool, physicist of Ohio
State University, Columbus, will give
an illustrated lecture entitled "'The
Atomic Bomb and the Bikini Expert
ment" in Bluffton college chapel,
Wednesday night, Dec. 3 at 8 o'clock.
DIR. Pool, an official government
observer of the Bikini experiment
will present motion pictures of the
explosion and also show a Geiger
counter used to measure resulting
radio activity.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
TRAPPERS HIT As
FUR CATCH DROPS
FROM WAR PEAKS
Take On Trap Lines About
One-Third Lower So Far
This Winter
Prices Generally Are Slightly
Lower; Muskrat Pelts Up
Five Cents

Trapping done extensively in
streams thruout the Bluffton area
this year is not yielding the bonanza
returns of 1914 and 1916 because OF
the unusual combination of low prices
for furs, plus the fact that truppers
generally are having poor season.
Local buyers reported this week
that the catch in November has been
approximately e~e-third less than
normal, and with prices remaining
near or slightly below the low levels
prevailing throughout last winter,
trapping is not yielding any spec
tacular financial returns.
Muskrat furs this year are the
only pelts commanding more money
than on the 1916 market, with this
weeks quotation Of $2.25 exactly
five cents more than the price paid
one year ago. Two years ago,
muslkrat pelts brought $3.50.
Raccoon Bring Less
Raccoon and red fox prices are
decidedly lower this season, the buy
ars reported Coon pelts being
bought for sI,5t- brought $3.50 last
year, and In 1945 the price was S325.
Red fox furs are down to 81 per
pelt, exactly half the amount paid
last winter.
Mink, on the other hand, quoted
at from SO to $40 are at prices the
same as last year; situation which
also is true of weasels, $3.50, and
opposum, 80 cents.
Raceoon are plentiful this season,
md to assure a continuance of good
hunting the Button Sportsmen's
-iub viii pay $1.50 for females and
81 for males above market price for
i've animals turned over to Albert
Garanattes -
Most Of the trapping in this area
is done BY farmers and their sons,
altho a few town residents are en-
raging in the avocatien this winter.
Farmers who do not trap their own
land lease rights to run trap lines
in their streams.
Long Trap Line
Reports from some of the Oldest
rappers so far have confirmed the
fact that the season is poorer than
usual, especially by three Bluffton
men who are running one of the
biggest trap lines in this district, a
two-mile stretch of Riley creek, west
of town.
In the trapping trio are Charles
Burkholder, trapper for 35 years;
his son, Lewis Burkholder, who has
trapped for Is years; and son-in-
aw, Franklin Beach.
Burkholder reported the catch on
their two-mile trap line was off
about one-third this year. Muskrat
catches especially show the result of
last springs heavy rainfall, bring
ing floods that killed off the early
litters of rats, Burkholdar said.
Furs are bought locally by Jesse
Manages and Russell Leiber, veteran
dealers. They pay the same price
for animals, skinned or unskinned,
because the carcasses can be sold for
waste fats and oils, or if suitable can
be marketed as meat in larger cities.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
SlUiss Music Concert
Here This Saturday

The Tremp Trio, famous Swiss
yodlers and instrumentalists, of To-
ledo, will present a concert in the
Bluffton High school auditorium at
s D. m. Saturday night.
1t will be the first appearance of
the talented musicians in this To-
cality, but many local residents who
have heard the program elsewhere
speak of it in the highest terms.
In the concert a program of real
Swiss music will be assured.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Cue Examination
Outfit for Schools

Eye examination equipment donat-
ed to the Bluffton schools by means
of public funds raised through the
Lions club sale of sight-saving
stamps has been ordered from the
keystone View Co., Meadville, Pa.
School officials, it is said. will have
thorough training in order to operate
the apparatus efficiently when it ar
rives here, making possible the
detection of ryesight deficiencies.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Cost Of Thanksgiving Dinner Will Be
Only Slightly Higher This Holiday
86th Birthday For
TJUiNs In Pandora

Wednesday will mark the Seth
birthday anniversary for two Pan
dora women, Mrs. David Wehrly
and Mrs. John Sommer, believed to
be the oldest living twins in this
area.
Born during the Civil War, the
sisters have been lifelong residents
of the Pandora community. Their
father, the late J. ID. VanScoder of
Pandora was a four-year veteran of
the Civil war.
The twins, both widows, live to-
gether and do their own housework.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Woman in Hospital
Injured In, Fall

Mrs. Leona Settler is a patient
in Bluffton hospital with a fractured
left thigh as the result of fall in
her Vine street apartment Monday
morning. Her condition Is reported
satisfactory.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
In New Location

Mr.. and Mrs. Clyde Ream moved
Monday from their home on Mound
street to their farm east Of Bluffton.
Harold Diller and family will move
from the apartment above City
Market into the residence vacated
by the Reams.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
College Music Course
Presents AccOrdiOrtist

Bill Palmer, accordionist, will ap-
pear in the second number of the
Blufton College concert series in the
high school auditorium, Tuesday
night, December at 8 o'clock, it
was announced the first of the week.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
RECOUNT OF VOTE
CONFIRMS BAKER
As TOWNS MAYOR
County Board of Elections
Counts Ballots Cast Here
November 4
Board Takes Nearly Three
Hours to Count Vote i'm
Four Precincts

Election of Arden Baker, Demo-
crat, as mayor Of Bluffton on No
vember was confirmed in an Off
cial recount of the mayoralty vote
in the four precincts here by the
Allen county board of elections at
the boards office in Lima last Thurs
day afternoon.
After completing the recount the
board announced the vote as Baker.
Democrat, $40; w. A. Howe, indie
pendent, 321, and Paul Stauffer, Re-
publican, 2o4. Total for Baker and
Stauffer were unchanged from the
previous official count following the
election.
However, 48 disputed votes which
the boards recount credited to Howe
added to his previously announced
official total which reduced Bakers
majority from rs to % votes. Howe's
gain by precincts was; A, 2; r, % ];
.C, /; d, %.
PETITION FOR RECOUNT
Petition for a recount of the vote
for mayor in precincts B, C, and D
was filed by 4 group supporting
Howe, present mayor, for reelection
IN a write-in campaign, after 90
ballots in the three precincts were
reported to have been disqualified by
elec tion officials on technical
grounds.
Later a bipartisan group which
Imported the caucus-nominated can
didates, Baker and Stauffer, peti-
ioned for recount Of the vote for
mayor in precinct A.
The board was two and three
.uarters hours in making the official
ecount
Mayor-elect Baker is serving his
second term on the town council and
d nsesnher of thn Rsance cosansits
ee. Besides his position as mayol
le is personnel manager at the Trip
ett Electrical Instrument Co.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Christmas Carols

The Bluffton Business Mems asso-
citation is sponsiring the playing Of
Christmas carols in the business dis
trict beginning SATURDAY. afternoon
and evening.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Religious Education
Glasses Haze Exhibit

Exhibit of hand work by the class
es in religious education in the
Bluffton grade schools is being shown
in the window of the Peter Gratz
drygoods store. The classes are in
charge of Mrs. Chas. Lauby.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
d1l1psf&Jg8;Z; 8;
5zsesssssS|So1Io)]ts :
eY HARRY L. HAaR

EDITORS NoTE-This is one
of q series of articles to appear
in the Blufton Netvs dealing
Nth early Ohio history. Others
soiu appear IN forthcoming
issues,
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-11-27
Chorus At Arlington

The Ebenezer Mems chorus will
give program at Arlington, Sun
day night at 7:45 o'clock.