davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
PONDER PLANS TO
RE-APPRAISE REAL
ESTATE IN COUNTY
Where To Set Basic Property
Valuation Major Headache
For County
Allen County Re-Appraisal, Due
This Year, May Be Done
BY Professionals

Re-appraisal of real estate, requir-
ed this year by state law, is expect
ed to represent major headache
for Allen county officials and those
responsible for setting up the surveys
IN other counties in this area.
Principal bugaboo faced by county
auditors in preparing to tackle the
re-appraisal job il existing inflated
values of real estate, particularly
residential and farm properties,
which today sell for two to three
times their previous valuation.
Should re-appraisals be set too
low, there win not be sufficient
revenue to meet the inflated costs of
county, city, and township govern
mental operations, but auditors also
realize that major increases in
property valuation will bring a flood
of complaints from taxpayers.
Seek Fair Plan
Trying to establish an appraisal
procedure fair to the county govern
mental units as we'll as to property
owners under existing conditions
pose major problems as to who is
going to do the appraising, how it's
going to be done, and how to revise
the present tax duplicate.
Sentiment in Allen county at
present leans toward employing out
of-town professional appraising firms
for the program, because of their
trained approach toward problems
such as encountered today.
Previously the appraisal has ben
done by local residents of each area,
but. today's inflated real estate price
lewis make it hard to get a uniform
bal s of procedure through opera
tia.s of that sort.
Employ Outsiders
Faced by similar condition,
Putnam county already has employed
an outside professional firm for its
| re-appraisal, and Ellsworth Conn.
county auditor, said re-appraisals in
the last two years have raised the
tax duplicate by more than $2,000,-
900.
In Hancock county, Auditor Eu-
gene Lape said property valuations
have increased $4,000,000 in the last
year.
In connection with the re-appraisal
program, required by law every six
years, state officials last week said
taxes generally have been increased
little since real estate valuation hit
the depression bottom, with most
advances made effective coming thru
special levies.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Mosquito Control Program To Be
Continued This Year BY W. A. Howe
Utilities UutrOubted
By Shortage Of Coal

Bluffton utility plants have not
yet felt the pinch of the coal short
age, resulting from the late March
shutdown of mines, a survey showed
here this week.
Enough coal for approximately
three more weeks of uninterrupted
service is on hand on the municipal
light plant, Supt. John Swisher said
Tuesday, and there are no plans for
curtailment of service.
At the Central Ohio Light and
Power Company's major generating
plant, located here, there is no sign
of a fuel pinch being felt for more
than a month, it was reported.
In the meantime, the meagre sup
ply of fuel available for householders
in local coal yards was approaching
the vanishing point, but no real
crisis is expected unless extended
cold weather should return.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08

Mrs. Charles Gazette has sold her
North Main street property to Levi
Frankhauser and is moving her
household goods to Indiana, Pa.
Frankhauser will occupy the prop
erty moving from the property at
the junction of Rt. 103 and the Al
len-Hancock county line which he
sold to Lawrence Rodabaugh.
Rodabaugh will occupy the prop
erty moving from the late Mrs.
Bertha Baimer residence on South
Main street. The Balmer property
will be occupied later this spring BY
Mr.. and Mrs. Evan Soash and fam
ily now at Alger where he is high
school athletic coach.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Hermann Funeral
Rites Held Monday

Funeral services were held Mon
day morning in St. Mary's Catholic
church for Joseph Edward (Ed)
Hermann, 81, of 116 Washington
street, who died at IL p. m. last
Thursday in Lima st. Rita's hos
pital. /
He had been in the hospital a
month. Death was caused by a
heart ailment.
A son of Casper and Frazina
(Steff) Hermann, he was born at
Archbold, August II, 1856. Unmar-
ried, he had Teen an et ploye of The
Triplett Electrical Inst nment Co.
Survivors i.elude tlEee brothers,
Irwin C.,ssaAassaaasevs> Erenas J,
Hermann, all of fBluffton.
Rev. James Nett officiated at the
funeral services Monday. Burial
was in Maple Grove cemetery.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08

eaten up-the Great Spirit would
provide more.
Imprisoned for Murder
1t was down this trail, then moth
ing but bride path, that Chief
Bigson and his two sons were herd
ed in 1906 by white settlers from
Deerfeld to life Imprisonment at
Warren for attempted murder.
The Bigsons We're members of a
group of about 20 Mohawks encamp-
ed near Deerfield. Other tribes in
the neighborhood were Onondagas
and Oneidas, all of whom, including
the Mohawks, were friendly to the
whites until the Deerfeld episode
occurred.
One Mohawk named John Nicksaw,
had been bested by John Diver, a
white settler, in a horse trade. All
the Indians We're dissatisfied with
the bargain and Nicksaw vainly
tried to get Diver to trade back.
Appealing to other whites, Nieksaw
was told to see Diver again and get
him to ''do justice"
"No. You speak to him. Me no
speak to him again." the Indian
said and walked away. That night
January 20, 1906, while there was .
sleighing party at Divers cabin, five
Continued on page q
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
MOUNTING COSTS
DELAY BUILDING OF
new COLLEGE GYM
Erection of Quarter-MilliOn Dol
lar Structure Indefinitely
Postponed
Decision Announced Following
Meeting of Building Com
mittee Here

Because of rising costs Blufton
college viii postpone indefinitely
construction of the quarter-million
dollar gymnasium which it plans to
erect on the campus.
This became known following q
meeting last Thursday night of the
building committee in charge of the
gymnasium project together with its
advisory group and the architect in
charge.
| Current slyroeketing building costs
have outstripped by considerable
margin the estimate of $250,00C
which was deemed adequate for cree
tion of the structure when the finan-
cial campaign to raise that amount
was launched in the fall of 194S.
Agree on Postponement
At Thursday nights meeting the
advisory committee consisting of
bankers and businessmen definitely
recommended postponement of con-
struction because of increased costs
and the architect is said to have
been in substantial agreement with
this stand.
The campaign for funds with a
goal of S250,000 under way for the
past 18 months mas passed the half
way mark with $4,000 raised in
cash and pledges.
Included in this amount are large
contributions from Mrs. c. Fl. Mus
selman and her daughter, Mrs. Luel-
la Arnold of Biglerville, Pa, and
Mrs. Henry Stauffer of Palm, Pa.
Trustees Approve RemodeIing Step
At meeting of the College board
of trustees on Friday, however, plans
were approved for remodeling of
College hall this summer during the
period between the close of school
this spring and opening in the fall.
Changes will include removal of
college administrative offices from
the second floor to the first floor,
with the basement, second and third
floors housing classrooms.
Plans also include construction of
a large concrete vault.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Dinner HOnOrs Boss
EmpiOye Pensi0ned

Miss Mary Diller, West Elm
street, was honored at a dinner
party given by the Boss Manufac-
turing company Friday night at the
Walnut Grill. After the dinner she
was presented with gifts from en-
ployees and gold plated plaque
from her employer in appreciation
of ner years of service with the
company.
Miss Diller joined the Boss organi-
cation in 1921 in Pandora where a
plant was being operated and six
years later resumed her work in the
Bluffton plant. She has retired on
a pension plan provided by the COM
pany in the last two years and is
the first employe of the Bluffton
plant to participate in its benefits.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Lila Moon To Be In
Concert Here Friday

Lila Moon, Rawson native and
Bluffton college graduate who has
since become a concert pianist, will
appear in a concert at Ramseyer
chapel here Friday night at 8:15
o'clock to which the public is invited.
Miss Moon, who appears on the
concert stage under her maiden name
will be accompanied by her husband
Weikko Kopra, Finnish baritone, who
will supply vocal number on the pro-
gram.
Besides her work in Chicago where
she was graduated from Sherwood
School of Music and appears in re-
citals, she has given programs in
Iowa, Michigan and Indiana.
Her husband, son of a Luthern
minister, began singing in his faith
er's churches as a boy soprano. Dur
ing the war he was in the air corps
and now is junior in the Chicago
Musical college.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Minister'S Auto
Kills COUU On Road

A cow which wandered onto the
highway near Pandora was killed
Sunday night when hit by car
driven by Rev. Edgar Shady, pastor
of the Bluffton Evangelical Mennon-
ite church.
The accident occurred near the
farm home of Mrs. D. c. Steiner as
the minister, returning to his home
in Pandora, was blinded by lights of
an approaching car. The front of
his automobile was badly damaged.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Along The OgOntz
Indian Trail

Paved with blood, peopled by
phantoms and packed with tradition
not sensed by the stream of motor
lists who pass over it today, the old
Indian road between sunup and sun
set ran almost faithfully where US
$50, and State Route 80, 5, 45 and
81 carry the traveller to the Ohio
River.
Passing through or near Lodi,
Medina, Ravenna and Warren, the
trail sometimes dropped a mile or
two to the south but the route al
most was identical-between Ogontz,
now Sandusky, and old Ft. Mcintosh,
now Beaver, Pennsylvania. It was
the oldest and, barring the Indian
trail to Kentucky over which the
savages carried salt, the longest in
the Ohio country.
There in the 1700's, long before
the whites came to Ohio, Indians
still streamed over it after scattered
settlements had been made.
Where the trail crossed Silver
Creek, Portage County, Frederick
Daniels and others in 1914 found
several trees on whose smoothed off
bark the Indians had carved, in their
picture writing, historical legends.
Headless Ghost
On one of these were the figures
of seven Indians facing east. One
figure had no head. Miles back in
the beautiful Kattown valley, between
Lodi and Ashland, residents still
avoid the woods on foggy nights
Chief Kattowa's headless ghost is
said to walk there. He was murder
ed-seven Indians went into the
wilderness and but six came out.
Here and there along the trail
white settlers noticed old piles of
stones, which, though huge, appear
ed to grow as time passed. After
the Indian days had passed, settlers
tore them down to see what the
stones covered. Under each pile
they found a skeleton, whether
savage or white, they We're unable
to determine.
The Indians had q traditional
custom-every time a savage passed
the grave of an enemy he threw a
stone onto it. Geological formation
of the stones showed that they had
been picked up here and there along
the trail and tossed on the graves
when travellers came to them. Since
most Indian burials were on poles
above ground it is a good bet the
graves were of whites.
Over the Ogontz trail parties of
Indian hunters passed long after
settlement of the area by the white
men and always returned over it
with their horses laden with the
seasons kill. That and the whisky,
meant a drunken orgy among the
savages until the meat all was
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Youth Conference
At Ebenezer Church

The 18th annual youth conference
of the Ebenezer Mennonite church
will be held over the week end from
Friday to Sunday. Rev. Walter Nc
Dowell of Quarryville, Pa, will be
the speaker and Wallace Turner of
Vaughnsyille, song leader.
Services will open Friday night at
8 o'clock with fellowship hour. A
program for young people has been
arranged for Saturday night at 6:30
o'clock and the conference has been
arranged for Saturday night at 6:3O
o'clock and the conference will con-
tinue with meetings Sunday morning
at 1880 a. m. and 1880 a. m.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Entries For Amateur
Night Due On Friday

Entries for the BIuffton area anna
teur night contest to be held in the
high school gymnasium on April %
must be in the hands of the entry
committee before Friday of this
week, it was announced Tuesday.
The contest is being sponsored by
the high school senior class as a
means of raising funds to help
finance the groups commencement
week tour to Washington, d. G.
All contestants must live within a
14-mile radius of Bluffton. Radios
will be awarded as prizes to the
five winners.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Every Coed Out To Get Her Man
During BlufftOn College Leap Week

It's Leap Week at Bluffton college
and eo-eds with the determination of
a modern Sadie Hawkins are on the
prowl stalking the males of their
choice all over the campus.
And the males, apparently, aren't
too elusive-fact is they have posted
signs at vantage points reminding
the girls that this is their golden
opportunity-when the privilege is
theirs of paying for an evenings en-
tertainment at the theatre and an
after-show snack.
During this week, all social Gus
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
More Than 500. At
TripIett Open House

More than 500 persons viewed
operations in four operating plants
of The Triplett Electrical Instrument
CO., last Thursday afternoon, in the
local industry's first community open
house program.
The open house tour of operating
departments was held in connection
with observance of the close of the
company's 44th year of operation
here, in which it has become one of
the major industries in it's field.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08

toms and dormitory regulations are
vice versa. Boys are required to
observe girls rules such as signing
out and time in, when gone for the
evening, while the girls are allowed
later hours than usual
Inauguration of Leap Week has
been officially sanctioned by the stu
dent self-government group as well
as the college authorities.
A big all-school party is being
arranged for Saturday night to
mark the conclusion of Leap Week
activities.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
To Sail Soon For
Summer In E,gtartd

Mrs. Harry Shrider, Jr., of Har-
mon road will sail from New York
the last of this month to visit at her
former home in England. The Shrid-
ers were married in England where
he was stationed during the war.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
BOGART IMPROVED

M. NJ. Bogart of South Main
street, a patient in Bluffton hospital
i'll with an asthmatic condition was
reported improved Wednesday morn
ing.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
HOME FROM NAVY

Fred Fritchie, Jr., who served
nearly six years in the navy is
spending several weeks at his home
here after receiving his honorable
discharge from the service.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
CRITICS PROTEST
DROPPING COURSES
AT HIGH SCHOOL
Student Publication Launches
Bitter Attack on Board of
Education
Board Members Say Critics
Lack Understanding of
Problems Involved

A pitched battle appeared in the
making this week over Blufrton
board of education action in dropping
art, agriculture and speech depart
ments as an economy measure, as
teachers, student groups and women's
clubs struck back at the decision to
curtail courses offered in the high
school curriculum.
Smouldering opposition in the
schools fared into the open last
Friday when The Cutlass, high school
student publication, carried two edit
orials sharply denouncing the school
boards action.
Purportedly rejecting the attitude
of teachers and students, the editor
ials limited that at teachers meet
ing held following establishment of
the curtailment policy, a program
of counter measures was being draft
ed.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
Fighting Mad"

" we're fighting mad" said
one editorial and continued, "Peti-
tions are flying around as thick as
tin roofs were several days ago in
the cyclone. The school board will
know they have a constituency. At
first the storm cloud only looked as
Continued OH Page 10
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
FINANCING REPAIRS
AT BUCKEYE POOL
PUZZLES COUNCIL
Major Repair Program Needed
At Municipal Swimming
Center This Year
Basis of Management at Pool
Also Deferred For Further
Study By Group

The problem of stretching limited
finances to cover the cost of COM
pleting a major program of neces-
sary repairs at Buckeye lake swim
ming pool was one of the major
problems encountered by municipal
council Monday night in considering
plans for operation of the town
swimming center during the coming
summer season.
With financial stringency of the
towns treasury complieating plan
ming, councilmen have a frst-cIass
headache on their hands in determin-
ing how to go about financing re-
moval of the large two-pool float
from the quarry and effecting needed
repairs to the structure.
A new floor is needed in the big
float, necessitating its removal from
the quarry, and lot of additional
work also will be required to put the
float into condition for the coming
summer.
Bath House Needs Repairs
In addition to repairs to the float,
extensive work also will be required
at the bath house and to other
facilities at the pool, councilmen
learned in an inspection tour of the
premises 10 days ago.
Another problem was encountered
in consideration of the basis on
which management of the swimming
pool will be set up for the coming
season.
A committee consisting of Council
men Charles Alderman, Wilford
Geiger and Mayor Arden Baker will
be responsible for presenting several
alternate programs of procedure with
respect to management at next
meeting of the council, when man,
ager for the pool likely will be
hired.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-04-08
BT HARRY 4, AAAk

BT HARRY =, HAZE
EDITORS NoTE-This is one
Of series of articles TO appear
IN the Blufton Nea0s dealing
sOith early Ohio history. Others
Wiu appear In forthcoming
issues.
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31
MordeCai Johnson
At Ford Hall Forum

Dr.. Modecai johnson, Presi-
dent of Howard University, will
speak at the Ford Hall Forum in
Jordan Hall Sunday evening, on
the topic: Can Democracy Over
come Segregation2?"
With the report of the Presi-
dents Committee on Civil Rights
in the news and with the Su-
preme Court considering a major
legal case on real estate coven-
ants, this topic provides an espe-
cially timely subject for discus
sion.
DR.. John son will discuss the
Colored Americans in postwar
the color american in postwar
America, especially the difficulties
in volved in segregation. He is a
graduate of Morehouse College
and obtained his Masters de-
gree at Harvard. He has been
President OF Howard University
since 1925 and is decognized as an
outstanding theologian as well as
an educator.
Reuben L. Lurie will preside. A
discussion will follow the address.
Doors open at seven-thirty and
the public is cordially invited to
attend,
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31

The announcement marks the
return Of Betty Wright to her
former role as one of the Hubs
leading modistes. For many years
her shop numbered among its
patrons many of the most promi-
nent and fashionable women of
Boston. When the war broke out
she was persuaded by her patri-
otism to close her shop and con-
tribute her services toward
winning the war. SIZE became &
welder in shipyard.
Now she is back again In the
work for which she is admirably
equipped by training and long
and wide experience; and there
can be no doubt that many of her
old customers will be glad to vel
come her.
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31

FRIDAY. FEB. IS = Doors open
for business. ART and HANDI-
CRAFT EXHIBITS Gree adj
mission.
FRIDAY, FEB 10 - Doors open
8 10 1890 for program,
"GLORIFYING THE WOMEN
OF COLOR in a Style Show.
COUTURE AND COSMETIC
DEMONSTRATION and cos
METIC UNCONSTITUTIONAL
TALK Gall wearing apparel
made by members of the race) ].
POET AND ARTIST contest
winners announced. Patron
ticket must be used.))
FEB. IA Doors
open 10 to 7. for BUSINESS,
ART, and HANDICRAFT Elk
HIBTTS Gree admissionl, 5
O'Clock tea served. EPICUREAN
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31
Hub Urban League
Executive Resigns

John Caswell Smith, Jr., Ex-
ecutive Secretary of the Urban
League of Greater Boston, Inc,
for the past nine years, resigned
as of February 2, 1948, the Board
of Directors announced last
week.
Mr.. Smith. active in social
work circles in the Boston area,
served for two years in the Eu-
ropean Theater for the Ameri-
can Red Cross. In the past two
years he has done considerable
writing, one of his short stories
appearing in the o. Henry col
lection for 1947,
Although Mr.. Smith conSem-
plates a short rest he has re-
ceived several attractive offers
in the fields of social work, writ
ing, and education. Several
names have been suggested as
possible candidates for the posi-
ton vacated by Mr.. Smith. Am
ong those being considereds by
the Board of Directors is Seaton
w. Manning, former Boston Ur-
ban League worker and now Ex-
ecutive Secretary of the San
Francisco Urban League.
Mr.. Smith goes from his Bos-
ton post with the good wishes
of his friends here, especially
those who have appreciated his
race-loyal stand on many occa-
sions when the rights of colored
Americans were being defended.
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31

Miss Eta Moten, who has just
returned from an extensive tour
of West Africa, was so captivated
by African life and music that
she has added to her concert pro-
gram group of African songs
In the colleges and schools before
whom she is appearing in an ex-
tensive itinerary she is also show
ing color films which she and her
husband took, depicting scenes
of today in Neither Africa She
tells the students about life there
and especially among African
women, whose status she declares
must be raised before full prog
ress can be achieved, While over
sea she gave concerts in each of
the colonial capitals Of West AT
RIGA, donating the proceeds to the
local Red Cross and wounded
soldiers fund.
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31

Congressman Christian A..
Herter viii be the principal
speaker at the Lincoln, Douglass,
Dunbar meeting to be held at
the Presbyterian Church. SAL
Mass. Ave. Sunday Feb. 8 at $3.50
pm.
Other speakers on the pro-
gram are Representative Lau-
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31
Henry Ellison On
Air Sunday, Feb. |

Henry C. Ellison, baritone,
will sing Sunday, February l, at
2:3O p m on Opportunity Hour
over Station WLAW in Law
renee, Mass. Let all the admirers
of Mr.. Ellison listen in. Singing
on this same hour, Mrs. Ruth FL
lison won the trophy for the
month of December.
The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1948-01-31

OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan "a
(APl-A three-man faculty, all
white, was named today for Ok
lahoma's new law school for col
oTed-but Mrs. Ada S. Fisher,
who caused it all, says she isn't
interested.
The young woman, an honor
graduate of Langston University
for Colored, declared that what
ever else she does, she will not
attend the new school.
Such a school, no matter how
it is advertised, still does not give
us the equality of treg5nent for
which we have been fighting for
two years" she said.
The fight started when she
was refused entrance to the Uni
versity of Oklatoma's Law School