The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-07-08
Upwards of 10000 in Throngs Witch Jam
Streets Here for Big Parade on Saturday
Night; Airport Dedication and AIr=
show Monday Afternoon and
Rodeo Monday Night


airshow, rodeo and big street parade,
Bluffton's week end Fourth of July
celebration was the most elaborate in
the towns history and attracted
crowds estimated at upwards of TO-
900 for the three feature events on
the holiday calendar.
Opening with a gala Independ-
ence day parade Saturday night, the
celebration continued with a double
feature Monday program that includ-
ed afternoon attraction at the air.
port and rodeo at night on brilliant
ly lighted Harmon field.
Fair weather with no rain over
the week end added to the success of
the three-event celebration sponsored
Jointly by the Bluffton Saddle Horse
club, Bluffton Community Sports
mems club, Bluffton Business Mems
association and Bluffton Recreation
committee.
No ACCIDENTS
Throughout the entire celebration
Saturday night and Monday when
Bluffton's streets We're jammed,
there was not a single accident re-
ported and local police together with
state highway patrolmen and depu-
ties from the Allen county sheritf's
office kept the heavy traffic moving.
It was typical Fourth of July
weather with temperatures in the
upper eighties and the crowds dis
posed of huge quantities of sand
witches, ice cream and pop.
Turnout at the air show, marking
official dedication Of Bluffton's air
port was estimated at more than
5000 for all or part of the three
hour afternoon program. The air
port is located two miles east of
town in Orange township on what
was formerly the Owens farm, now
owned by Clayton Bixel.
Three acres of parking space were
crowded with automobiles with a
steady stream of traffic coming and
going, while the milling crowd along
the edges of the flying field had all
the features of a county fair.
AIRPORT DEDICATED
Dedication of the airport by Mayor
Arden r. Baker, opened the after
moons festivities. In a brief address
the mayor expressed in behalf of the
community it's appreciation for the
spirit of enterprise which has gone
ahead with development of the air
port and expressed the view that it
will play a major role in Buttons
future development. He was intro
duced by c. w. Hatfield of Cleve-
land, official announcer at the micro
phone.
At the announcer's stand during
the afternoon were a number of
personages we'll known in aviation
circles. Included were Henry Ham
ilton of the CAA safety board of
Cleveland; Sgt. Ernest Webb of Co
1umbus who demonstrated the new
Beechcraft Bonanza plan recently
put into service by the state high
way department; Leonard Moore of
Cincinnati, professional parachute
jumper, who thrilled the big crowd
with two jumps from $500 foot
altitude; Joe Ulman of Fostoria,
whose P-40 plane was converted to
civilian use after serving with Chen
nault's Flying Tigers in the Far
East during the last war.
% PLANES ON FIELD
With 90 planes registered, it was
by far the largest number of air.
craft ever assembled at one time in
Bluffton. About half of this number
were visitors from outside the local
area.
A headline attraction for the
afternoon was the demonstration put
on by an Army Air Force helicopter
flown by Captain Raymond Papson
of Wright field. The helicopter was
the first ever seen in Bluffton.
Looking after details of the show
were Harold Cary and Clayton Bixel,
co-owners of the airport, Billy
Hirschfeld, Lima, and Howard Post,
Spencerville, in the observation con-
troll tower atop the hangar; Paul
Werthimer, Ada, assisting in an
nouneing and Maynard Geiger and
Don Reams in charge of the public
address system. Representatives oi
the sponsoring organizations did q
rushing business at the refresh;
ment stands set up In the hangar.
CROWDS SEE PARADE
Other thousands had been drawn
to Bluffton for last Saturday nights
parade, enthusiastically judged "tht
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