davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

ity, the major event of noteworthy
Importance was the start of actual
construction work on Buttons long
deferred sewage disposal system, a
move which finally brought an end
to more than three decades of con-
troversy between the village and the
state with respect to handling of
local sewage and wastes.
Estimated cost of the program will
be s580,00o, with work including the
construction of intercepting sewer
systems along Big and Little Riley
creeks. This network will carry
sewage and industrial wastes to a
treatment plant on land purchased
from Central Ohio Light and Power
Co. Immediately west of Sportsmen's
park on Buckeye lake.
All told, three miles of i~ntercept-
ing sewers will be built, with APP
p~roximately one-ffth of the program
completed at the year-end. This
phase of the program has been let
on contract to Frank Pfaf, of Bryan.
The sewage treatment plant will
be built by Buesching Brothers, of
Fl. Wayne, a firm which has large
ly completed the excavation for the
foundation.
Other municipal activities included
summer improvements to II blocks Of
seven streets; cleaning and painting
of the waterworks' tank; purchase
of a new Chevrolet truck for the
town street department and rebuild
ing of the 75-foot bridge over Riley
creek on Bigler road, at the west
end of Buckeye lake.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Local Youths Make
College Who's Who

Two Findlay college students from
the Bluffton area are among five
selected by popular vote to represent
the school in "Who's Who in Amer
lean universities and colleges" They
are Carol Neff, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Emerson Neff, Button; and
William Nonnamaker, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ray Nonnamaker, Rawson.
Candidates were selected on the
basis of scholarship, leadership,
character, popularity with fellow
students, participation in school ac-
Invites, and future usefulness in all
branches of society.
"Who's Who" Incorporates a ma
tionwide honorary program through
which members may request recon-
mendation for employment or ad-
mission to graduate schools.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
February Draft
To Be Heaviest
Call In Two Years

Allen county will be called upon to
provide an increased number of
draftees in February, it was indi-
Gated this week with announcement
from Washington that the nations
draft call for the month will be the
heaviest in nearly two years.
In a late-winter attempt to more
rapidly expand the nations armed
forces, the army will call for $4,000
inductees in tn February induction
program, it was announced last Sat
urday from the Pentagon.
This will be the largest draft call
since March, 1851, it was pointed
out by selective service officials. 1t
compares with a call of $4,000 for
January, 1853, and $4,000 each in
October, November and December.
Last September the call was for
only $4,000 men.
When February induction proceed
ure is completed, the army will have
indicted 1,255,430 draftees since the
start of the Korean raj Approx
mately 100000 other eligibles have
enlisted.
Selective service officials warned
last week that unless there is a sharp
change in the international situa-
ton or a complete overhaul of man.
power policy by the new admins
tration, draft calls will remain near
or above the SO, 000-a-month level
throughout the next year.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
School Bus Route Changes Announced
Effective Opening Day, January 5

will pick up Al passengers on Route
No. l from the following families
Kermit Kibele, Eugene Werner,
Robert Edinger, Ivan Johnson, Law
renee Rodabaugh, B. r. Shafer, Paul
Geiser, Jerome Herr, WILDER Riser,
Denver Zimmerly, VIM. Badertscher.
Emmett A~ugsburger, Harley Diller.
Hilary Kimmet, Adrian tanning,
Ray Epley, Leland Badertscher, Her
bert ~Reichenbach, Jesse Yoakam, Roy
Hoffer and Roy Butcher.
Route No. 2 will be covered in a
53-capacity bus driven by a new
driver, whose appointment is to be
announced soon by Superintendent
Murray. The bus will carry 43 pas
sengers. The families on this route
are as follows:
Harland Swank, Richard Core
Raymond Matter, Russell Leiber, Ray
Blosser, Burdell Huber, Louis Crib
lez, Andy Hochstettler, Sidney Balm
err, Henry Green, Delbert Luginbuhl
Merlin Zimmerly, Dale Miller, Fran
els Basinger, Mrs. Joe Clay, MILFORD
Gratz, Marion Hochstettler, Herman
Hilty, Paul Emmert, Delmore Hey
and Robert Gerber.
Joseph Thompson, driving a AZ.
capacity bus, will pick up 80 children
on Route No. 8, which includes the
following families:
Weldon Rasinger, Irwin Amstutz
| Continued on page. 12)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Community Prayer
Service Planned
For January s

Under sponsorship of the Bluffton
Ministerial Association, churches of
Button will hold a Union Prayer
Service Thursday evening, January
s, at 1880 p. m. in the Church of
Christ on Elm street.
Local ministers will direct the
meditations in the community prayer
service giving opportunity for silent
and spoken prayers.
Topics for the m~editations are as
follows: "0n Being Fit for the King
DAM" led by the Rev. v. C. Upper
mann; "Who Is My Neighbour" led
by the Rev. A. j. Beachy; "This Il
My Fathers World" led by the Rev
Robert King.
All residents of the community arr
invited to attend this service
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

ward with God IN faith and enlarge
the work of u churches by taking
care of our aged people," the year-end
issue of the Mennonite Memorial
Home News stated.
d. w. Bixler, president of the Board
of Directors for the Memorial Home,
said that six Annuitants have agreed
to give $4,000 each on the Annuity
Plan If four more can be secured, and
a number of prospects are likely to
make up this number.
The Memorial home, a project of
six Mennonite churches in this area,
has been planned since 1947. Persons
behind the movement feel that the
problem of giving aged people care is
becoming more acute each year. Not
only are older people increasing in
number, but the trend is away from
living with their married children
Members of the local churches feel il
is their obligation to help them in
their time of need.
Some years ago a site for the pro-
posed home was selected. Known as
the former Fox farm, it lies north of
Elm street and would be entered from
that street.
Two years ago Carlton Wilson, then
a senior in architectural engineering
at Miami university, prepared sketch
es for his graduating thesis on his
ideas of what the Memorial Home
should be. He obtained information
for the work by sending questionaires
to more than 100 Homes throughout
the United States and incorporated
the choice ideas into a plan unique
and different from those followed in
the past in other Homes.
Wilson's model and sketches were
displayed locally in 1850 and created
a wide interest in the project. He
was later employed as the architect
on the project.
Mennonite churches cooperating in
the project include the First Mennon-
tie Church of Button, St. Johns
Church, Ebenezer Church, First Men
MONTE Church of Lima, Grace Church.
Pandora, and the Trenton Church of
Trenton, Ohio.
The present building committee in
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Old Twelfth Night
Custom Revival
Planned By Scouts
Girl Scouts, Brownies To
Celebrate Burning OF The
Greens Next Tuesday

Reviving an old English Twelfth
Night" holiday custom, Bluffton Girl
Scouts and Brownies will celebrate
"The Burning of the Greens" in an
unusual outdoor observance on the
vacant lot at Lawn avenue and KILLER
street at $50 p N. next Tuesday.
Discarded Christmas trees from the
homes of more than 100 members of
Scout and Brownie troops will go up
in flame and smoke in the celebration
under the direction of Bluffton Girl
Scout leaders.
Each Scout and Brownie will bring
the tree from her household, and the
burning of the greens" will be OBJ
served on the lot owned by Paul
sReichenbach at the street corner.
Antedating the Elizabethan era, the
Burning of the Greens" was ~associat.
ed with other merrymaking or
Twelfth Night. This was the social
phase of the church festival, Epiph,
any, celebrated on the 18th day after
Christmas in commemoration of the
coming of the Magi to the Christ
Child at Bethlehem.
Other names for the ancient holiday
festival have been "Little Christmas"
"Three Wise Men,, ETC., all associated
with the alteration of the Magi.
In Elizabethan England n of thu
principal events of each Twelfth Nigh
celebration was the cutting of a cake
in which had been placed a singh,
bean or coin. The person getting thu
piece of cake with the bean became
the King or Queen of the festivities.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

up tilS week, are urging a large turn
out of members for the campaign. 1t
was pointed out that work will start
at l p. m. and the job will be complet-
ed before 4 o'clock-time for the Rose
Bowl football game.
Gilbert Althaus of the Althaus
Tree Cutting and Stump Removal
service, Button, and ROLAND Dodge,
manager of the Telephone company
will assist with the cleanup program.
They will provide equipment to handle
the work including a chain saw,
ropes and hand saws.
The work schedule includes removal
of several dead trees, general tree
trimming, buzzing of wood for the
| fireplace and removal of stumps from
the waters edge. Submerged oil
drums will be dragged from the quar-
ry and the railing on the old floating
beach, sunk at the west end, will be
torn out by means of cable and truck
Members are asked to bring other
necessary tools with them including
short ladders, truck and wheelbarrows
etc.
The directors state that fishing
conditions in general will be improved
by the projected work program.
Carl Mumma, membership score
tary, reported this week that the
organization has broken all member
ship records with a total enrolment
now of 1880, which is nearly equal
to the population of Button.
The largest fish stocking program
in the history of the club has been
planned for 1853, according to John
Gilbert, president. Arrangements
have been completed for t~ransporta-
ton of two tons of large Lake Erie
pickerel and walleyes to Button. In
addition nearly half a ton of good
sized rainbow trout will be stocked
for the derby opener at Buckeye.
Dave Riser, trout derby ~supervis-
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Gifts Valued At More Than $125 Announced
For Bluffton's Firstborn Of The New Year

An imposing array of gifts, valued
in excess of S125, will be showered
on the first 1853 baby from the i'm
mediate Button vicinity born in the
Community hospital here, in a gigan-
tic New Years Day Baby Derby.
With nearly 40 local business places
participating as sponsors of the cam
paign, the greater part of the wind,
fall of gifts will go to the first baby
of the year. Plans r such, how
ever, that the lucky father and mother
also will share in the awards, with
wide variety of offerings including
everything from ice cream to acces.
series for the family car.
First baby born in the Hospital
after the stroke of IL this Wednesday
will be the King or Queen of the Baby
Derby, providing the parents live
within a 10-mile radius of Bluffton
participating merchants
Complete derby rules are as fol
lows:
The baby must be born in Bluff,
ton Community hospital.
2-The parents must live within
a 1O-miIe radius of the hospital.
3-The 1853 baby's birth certifi,
cate will be used to determine thu
winner, together with a statement
from the attending physician ant
hospital.
Parents must notify Dear
Niswander, president of the Blufftol
Business Mems Association.
Gifts included in the Baby Derb!
jackpot this year consist of cash ant
merchandise of every conceivabl,
form and variety from a years FIRE,
haircuts Give years If twins) from
the Swank Barber shop to a neckti
for Pop from Steiner and Huser an
a box of cigars from B. & B Recrea
ton Hall. Cash gifts alone, total $2C
The prize list is as follows: Ell
Restaurant, free dinner for Pop Will
Mother is in the hospital; Marshall
Bixel, food warmer plate for baby
Fett's, electric bottle warmer: Urich
Market, So gift certificate; Mile
Buick, canvass folding baby ear seal
Page Dairy Co., 3 pounds of butter
Bixel Motors, five free lubricatio
| jobs for the family car.
Dillman's News Stand, box of cand
for the family; Basinger Funera
| home, ambulance service for baby an
mother; A. Hauenstein & Son, bah,
gift box; Button Stone Co., SIS cash
Hankish Store, box of candy TO
family; Master Feed Mill, SIS cash
Sidney's Drugs, baby pants, oil ant
powder: Leiber ~Jewelry, solid golC
baby ring; Farmers Grain, SIS cash
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
White Christmas
of Skinny Variety

Buttons White Christmas
last Thursday vas of a skinny
variety, but a scant snowfall re-
ported as less than o~ne-fourth
inch remained on the ground
throughout the day to at least
lend some semblance of the tradi-
tional blanket of snow always
welcome for the Yuletide.
Snowfall began just about day
break on Christmas Day, only to
quit after providing just enough
white to give the required holiday
color background. 1t was the
towns 25th White Christmas in
the last AZ years.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Births

The following births were recorded
at the Bluffton Community hospital
during the past week:
Mr.. and Mrs. James Hicks, Bluff
ton, a boy, Michael James, born last
Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cleo Diller, Bluffton,
a girl, Debra Ann, born last We'd
nesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis Coates, Lima,
a girl, Muriel Rose born last We'd
nesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Russell Schaublin,
Columbus Grove, a boy, Ronald Mi
chael, born last Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Montague,
McComb, a girl, Phyllis Ann, bern
Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Willis Anderson,
Bluffton, a boy, Steven Earl, born
Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harvey Bauman,
Bluffton, a girl, Janet Ruth, born
Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Oswald,
Rawson, a girl, Nancy Kay, born
Monday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Byron Boutwell,,
Button, a boy, born Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wallace Geiger of
Winona Lake, Ind, a girl, Nancy
JOY, born December Is at Murphy
Medical Center, Warsaw, Ind. Mr.
and Mrs. Eldon Tschiegg, Button,
are the maternal grandparents and
Mr.. and Mrs. Monroe Geiger of near
Pandora, the paternal grandparents,
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
25-Yedr Watch AUdrd
To TripLett Veteran

Lenton Basinger, assistant meter
department superintendent at The
Triplett Electrical Instrument Co.
has received a gold watch upon the
completion of 25 years with the local
industrial plant.
The presentation was made last
week by R. L. Triplett, president of
the company which he founded here
back in 1904. With the award to
Basinger, the company % has Ia
active 25-year members in the or
~ganization.
Basinger lives one-half mile south
of Bluffton on the Dixie highway.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

Joe Koontz Sinclair Station, 5 gall
Ions gas for family car.
Button Cement Block, So cash;
Swank Bros. Meats, So merchandise
certificate; Geiger and Diller, pair of
baby shoes; Dixie Marathon Laundry,
Service Sta, 2-week diaper service;
Greding Hardware, SIS gift certificate;
o. c. Hursey & Son, So gift certificate;
Steiner Chevrolet, gallon permanent
anti-freeze for family car; Bluffton
Farm Equip, toy combine: Jorg
Hatchery, So cash; Button Clover
Farm Store, case of baby food; Plain
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

short distance off the Allen-Hancock
county line, two miles out; Robert
Which, n mile south on the Allen
Hancock county line; Wade Huber,
on the Waldo Huber farm on the
Huber road; and Walter Badertscher,
two miles south on the Bentley
road.
Two other Button residences were
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

poration limits but near enough town
to be considered a part of the COM
munity six new homes were launched.
These included the residences of
w. B. Augsburger, one-fourth mile
north of town on the Dixie high
way; Chris Gratz, one mile south
west on the Rockport road just off
the Dixie; Wayne Badertscher, a
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

worthy events of the last IL months.
Residential building also continued
IN boom proportions, with 13 new
homes started during the year in
town and the immediate vicinity.
Of the new residences, v are To-
Gated in Bluffton proper and the
other six are within a two-mile
radius of the city.
Is New Homes
One of the highlights in a season
marked by busy activity in many
fields, residential building in 1852
saw a total of Is new homes started,
as compared with only 10 in 1851.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
BIuftOn. Youth Wins
Marine Promotion

Robert N. Coon, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Lee Coon of Bluffton, was re-
Gently promoted from the rank Of
corporal to sergeant in the u. S.
Marine Corps.
Sgt. Coon is in the motor trans
port section of a Marine ~helicopter
transport squadron. His address is
Sgt. Robert N. Coon, 1209054, MAG
16 (HR) MABS-16, Motor Trans
port, Marine Air Facilities, Santa
Ana, Calf.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

home; Monroe Amstutz, Franklin
street; Maynard Badertscher, Cher
ry street; Clifford Houtz, Garmatter
addition and the new parsonage for
the First Mennonite church on
Spring street.
New Building Trend
In a new trend toward residential
construction just outside the cor
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Paul Henry Taken
To Toledo HOsDitaL

Paul F. Henry, r. r. 1, Bluffton,
who was injured in an accident at
the Cooper Tire company in Findlay
September Is, has been removed
from Findlay hospital to st. Vincent
hospital, Toledo. He is undergoing
additional surgery on his arm and
hand. Visitors will be permitted to
call while he is convalescing at. st,
Vincent.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

extensively remodeled during the
year: The former Elizabeth Althaus
property on Jackson street, purchas-
ed by Chris Locher, of Pandora;
and the Maurice Felt home on Cher
ry street. In other building activity,
four new garages were built by
Bluffton householders.
In a year of busy municipal activ-
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

View Farm Dairy, gallon of ice cream;
Allen Farm Bureau Coop, 2 gal.
motor oil; Beatrice Beauty Shop, n.y.
Ion hair brush.
Rice Dry Goods-Tot Shop, SIS in
wearing apparel; Hauenstein Bakery
and Electric Shop, decorated cake;
Swank Barber shop, lighter for Pop,
thermometer for Mother, years free
haircuts to baby (if twins five years
free); Community Market, case of
baby food; Basinger Florist, bouquet
of flowers to mother and baby; C. T.
Niswander & Son, toy truck.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
AdOIph NOrdhaus Hurt
In Truck Accident

Adolph Nordhaus, who will be re-
membered in Bluffton as the man
who drove the old Norman prairie
schooner in the Bluffton '49er Days
celebration, was injured last Satur-
day when his pickup truck collided
with another truck two miles north
of Ottawa on Route lis.
Nordhaus, a Glandorf resident,
was treated for chest bruises by an
Ottawa physician. Driver of the
other truck was Louis White, Route
/, Hamler.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

All of the 1851 projects, however,
we're located within city limits.
The number of new residences
was off slightly from the record
breaking proportions of 1850 when
IA new homes were built in Button.
In 1949 there were 10 new homes
five in 1858; and ID each in 1916
and 1947.
New homes started in Button
during 1852 were those of Vern
Walker, S. Jackson street; G. T.
Soldner, w. Elm street; Karl Gable,
major addition to S. Jackson street
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Garbage Collection
DELAYED Til Friday

The regular weekly garbage col
lection will be made this Friday in
stead of as customary IN Thursday,
Street Commissioner Lee Coon an
nounced this week. The village waste
collection crew will enjoy a holiday
on New Years Day.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01

cludes Elan Suter, chairman, Maurice
Grismore, Clayton Bucher, Kenneth
Burkholder, Zilla Amstutz and NJ
Della Moon. Members of this com
mittee have visited other Homes re,
Gently built including one at Upper
Sandusky and another at Kendelville
Ind, and will probably include som,
ideas received there in the final draf
of plans.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Sportsmen's Club Sets New Years Day
For Annual Quarry Cleanup Program

Members of the Button Community Sportsmen's club will
roll up their sleeves on New Years Day for the annual cleanup
program to ready Buckeye quarry for next Springs annual rain
bow trout and waleye derby scheduled to open on Sunday, April
10.
Directors of the Sportsmens club, who announced the clean
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Ground To Be Broken Sometime In SO
On Proposed Mennonite Memorial Home

Ground will be broken sometime in 1853 for the projected
Mennonite Memorial Home in Button, it was determined at a
recent joint meeting of the church groups building committee and
board of directors.
With $50, 900 cash on hand and subscriptions amounting to
more than So 900 additional, the group decided 1--WE should go for
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-01
Ii New Homes Completed Or Underway;
Sewage Disposal Plant Is Launched

Bluffton ended 1852 with a year of busy activity marking a
continuation of booming industrial, residential, business and
municipal operations and expansion.
General construction expansion reaching into all four fields,
but particularly marked in the municipal field with the start of
of sewage disposal construction, easily qualified as the most note