davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
|Stork Takes Good Old Time
Bringing Baby Derby Winner

1t took nearly three days for the
stork to provide a winner in Bluff
tons 1853 Baby Derby, the second
time in the last four years that re-
luctance has marked the appearance
of the first area baby of the New
Year.
This time it was exactly SO hours
and 81 minutes after New Year
bells had pealed out before eight
pound David Lee Anderson was born
in Button Community hospital.
His parents r MIR. and Mrs.
Ronald Anderson, sos S. Main street.
The mother is the former Fern Bad
ertscher, daughter of the late Mr..
and Mrs. Noah Badertscher, who
lived near Beaverdam. Anderson,
the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Edgar And
erson, Route s., Lima, is associated
with The Triplett Electrical Instru-
ment Co. here.
Despite his somewhat belated ar
rival on the New Year scene, young
David Lee qualified for more than
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

SIPS in prizes, offered by Bluffton
merchants Derby gifts ran the
gamut of ice cream, down through
a case of baby food, anti-freeze for
the family car, free haircuts for a
year and decorated cakes, as well as
numerous gifts for the father and
mother.
In 1850, however, the stork was
even more of a slow poke than this
year, for it was eight days before
a baby was born in Button in that
year. The eventual winner, after
the longest babyless stretch in mod
ern history of the town, was a girl
born to Mr.. and Mrs. Lowell Habeg-
ger, of West Elm street.
Last years Baby Derby winner
was a boy born to Rev. and Mrs.
Frank Harder, of Pandora, at 1858
a. m. on New Years Day. The 1851
winner was a daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Jerome Allen, three and one
half miles east of Button on State
Route 103. She was born just IL
minutes past midnight.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Winter Wonderland Is Setting For
Girl Scout Burning OF The Greens"

Bluffton Girl Scouts turned back
the pages of time to medieval Eng
land Tuesday night in a colorful
Twelfth Night Burning of the
Greens" ceremony on the snow-cov-
cred vacant lots at Kibler street and
Lawn avenue.
Even the background a Old
English as caroling Girl Scouts and
Brownies grouped around a blazing
pyre of Christmas trees in a winter
f~airyland of white.
AS the leaping flames scared roof
top high, lighting myriads of flakes
of falling snow, the clear, young
voices of the singing participants
rose in the familiar old Christmas
carols, most timely of which was the
strains of son the Twelfth Day Of
! Christmas"
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Fire Cuts Ruff
Store In Leipsic

Rufus 5 & 10 store in Leipsic,
sister to the Bluffton store, was de-
stroyed by fire Tuesday morning
when flames Quilted a 2-story down
town department store building and
social clubrooms of the Leipsic Com
mercial club.
The fire was discovered shortly
after midnight by Marshal Harold
Wink, making his routine check-up.
The blaze was battled several
hours in near-zero temperature by
volunteer fremen of Leipsic, Miller
City and Deshler.
It was believed that the fire
started in the basement from a de-
fective furnace stoker, which had
been checked about 1880.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Ipi4gihgfs Resumed
On h~ntercepting ,
Sewer Program

College avenue was closed Monday
from Main to Railroad streets and
the north end of Harmon road was
blocked as digging operations were
resumed in installation of the Big
Riley intercepting sewer.
Workmen of the Frank Pfaf Con-
struction Co., Bryan, cutting
their way across College avenue,
just west of the Big Riley bridge,
and will continue south on Harmon
road along the banks of the stream.
Excavating and tile laying oper-
atoms were continued Tuesday by
the crew in the worst weather of the
winter, bearing out earlier announce
ments that the progress of the work
would be halted on very few days
this winter.
Resumption of ditching on Monday
followed a one-week cessation of work
while repairs were being made to
the shovel in a building on the
Button Stone Co. grounds.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

council meeting Monday night.
Of the $74s,O42,15 appropriation,
more than two-thirds, $508,338.72
represents various phases of the sewer
program, it was pointed out.
For construction of sewers and the
treatment plant, the town has appro-
priated $4S1, 283.33. In addition,
$19,578.91 is allocated to the sewer
fund, and S7,476.4s is set aside for
sewer bond retirement.
Other funds in the 1868 ~appropria-
tons for the village include: General
fund, $32,205.71; Waterworks and
electric light fund, 1854, 576.16;
Cemetery, $2,949.10; Street mainten-
nee and repair (motor vehicle),
$5,192.54; street maintenance and
repair gasoline taxi, ~$10,168.83;
Electric light sinking fund, $25,677.7 IA;
General sinking fund, $8,933.35.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Prince OF Peace
District Contest
Set Here Sunday

Winners of a number of county
Prince of Peace contests will vie for
district honors in oratory at Bluff.
ton College Sunday afternoon at
o'clock in the A. c. Ramseyer Chapel
It was announced this week by the
college.
The contestants in the Button
event will represent Cridersville, An
sonia, Alger, Toledo, Port Clinton,
Sidney and Fremont.
The annual contests are sponsored
by the Ohio Council Of Churches.
Winners of the Bluffton meet will
participate in a contest in Columbus
to pick the six contestants who will
compete in the state finals at the
time of the Ohio Pastors convention.
All of the contestants are high
school students who give orations
published for this purpose by the
Ohio Council.
The public is invited to attend the
Button contest Sunday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
POliticOeS
Must File States
By Feb. 4 Deadline
Village, Township, School
Board Nominations Due
Early Under New Law

Executive committeeman of Bluff
toms political parties will be required
to caucus sometime this month, about
six months earlier than usual, to
select nominees for village offices
and the board of education in order
to file nominating petitions before
the new deadline at $50 p. m. We'd
nesday, February 4.
The Allen County Board of cleo
lions is urging parties to file their
states of candidates as soon as pos
sible. This includes township tick
cts as well as municipal and school
board states.
Candidates for township offices
must file on separate petitions, but
Bluffton village and board of educa-
ton candidates may file either on a
group declaration or as individuals.
The new Ohio election laws, Gem
eral Code 4789-92, make it necessary
that all nominating petitions must be
filed as early as declarations of cam
didacy or 80 days before the primary
election. The primary election this
year will be Tuesday, May 5.
Under the old law the fling date
for village and township candidates
was in August or 90 days before the
general election.
The revised law does not effect
proposals for special tax or bond is
sues this year, but is expected to be
changed to include these also In the
future.
Proper forms are available at the
board of elections office in the court
house, having been received recently
from the secretary of state.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Welcome Home Service
At Ebenezer Church

Rev. and Mrs. Charles Warren and
family, returned missionaries from
Darschula, India, arrived in this
community Tuesday morning enroute
to their home in Pana, Ill, and will
be honored at a "Welcome Home"
service Thursday evening at the
Ebenezer church.
Following the prayer and praise
service at 1880, there will be fell
lowship hour in the church basement.
Friends are asked to bring a covered
dish and enjoy a time of renewing
friendship with the missionaries.
The Warrens will leave the COM
munity on Friday.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

In keeping with medieval tradition,
cup cakes were served to the Scouts
and Brownies, with Dianne Neeper,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Vyrl
Neeper, w. KILLER street, getting the
cake containing the lucky beam"
making her reigning Queen of the
festivities.
Antedating the Elizabethan era,
the Burning of the Greens" was as
ISOLATED with other merrymaking on
Twelfth Night" This was the so
cial phase of the church festival,
Epiphany, celebrated on the 18th
Day after Christmas in commemor-
alton of the coming of the Magi to
the Christ Child at Bethlehem.
The celebration was conceived and
planned by Mrs Eloise Travis, Bluff
ton Girl Scout director.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

Orange township and 10 fires in Rich.
land township, the report showed.
For Orange fires, Button village
paid iremen $425, and the cost in fire.
men salaries for the Richland fires
amounted to $248.
Buttons existing fire protection
contracts with the townships, which
do not expire until 1854, bind the
town to providing fire fighting serv-
ices at a fiat cost of $3.50 per year
in each township.
Councilmen indicated at Mondays
meeting that new basis will be work
ed out for future contracts, in view
of the fact that firemen's services
alone are costing Bluffton more than
the amount received in township pay.
ments. In addition, depreciation and
damage to equipment also adds to the
towns deficit.
Existing contracts will continue
through 1853, however. and nc
changes can be made before the early
part of 1854.
If the Nickel Plate railroad pays
the town for fire fighting services in.
Cured in Orange township when q
freight train struck a truck at the
Gossard filling station crossing last
summer, part of the deficit incurred
for firemen services will be erased
councilmen said, but the town still will
'be in the hole" insofar as actual cost
of rural fire protection is concerned.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
William Fisher Hurt
In AutO-Truck Crash

William Fisher, 20, Rawson, suf-
fered a fractured left leg and face
cuts Tuesday morning at 6:15 when
his auto and a gasoline truck side
swiped on U S. rs four miles west
of the junction of route 69S. Fisher
is the son of Willard Fisher, en-
ployed here at the Page Dairy Co.
The accident victim was taken to
the Blanchard Valley hospital and
was reported Wednesday morning to
be making satisfactory progress.
Mr.. Fishers auto was travelling
south and the truck north at the
time of the accident. The truck
driver, Robert Frankart, q, West
Leipsic, was arrested for reckless
driving and fined SIS and costs by
Mayor Chester P. Smith.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Dog License Sale
Is Tagging Here

Dog owners have less than two
weeks to obtain new licenses for their
pets without penalty, it was pointed
out this week together with an an
nouncement that sales so far have
been extremely slow.
The Community Market in Bluff
ton is distributing both Allen and
Hancock county licenses, and will
continue handling sale of the tags
until the January 20 deadline.
All dogs three months old or old
er must have licenses. Fees are So
for a male, female or spayed female.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
New Years Day Quarry 0ean-Up Readies
Buckeye Aake For Spfig TROUT Derby

Approximately 3ostrees were thin
ned down, a numberp f dead mes re-
moJkd and the parA in general at
Buc eseR Quarry eleared up on New
Near DAY in preparation for the
adxeAF of the annual fishing derby
scheduled to start on April 10.
Headed by John Gilbert, president
of the Sportsmen's club, and Dave
Riser, trout derby supervisor, the
cleanup crew of volunteers was kept
busy cutting trees, saving logs, and
clearing out debris that hindered
fishing.
ROLAND Dodge, manager of the
Button Telephone company, and Lo-
well Zehner ofAda worked on the dixie
embankment clearing out grape vines,
cutting down dead trees and trimming
off overhanging branches that hinder
ed the fishermen last year.
Equipped with a trailer the crew
under the direction of Mr.. Riser haul
ed old boards and lumber from the
bath house area and piled up the
material on a heap near the freplaces
Gilbert Althaus and his chain saw
made short work of thinning out
surplus trees and cutting dead poplars
on the north side of the quarry.
When the afternoons work was
completed, President Gilbert declared
the entertainments were in the best
condition they have been for a long
time. Another short work session in
the spring will complete the prepare
tons, he said.
Ice on the quarry waters hindered
removal of superstructure from the
sunken floating beach.
Plans are progressing for the larg-
est derby in the history of trout and
walleye fishing in the Sdmmunity. Two
and a half tons of waieyes, pickerel
am trout have been offered f0r the
! pcking program. ~
~pong chose who. a<shtd at the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Saddle Horse Club
To See Films OF
Swiss Vacation

Mr.. and Mrs. Hiram Kohl, Pan
dora, will screen and narrate the
story behind the color pictures taken
this ummer on their two-month
trip to Switzerland at a meeting of
the Bluffton Saddle Horse club
Thursday evening at the Walnut
| Grill.
The evening program will start
with a pot-luck supper at z p. m.
for members and families.
Harry Anderson, president of the
organization, invites all persons in
terested in becoming members of the
organization to attend the supper
and program Thursday night.
An election of officers will be con-
Quoted as part of the business ses-
sion,
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

DON HUSTAD, director of
music department at Moody Bible
Institute and member of the staff
of Radio Station WMBI, Chicago,
will participate in a program in
the Ebenezer Mennonite church
under auspices of the Button
Pandora Association of Christian
Laymen Monday, January 10, at
s p m.
Years of study and varied ex-
~periences in music have prepared
Mr.. Hustad for his work. At four
he began his piano lessons and
by the>timel he waAten, he was
playing Nhe Aiano fdk broadcass
originating finn tie Aoone BialN
cal Colleke Aadia station. Re
received hS sashsor charts DE-
gree in muSdfA John Sletcher
College in mwa and his master
degree from Northwestern uni
versity in 1915.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

MI. Sand Mrs. Lester Cramer.
Ffndlay, boy, Rodney Dean, born
last Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Donald Broadwaster,
Vanlue, a girl, Donna Lou, born
last Thursday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Kempf,
Custer, Ohio, a boy, Michael David,
born last Friday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Donald Rettig, Ar.
lington, a girl, Denise Corinne, born
Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ronald Anderson,
Button, a boy, David Lee, born
Saturday.
Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Schafer, Mt.
Cory, a boy, born Wednesday.
A daughter was born January 5 at
Findlay hospital to Mr.. and Mrs,
Frank Porter of Findlay, formerly
of Bluffton. Mrs. Porter is the
former Dorothy Oberly, daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Reno Oberly of Bluff
ton
A son, Philip Brice, was born to
Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Yoder of Mid
dlebury, Ind, December 80. Mrs.
Yoder is the former Mildred Berry
of Button.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Offer New Classes
In est School
Opening Sunday
Teaching Staff Completed
For Evening School
January 11-21

Two new courses will be Offered
this year in the Christian Service
Training School which opens Sunday
and continues through January 81, il
was announced this week by the Rev.
Leonard McIntire, dean of the school.
One of the new courses, AT Work
for a Christian World" is planned
particularly for church officers and
leaders of women's groups. 1t will
deal with the real purpose of religion;
an analysis of what the business OF
the church is, and why the church en-
cages in mission work. The Rev.
Alvin ]. Beachy will direct the course,
calling on a number of leaders in
various phases of church work for as
sistance.
"Techniques in the Use of AuFk-
Visual Aids" is the subject\ of tn
other course offered for those larkelS
responsible for the use of audiofisuan
aids in the local churches and Nose
willing to assist in their use.
DR.. L. L. Ramseyer and DR.. Paul
Shelly will lead this course. Both
theory and actual use of audio-visual
aids will be included in the subject
matter.
The school staff, recently completed,
held its final meeting last Sunday
afternoon in the Methodist church to
make preparations for the opening of
the school.
The staff includes Rev. Mr.. McIntire,
dean; Miss Edythe Amstutz, registrar
and treasurer; N. A. Triplett, public
.ity; Miss Dorothea Wolcott, dean of
women and professor of religious
education at Findlay college; DR.. Gale
Ritz, dean of Winebrenner seminary
and professor of Old Testament at
Findlay college; Rev. Alvin ]. Beacny,
pastor of First Mennonite church; DR..
Lloyd L. Ramseyer, president of
Button college, and DR.. Paul Shelly,
professor of Bible at Bluffton college.
Registrations are now being accept
ed for the training school which is
open to all interested persons. The
school is a project of the Button
Ministerial association.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Kaiser Gaife Is
Night Policeman

William (Kaiser) Gaiffe, Blufftor
grocer and a former member OF
municipal council, is serving as al.
ternate night policeman during the
illness of Albert Reichenbach, it was
reported this week by Mayor w. A
Howe.
R~eichenbach, veteran member OF
the village police force, has been con,
fined to his home for several days by
illnss.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08

Silas Dilleer, Dave Riser, Ge& Ben
roth, Mari Watkins, Ronnie CShaway,
Hiram Huser, Bill Edwards aid sons,
Scott, Craig and Roger, RALPH Reich
enbach and sons Douglas, Ralph Ed
ward and Salley Reichenbach, Lester
Niswander and son Charles, Freda
Fisher, Patty Urich, Donna Basinger
and Beverly Irwin.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
Town Fares Poorly On 81 Contract
For Fire Protection In Townships
Outlay For Firemen's Pay Exceeds
Receipts From Townships Blu S173

Providing rural fire protection for Richland and Orange town
,hips during 1852 cost Button village S673 for fremen services
alone, S173 more than the $500 received from the two townships
n fire contract receipts it was reported at Monday nights mu-
nicipal council meeting.
During the year, Button fremen We're called to Is fires in
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-01-08
So Appropriations
The Million Mark Here
Heaviest Expenditures In History
Of TOUn Approved By BluftOn Council

Button village will go on a ~S748,04215 spending spree in
1858, an outlay of cash which will exceed by far any previous one
year expenditure total in the history of the town.
Construction of the new sewage disposal system is responsible
for the hree-quarter-of-a-milio dollar spending program, Mayor
w. A. Howe said in disclosing the 1853 appropriations total at a
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06
MONDAY

@:30-San Request :O0--Junior Miss CBS 4:15-Afternoon with Taylors i:30-This I Believe 4:35-Family Skeleton CBS 4:45-Ray's Record Rally 5:00-Hilltop House CBS 5:15--Perry Mason CBS 5:30-Bill Balance CBS 5:15-Sons of Pioneers 6:00--World News 6:15-Weather Report 6:z0-Waltz Time 6:30-Old World Rhythms 6:l5-Anchorage News 6:55-SeWard News 7:00--Suspense CBS 7:30-Godfrey Time CBS S:00-Network Show S:30-Meet Millie CBS 9:00-Alaska News @:15-Beulah Show CBS 9:30-Irivate Line 9:15-Tops in Pops 10:00-World News l0:15-Drcamtime :30-Sign off
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06

FROM SEWARD SS DENALI. Thurs. Nov. l2 Cordova, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, Seattle SS BARANOF. Thurs. Nov. l9 Sitka, Juneau. Ketchikan.
 Seattle
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06

of the company's petition. At that time the question of a pay raise for operating personnel entered into the picture. Sub scribers felt generally that oper ators were underpaid and should receive scale wages. Company representatives used that as a wedge to gain the first general rate hike. It was contested on the grounds of the adverse pub lie hearing, which held the in- crease to be in violation of the franchising ordinance.
 The proposed new increase has no basis of pay raises. Oper- ators here have made no new demands, nor are they contem- plating any new demands, or re- ceiving any new pay raises.
 We have endeavored,' the company cooly states, ito give you a high grade of telephone service at a minimum cost" The company also claims that this high grade service which the town is receiving has been given at a constant monthly loss. The approximate 400 residents who have applied in vain for tele- phones may wonder at the com pany's attempt to justify their hope and aim to grow with Seward" when they continue to wait month after month for phones.
 It is our opinion and expert ence that local phone operators and servicemen are giving the best service possible with the ia cilitieS provided them by the company. These local people are entirely blameless in either poor service or in the new rate hike. The whole situation seems to be another example of Alaskan business operated by absentee owners The business of ATC is operated from an office in Sc attle, far removed from the local scene.
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06

apples, and candy were furnish ed by men from the Army Post of Seward, and several of the servicemen dropped in on the party to see how things were coming along.
 Three Army boys helped pre- pare Sunday dinner for Jesse Lee this week, also. The three appeared last week and asked if they could prepare a meal be- fore their departure for the States very stortly. A fourth boy baked huge four-layer cake, complete with fancy dec orations, and ice cream was fur nished to go with it.
 Miss Margaret Johnson from the Juneau headquarters of the Alaska Department of Health, was dinner guest at Jesse Lee Tuesday, November 3, and dis cussed health policies and prob lems.
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06
Jesse Lee News
By Tommy billiard

As their nomination for the most thoughtful housewife in Seward, Jesse Lee puts up the person who sent cookies for everyone on Halloween. In the afternoon of that infamous" day, someone stopped by the Home with cookies which he said his wife had sent because the children would not have the chance to get around town to trick or treat" that we'll known Halloween pastime. The cookies were a wonderful collection of witches, bats, moons, butterflies, and other articles, and the boys who helped put them around on the dining tables as individual favors kept commenting on how much work had gone into the making of them.
 Saturday night the big Hal loWe'en party was held, with everyone coming in costume, and many prizes being given for va rious categories of disguise. First prizes were fifty cents each, sec ond prizes twenty-five cents, and third prizes ten cents. The gym was decorated with bats, black cats, balloons and orange and black crepe paper. and a replica of haunted house stood as high as the basketball goal in one end of the room. A friendly ghost" peeked from one window of the house and six foot witch flew above it, on a real broom.
 Besides the costume judging, there was staff skit, bobbing for apples, and refreshments. The refreshments were apple cider and doughnuts. The cider,
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06

LEGION CAB is al your service Phone MAIN 200.
Seward seaport record., 1953-11-06
EdiforiuI
 By MEX

Seward telephone subscribers got a jolt this week upon receiv- ing notice from Alaska Tele- phone Corporation that all rates will be increased SITS, effective December 1.
 This rate, coming as it does in the face of court injunction to be answered before Judge J. L. McCarrey in session here No vember 16, strikes us as being a rather callous challenge to like it or lump it!'
 City attorneys brought legal action after the 409o hike in June, which was put in effect despite the result of a public hearing and city council refusal