The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-05-06
Light Plant Runs
Down When Engin'r
BlackS-Out In Fall
Unusual Accident Causes
Municipal Plant Shutdown
For q, Hours Saturday

For the second time within two
weeks, Bluffton encountered an emer-
gency utility failure early Saturday
morning when the entire town was
plunged into total darkness by two
and a half hour power shutdown
from $40 until 6:15 a. m. Only the
week before an auto crash wrecked
a fire hydrant and put the water sys-
tenn out of commission for half a day.
The unusual power shutdown oc-
CURED under rather eerie conditions
when the engineer, the lone man on
duty, apparently fell and knocked
himself unconscious for a period.
During his black-out the boiler fires
burned out, the steam pressure went
down and the generator stopped func-
tioning.
After Roland Luginbuhl, the engi-
neer, regained consciousness, and
others came to his assistance, it was
some time before steam pressure
could be revived and the generator
started to function again.
The power failure, although occur
ring at time when the city was
asleep, brought quick action from the
few who maintain the night vigil.
The telephone operator on duty was
plunged into darkness by the power
failure and could receive incoming
calls, but could not see the switch
board plainly enough to make con-
nections for outgoing calls. She was
assisted by night patrolman Albert
Reichenbach who brought her a flash
light and then searched for a kero-
sene lamp set aside for such emer-
gencies. When the lamp was locat-
ed, matches to light it with were not
available Immediately.
The gradual rundown of the muni-
cipal generator touched off b sound
in DR.. B. w. Travis fire alarm sys-
TEN which aroused him and his fam
lily at their Kibler street residence.
Upon learning of the switchboard
operators plight, DR.. Travis also
went to her assistance and learning
that Officer Reichenbach had arrived
ahead of him, proceeded to the plant,
where he treated Mr.. LuginbuhI.
At the plant others in the neigh
borhood had gathered. When the en-
gineer regained consciousness, he
sounded a short blast on the old fire
whistle. Officer Reichenbach was the
first one to arrive to assist the light
plant engineer followed shortly after
ward by Roy Hauenstein, Bluffton
baker, who had been busy with his
early morning work at the bakery.
DIR. Travis was next to arrive, follow
ed by Light Plant Superintendent
James Draper
Harold Klingler and Paul DiIIer,
who were also aroused by the whistle,
arrived on the scene a little later.
Mr.. Luginbuhl said that he could
recall only having stumbled on the
plant steps while making his a. m.
round. Apparently he had laid un-
conscious on the floor for nearly an
hour and half. When he regained
consciousness the plant was plunged
in darkness.
At the Bluffton Community hospi-
tai an auxiliary power plant on hand
for such emergency use was put into
operation.
Most residents of the town slept
unknowingly through the excitement
at the light plant and were inconven-
fenced mostly by tardy alarm clocks
which did not arouse them in time to
be about their Saturday morning
chores on schedule. No damage was
done to the plant equipment.