davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Club Asks Help
In Annual Bird
Feeding Program
Free Seed Offered BY
SpOrtsmen's Club At
News Office

Continuing a program which began
over decade ago, the Community
Sportsmen's club this week asked the
cooperation of Bluffton residents to
aid them in their annual song bird
feeding program.
Now that old man winter has taken
his rightful place and left the
countryside blanketed with snow and
ice, the feathered creatures find it in
creasingly difficub 70 find food.
Persons wishing 70 share in the
protection and care df the birds may
pick up feed offzeA free by the
|Sportsmen's club. at The Bluffton News
office. The barrA W. filled this week
ky the Fagmers GEdri Co. 1t is nec-
cary % osbsaag your own containers.
kr1 feeding stations need not be
elaborate. An ordinary board tackled
on window ledge or tree win serve
the purpose, or a piece of guet nailed
on tree is satisfactory. 4
To the mixed grains offdSd by the
Sportsnsn.s club, it is heltfN to odd
sunfowEr seeds raised by many Bluff
tonitesffor this special puk pose. Dried
crumba from breadgbox or cookie jars
are also recommeadeds
Suet heads the list for meat eating
birds. Scraps of meat from the table
are also helpful and attract nuthatch-
es, tufted titmice, chicades, brown
creepers, downy and hairy woodpeck-
ers and starlings.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Tennessee Man Dies
In AutO-Truck
Crash Near Here

A Chattanooga, Tenn, man died in
Bluffton Community hospital at 9:45
p. M, Tuesday, after suffering a
fractured skull when car in which
he was riding crashed into the rear
of truck four miles south Of here on
u. S. rs. Two others in the auto were
injured, and the three were removed
to the hospital by the Diller ambu-
lance.
Dead was William Coppit, 54.
Ruby Coppit, 81, Detroit, driver of
the auto, suffered multiple bruises
and abrasions and fractured ribs.
Joe Coppit, "a, Chattanooga, received
lacerations of the nose and forehead.
The accident occurred when the
two-ton truck, travelling south on
Route 25, made left turn onto a
county road and was struck from the
rear by the Coppit car travelling the
same direction.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Successor To
Beayerdam Clerk
Still Unnamed
ivan Marquart Mentioned
AS Likely Appointee To
Fill Beck's Place

Because no action was taken by
Beaverdam village council at it's last
meeting of the year Thursday even
ing, it appeared this week that the
village will begin operations for. 1855
without clerk
Walter Beck, present clerk of
Beaverdam, rendered his resignation
to council several weeks ago, and
thus far successor has not been
chosen. The resignation was to take
effect January /. Because council
will not meet until January 6, the viii
lage will be technically without a
clerk for at least that interim.
1t is likely that Ivan Marquart of
West Main street will be named TO
the position. His name has been men
toned frequently by members of
council as possible appointee.
At the meeting last Thursday even
ing Mayor Wayne Tripplehorn n an
nounced that the state highway de-
partment has erected signs on the
new Route 25 bypass pointing the
direction of Beaverdam to passing
motorists.
The signs, said Mayor Tripplehorn,
should aid somewhat in sending few
motorists into town, who otherwise
might move on up or down the Dixie
to stop at other towns.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

Christmas Eve services will be
held in three Button churches
and an opportunity to attend
services on Christmas morning
will be offered at another, ii
was announced this week.
At ST. Johns Evangelical 4
Reformed church the Sunday
School will present its Christ
mas program Friday evening at
1880. Entitled aThe Hanging of
the Greens for the Light of the
World, the pageant explains
the meaning of the church dec
orations and its relationship to
the Christmas story. The pag-
cant was rewritten from two
other pageants By Mr.. f. T.
Lauriat and the Rev V. C.
Oppermann. More than 100 per-
sons will participate.
The Christmas Eve service at
the Prebysterian church viii
start at 7:30 presenting the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Three Christmas EUe Services Announced;
One Church Plans Christmas Morn Service

story of 'The Other Wise Man"
in film and narration with spec
ial music.
At the Ebenezer Mennonite
church children of the Sunday
School viii present '1n the
Light of the Bethlehem Star"
beginning at 1880 pm. Friday
evening.
A simple service of carol sing
ing. scripture reading and medi-
tation will be held Christmas Day
at $50 a. m. in the First
Mennonite Church.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Births

The following births were recorded
at Bluffton Community hospital dur
ing the past week:
Mr.. and Mrs. w. o. Stoody, Colum-
bus Grove, a girl, Ellen Louise, born
last Thursday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dwaine Oren, Otta-
wa, a girl, Cynthia JOY, born Satur-
day.
Mr.. and Mrs. LaVern Augsburger,
Pandora, a boy, Gary Lee, born Sun
day. @
Mr.. and Mrs, Albert Gibbs, Raw
son, a boy, Frank Edward, born
Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Lanning,
Bluffton, boy, Gary Dennis, born
Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Rausch, Jene-
ra, boy, Roger Allan, born Wednes-
day.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Lighting Contest
Judging Tonight

Sixteen entries have been re-
eeived thus far in the Outdoor
Christmas Lighting Contest be-
ing sponsored by the Bluffton
Junior Chamber of Commerce
and judging will start this
evening.
DIR. w. A. Lutz, Jaycee chair
man, said that additional entries
will be accepted until tonight at
5 o'clock by calling Jack Koontz
at the Koontz Gulf Service
Station.
Judges will begin to make
their rounds early in the eve
ming, and contest entrants are
reminded to have their lights
turned on. The judges are Har-
old Klingler, chairman, Gene
Benroth, Mrs. Geneva Ramnel
and Darwin Luginbuhl.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

deal with the legal snarls developing
in the campaign for the new bridge
had been two council conferences
with county commissioners, and
trip to Columbus by Paul Diller,
chairman Of the bridge and highway
committee of the Business Mems as
sociation.
The Columbus contacts of the lat
ter had been aimed at attempting to
break stalemate beginning to devel-
op as result of an opinion from the
Allen County Prosecuting Attorneys
office that the commissioners cannot
legally spend county funds for
bridge at the proposed site.
So far as the county is concerned,
Bluffton councilmen were led to be-
lieve in contacts with commissioners
that the only obstacle to a new bridge
at Harmon field is the fact that Col
lege Avenue is not part of the
county road system since it does not
represent continuation within cor
poration limits of a county road. IL
was on this basis that the prosecut-
or's office ruled any replacement
would be the problem of the town
alone.
Diller, however, returned from Co
lumbus with an opinion from the
State Highway department that the
entire responsibility for the bridge Is
that of the county.
In confirmation of this viewpoint,
highway officials called to his atten-
ton Section 5591.21 of Ohio highway
laws, which reads:
"The board of county commission
ers shall construct and keep in repair
necessary bridges over streams and
public canals on or connecting state,
county, and improved roadr. except
only such bridges as are wholly In
municipal corporations having by law
the right to demand, and do demand,
and do demand and receive, part of
the bridge fund levied upon property
therein. If they do not demand and
receive a portion of the bridge tax,
the board shall construct and keep IN
repair all bridges in such municipal
corporations. The granting of the
demand made by any municipal cor
poration for its portion of the bridge
tax is optional with the board"
Diller stated it was pointed out 10
him that the key TO the matter is the
fact that the quoted section reads cor
connecting county roads,, and
also that state officials told him there
is no provision for bridge funds other
than from the county in Bluffton's
case.
In the meantime, councilmen are
referring all latest developments to
City Solicitor John Romey, whose
responsibility it must be to attenHt
solving the legal difficulties with the
prosecutors office, since commissions
ers have stated there is nothing theT
can do unless that Offices opinion is
reversed.
Should there be no agreemeat
reached as to the county's response
bility the only recourse then would
be court action such as instituted by
the city of st. Marys against Auglaize
county commissioners in a similar
situation.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Only Town Crew MAY
Tap InterceptOrs

Final connection of private sewers
emptying into the towns intercept
ing sewers, installed last fall, must
be made by city employees directed
by H. L. Coon, it was decided by
municipal council at its last meeting.
In making the connection, the
town crew will make the cut into
the interceptor and install the first
tile leading out from it. For this
service there will be charge of SIS.
Cost Of all excayating required, how
ever, will be the responsibility of
the party served by the sewer, ac-
cording to provisions of the resolu-
ton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
BPA May Retain Part OF Abandoned
Power Plant AS Water Pump Station

Whether Bluffton's board of public
affaiEs@will move its water pumping
equipment TO a new building or leave
it in the largely abandoned plant of
the watefworks structure is being
studied by the board, it was disclosed
at last weeks meeting Of municipal
council.
Principal factors leading TO q con-
siderationa of remaining IN the pres
ent structure hare been rited by
Board President Harvey Baonaan as
follows:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

for a 21.4 per game average. Defen-
siyely the Pirates have allowed foes
s56 points for 80 point average.
Cory-Rawson also has record Of
60 and their offensive and defensive
records are only slightly better than
the Pirates. In the six games played
through Monday night the Hornets
have Tailed 409 points for a 6S.I
average and have permitted foes 291
for an average of 1873 per contest.
Each member Of the winning team
in the tourney viii receive 4 gold
trophy, with silver trophies going to
each player on the runner-up team.
The consolation bracket winners are
to receive individual bronze medals.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

$50 P. M. contest. The Bulldogs.
who have won the carnival two con-
secutive years, are experiencing a
somewhat dismal season. Their record
stands at 2-2 for the year.
In rolling over six consecutive foes
through Monday night the Pirates
had scored a total of 46s points foi
an average Of 81 points per game. OF
this total Jack Fields has made 16l
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

Rawson Hornets, who are threatening
to make shambles of the Hancock
County league race, are odds-on
favorites to battle it out for the
championship honors Wednesday
night.
In the opening games Tuesday
night the Hornets open the card
meeting the Pandora Gilboa Rockets
at 7:3O p. m. The Rockets have a is
mark for the season. Bluffton plays
Columbus Groves Bulldogs in the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Trash Pickup Set
Tuesday,; Special
Collection Jan. A

The regular monthly trash collec-
ton has been set for next Tues
day, December %, and a special
collection of discarded Christmas
trees only viii be made on Tuesday,
January 4, it was announced this
week by Street Commissioner Lee
Coon.
Mr.. Coon said that trash should
be placed at the curb in containers
by 8 a. m. Tuesday and issued the
same instructions for Christmas
trees.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
MERCURY HITS LOW
OF ONE BELOW

Temperatures dropped to a new
low for the winter early Monday
morning when Ray Burkholder's in
struments recorded a one degree be-
low zero at his Pandora weather OBJ
servation station. In Blutfton, how
ever, the Thermometer at the state
highway department office fell to one
to four degrees above.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Library Announces
HOIiday Hours

The Bluffton- -Richland Public Li-
brary will close for the holidays at
noon today, Thursday, with the
schools, Miss Ocie Anderson, libra
rian has announced. 1t will reopen
at noon next Tuesday, December %,
and be open from noon until S p. m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday next week. Regular hours
will again be observed when school
re-opens Monday, January 8.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

Mrs. Louisa Yoder, 2o6 College
avenue. is patient in Middletown
hospital, .Middletown, Ohio, where
she was taken Friday after breaking
her hip in a fall over rug in the
home Of a sister in Trenton, Ohio.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

George J. Cox, principal of the
Lafayette-Jackson high school, re-
ceived his master of arts degree IN
education administration Friday dur
ing commencement exercises ut Ohio
State university. He has been at the
local high school since September
1916, and principal for the last five
years.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
@Y' FUND DRIVE ON

Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y clubs of Bluff
ton high school this week began their
annual fund raising campaign in the
community with letters of solicitn-
tion being received here by many
individuals.
Assisting locally with the cau-
paign is committee composed of
Gerhard Buhler. chairman; Jack
Berry Dean Niswander and James
Szabo.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23

dldn t.
The letter, signed by every mem
Der of council, was directed to Mayor
w. A. Howe and Street Commissioner
Lee Coon.
Failure to use the equipment a
week earlier had been discussed at
council meeting Monday of last week.
At that time Mayor Howe said that
adjustments had not been completed
in time to use it for the first icy
street condition.
Council urged that every step be
taken to have the de-icer ready for
the next freeze.
In the rather caustic note the
councilmen recalled that the salt
spreader was purchased only after
the street department had declared it
to be practical for use in the village,
and had promised to use it if pur-
chased. *
At the last meeting of council We
thought it had been definitely estab-
lished that the street department was
to be notified by the mayor that in
the future streets were to be treated
with salt whenever there was need
to combat ice whether it be day or
night, regular wprking hours or over
time" the letter declared.
at is councils VNniof that an i'm
mediate program Nst b@ set thup I'd
see that streets ard eatRd with halt
whenever there is Need Apr, ssnch
treatment, and in the future Ae want
such action taken promptly and eff
fectively," it continued.
When two members of council de
cided early Monday evening to take
the bull by the horns, and salt the
streets themselves, they discovered
the town did not have salt on hand.
Some of the streets had been treat
ed Monday afternoon by the village
crew, but work apparently had halted
when the salt supply ran out.
Councilmen arranged to meet be-
fore their supper hour to sign their
"ultimatum" letter The member
designated to bring the letter to the
meeting, however, did not make it. He
was delayed enroute.
You guessed it. In attempting to
push friends auto up an icy grade
with his own, they locked bumpers.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Expect Unbedten Pirates And Hornets
To Battle 1t Out In HOIiday TOurneu

There will be hot time in the old hall next Tuesday when
the annual Holiday Cage Carnival sponsored by the Bluton
Junior Chamber of Commerce offers of the areas undeeated
basketball teams in action the Bufton college gym floor
Buttons unscathed Pirates, settlers in the Class
Western Buckeye League with record of TO- and the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
Town Officials Contend
County In Error Bridge
Not Illegal
County Declared Responsible For
Maintaining Harmon Rd. Structure

New ammunition being fired this week by municipal
council and the highway committee of the Buon Business Mems
association to prevent the possibility that College bridge
at Harmon field might bog down completely legal
technicalities.
Among developments of the preceding attempting
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1954-12-23
BlufftOn Selected As Hub OF 5O-Mile
Pipeline Project, Lima To Fostoria
COuncilmen Score Street Department
For Failure To Free Streets OF Ice

Aggravated because Blufton streets remained in danger
ouy condition Sunday and Monday while recently purchased
$400 salt sprader remained virtually unused members of village
council issued scorchng note this week demanding et
using he salt spreade rather than finding why
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-26

death Wins q Bet" recountS
the tale Of q wager which
eliminates in foul play years
after 1t was made.
$3.50, WASH--FIigh Adventure:
George Sanders tells the story
Of a man who went to sea in
search Of an answer and
found 1t in the oceans fury in
1.-THE Buccaneer."
800. WMAL-Town Meeting Of
the Air. Anna M. Cross, COM
missioner Of correction Of
New York City, and Senator
Thomas Hennings discuss
How Shall We Meet the
Challenge of Juvenile Delin-
quency?"
$3.50, WTOP-My Friend Irma:
Irma gives an immigrant les
sons in American history in
her own free-wheeling style.
$3.50, WASH-Search That New
er Ends: Vocational Guild
ance" is the documentary's
subject tonight.
9:35, WRC-Rocky Fortune:
Frank Sinatra, as Rocky,
takes a risky job driving a
nitroglycerine truck and
comes up against a red
haired female hazard, too.
9:45, WWDC - Home Rule:
Representative Charles S.
Gubser discusses taking early
action on the Home Rule bill.
1880, WRC - Silver Lining:
Kathryn Grayson and How
ard Keel sing a portfolio of
famous songs on a special
broadcast on behalf of the
1854 March of Dimes.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-26

and not for laughs. and she
brought it off most effectively.
Later on she got into blues in
the Night" and demonstrated
that she has a fine flair for the
blues. In case you've forgotten.
Miss Raye can sing a song.
There is a warmth in her per-
sonality. too. when she is doing
something Of this sort which
comes through most appealingly
in the living room.
AS for the rest Of Saturday
nights doings, you are on your
own. How funny you think the
sight Of Rocky Graziano. Edward
G. Robinson and Cesar Romero
in togas is entirely your own af-
fair, One private opinion is that
Mr.. GraZiano is pretty funny. no
matter what they subject him
to on this show. Another is that
Mr.. Romero always gives the
impression that he would be
more at home on one of those
look -at-us-actors- havfng-fun af-
fairs. like "Pantomime Quiz"
THE Ethel Norman Show, /"
on Sunday night, was also some
thing Of Jimmy Durante show.
the comic lending the singer
moral and comedy aid through
out most Of it. This. as was
demonstrated when she visited
him recently, is. sure-fire, this
pairing of Miss Norman and
Durante. They work together
in fine, rollicking style.
The two Of them trying to
eat from a spinning lazy
susan provided a comic spectacle.
They were better yet when Miss
Norman. with Durante playing
the piano, really let go on II
Got Rhythm" and shattered all
the glassware in the Durante
living room.
Durante also gave Miss Mer-
man couple of lesser assists
in her big II Love Paris" pro-
duction number. In this she
played an American tourist who
falls asleep in a French cafe and
dreams she Is a red hot Paris
ienne can-can expert and she
made it solid entertainment.
Miss Merman's impression of
lady harpist was pretty funny,
too. especially when she jauntily
tried a gliSsando and recoiled
with yowl of pain. This is
a fine. high-spirited girl who
can turn to with a vim on
either comedy or song-or both
combined. She will be welcome
back any time on our TV set.
OLD THEORY-Some of the
funniest comedy lines that pop
out Of the TV loudspeaker are
unintentional ones on the sound
tracks Of the ,lderly movies.
Sometimes these even provide
proof that there is nothing new
under the sun; that what seems
new is just a paraphrase of
something old. There was one
OF these lines the other night,
in a Western made long before
the change of administration in
Washington. It may even have
been made before the possibility
OF a change was even contem-
plated. Anyhow, at one point.
in answer to a forgotten slur.
a banker drew himself erect and
said sternly:
Remember this! What's good
for the banks is good for the
country"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-26
On the Air
On the Air
Martha Roye, Ethel Norman
BRIGHTEN the TV Screen
By Harry Macarthur

Leaving 1t to the girls seems
to be a safe procedure when the
girls are Ethel Norman and
Martha Raye. The two were on
NBC-TV over the week end. Miss
Raye doing her regular fourth
week fiN-in for your Show of
Shows" and Miss Norman con-
tributing an Ethel Norman
Show" to THE Comedy Hour"
Each. in her own way, generated
a great deal of fun.
The safest way to take them
up will be chronologically, which
brings US first to Miss Raye. If
you have been avoiding her as a
girl whose comedy assets are
confined to a loud voice, a large
mouth antd a grimace. you've
been making a mistake. Maturity
as a comediene and a wider
range have grown out Of Miss
Raye's success on television this
season.
Another thing that has come
to her is assurance before the
television cameras. Since she
already has proved herself
beyond doubt, she doesn't have
to be nervous on that score, but
can concentrate on giving her
hest tn the material at hand.
Her best can be very good, too.
as was demonstrated Saturday
in q sketch which had Miss Raye
running through a parade Of old
time movies. When she got to
Chaplin in THE Gold Rush." the
Coincidence got a true comedy
gem.
There was some Of the old
Raye broad slapstick in this, but
there also was a great deal4 of
subtlety, along with a percep-
tive imitation of Chaplin. OF
course this was the standard
scene made hackneyed by all
Chaplin imitators, the eating of
the boiled shoe, but Miss Raye
gave it individuality.
What she did was to achieve
more than mimicry Of the physi-
cal appearance and mannerisms
Of Chaplin. She also achieved
a hint Of the borderline between
pathos and comedy which marked
his greatness. In doing 1t she
displayed bit of greatness of
her own as a comedy artist.
1t was. it might be noted, an
especially heart-warming mo-
ment for a critic who used to
bewail the fact that Miss Raye
was wasting fine comedy talent
on highly gamey material. Lets
face it," her answer always was,
Il have to follow Sophie Tucker"
1t has been reasSuring to dis
cover that she. in her one-week-.
in-four stint. also knows how to
follow Sid Caesar and Imogene
Coca, by relying on talent.
The reviewer caught up with
Miss Raye Saturday, inciden-
tally, just as she passed the half
way mark in the 1la-hour show.
She was just launching into
The Man I Love-" sung straight