davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
"HOU Is Frank"
Colorado Governor
Asks BIuftOnite

"How is my old friend, Frank
Lausche," Gov. Ed Johnson of Color
ado wanted to know when he stepped
up to a vacationing BIuffton grocer
under the gold-plated dome of the
capitol building in Denver recently
and introduced himself.
You could have knocked Joe Urich
over with a Denver silver dollar but
he was able to reply-and truthfully
that the Ohio Governors golf
game was looking good. Joe had seen
Lausche swing the clubs not long ago
on the fairways.
Accompanied by his son, Joe .Jr.,
Mr.. Urich enjoyed a two-week va
cation trip to Denver, the home of
his son Kenneth and family. Visit
ing Colorado Springs, Pixies Peak
and other points of interest in the
Denver area, the Urich's were most
impressed by a trip above the
timberline.
Before coming home, they visited
the Dale Scoles who left here about
two years ago to make their home in
Loveland, 60 miles north of Denver.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
See Damage Wrought By HailstOnes
"Rig AS BasebaIIs" In Billings, Mont.

A ohffton family on vaca-
ton trip to Billings, Montana,
early this month arrived in
the western city the day after
hailstOnes as large as baseballs
had crashed down on the city
doing damage estimated at
more than 81 million dollars.
Mr.. and Mrs. e. Paul HenEy~~
and daughter, EyslVH have
just returned sft0m visit with
their .dsaghter, Carol, who is en-
..p40yed by the Shell Oil compa-.
nv in the Montana city. Z
They saw how the chunks |of
ice as large as three inches in
diameter, drives by an S5 mile
wind, had dented autos, br bken
windows all over the city and
beat some buildings to sp\int-
ers. There were so many claAUs
thatf insurance adiusters had TO
be- flown to the scene from
other cities.
The 81 million estimate did
not include damages to crops in
outlying areas.
The Button family satso
visited Glacier Park,aShd other
points of interest Before return
ing home.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Heart Attacks Take
Two BluftOn Men
In 3-HOur Period
Joel Basinger And Olin
Lewis Stricken And Die
While At Work

Heart attacks claimed two we'll
known Bluffton men within a period
of three hours while they were work
ing at their respective jobs Monday.
Joel F. Basinger, so, a partner in
the Bluffton Meat Market, died at IL
a. m. at his place of business on Main
street short while after he had COM
pleted his butchering chores. Olin ].
Lewis, 81, Bluffton plumber, was
dead upon arrival at st. Rita's hos
pital at 1:45 p. m. after collapsing on
a construction job in Lima.
Mr.. Basinger had been in the meat
business for the last years in
Pandora and Bluffton. He was a
former Pandora councilman.
Born May 16, 1895 in Pandora, he
was a son of Joel and Mary Ann
(Habegger) Basinger. He married
Merle Harris April A, 1915 and she
survives.
Also surviving are a son, Paul,
Bluffton; brothers, Homer and
Ambrose, both of Pandora; Ezra,
Bluffton; sisters, Mrs. Eunice Jones
Toledo, and Mrs. Minnie Elliot, Lima,
and five grandchildren. A daughter is
deceased.
He was a member of the Central
Church of Christ in Findlay.
Funeral services were held Wednes-
day afternoon at the Basinger fu-
neral home with the Rev. Harry
McFadden officiating. Burial was in
Maple Grove cemetery.
Services are to be held today,
Thursday at 2 p. m. from the st.
Johns Evangelical and Reformed
church for Mr.. Lewis. The Rev. V. C.
Oppermann will officiate with burial
in Maple Grove cemetery. The Diller
funeral home is in charge of ar
rangements.
Mr.. Lewis was born July %, 1904 in
Bluffton to Guy and Minnie (Cramer)
Lewis. He married Blanche Herr,
Nov. 6, 1926 and she survives.
Other survivors include a son,
James H., Monroe, Mich; sister,
Mrs. Treva Matthewson, Bluffton;
brothers, Richard and Arthur, both of
Bluffton; and Carl, Lima; and one
grandchild.
Mr.. Lewis was an employee of the
Tilston Construction company of
Lima.
He was a member of ST. Johns
Evangelical and Reformed church.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
TripIett Nine Advances To Quarter6nals
In Allen County Softball Tournament

Triplett's softball team success
fully opened defense of its Allen
county title Tuesday night with Al
victory over Jerry's Tavern of Lima
at Faurot Park. The win sent them
into a quarter-final contest next
Monday night at 7:3O against the
Lima Eagles.
Bob Which hurled the Triplettmen
to victory in their first tourney APP
pearance. He was in trouble in the
first, fifth and sixth innings but
worked his way out of danger with
the aid of some fine fielding by his
mates.
a double play from Which to home
and back to second after he walked
the bases loaded squelched Lima
rallv in the first frame. The leadoff
man in each of the fifth and sixth
innings tripIed but only one of them
crossed the plate. The only other
hit off the fireballing Highlander
was a single in the second inning. He
struck out 10 and walked five.
Jim Howe paced the Bluffton at
tack with three hits in three trips to
the plate, one of them a double. Ray
Which had a double and a single
Pogue and Schmidt also had two
baggers for the Triplett nine.
Triplett got single run in the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Highway Dept.
To Take Bids On
Local Bridge Job
Bridge To Span Piley
On Route 103; Approaches
To Be Widened

The state highway department will
receive bids Tuesday, August 9, in
Columbus for the improvement of
State Route 103 in Bluffton includ-
ing construction of a new bridge
over Riley creek on East jefferson
street.
The project also calls for widening
Jefferson street approaches to the
bridge from both directions.
Recently legal representatives of
the highway department were in
town acquiring the necessary right
of-way for the widening work.
The bridge will be of continuous
concrete slab construction with con-
crete substructure with spans of q
feet, 35 feet and % feet. The road
way on the bridge will be 36 feet
wide.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Leland Diller Ins.
Office Moving
To New Location

After operating nearly 35 years on
the second floor of the Tom Murray
building over the Horseshoe Grill,
the Leland Diller Insurance agency
will soon move into new office on
the street level.
Mr.. Diller said this week that he
had completed arrangements for rent
ing the storeroom, formerly occupied
by the Chamberlain Appliance Store,
from Ed Chamberlain. The new To-
cation, he said, will make it more
convenient for customers doing busi-
ness with him.
The insurance firm expects to move
into its new headquarters sometime IN
August or September.
Prior to occupancy by the Cham
berlain business, Ellenberger Bros.
operated an appliance store there, and
for many years earlier it was the
Kibler Millinery Shop.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Stranded By Ferry WalkOut, BtuftOMteS
DetOur 32I Miles Around Lake Michigan

AT least one vacationing Bluffton
couple was caught last Saturday
stranded on Michigan's Upper PENN
sula while ferry crews of the Straits
of Mackinac went on strike, tying
up ferry service for 16 hours.
Rather than wait out the strike,
Mr.. and Mrs. C. V. Kuhn, 139 South
Jackson street, turned around and
struck out around the western shores
of Lake Michigan, lengthening their
journey to 731 miles, when they were
only 410 miles from home at the
straits.
The Kuhns had spent their vaca-
ton near Escanaba on the Upper
Peninsula, and in returning around
the other side of the lake, had to re-
trace their route la miles They
arrived home Saturday evening at
midnight after pulling out of the line
of traffic at the straits at 7:3O that
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Daylight Burglary
Attempted At Noon
In College Office
Thieves Break Door Lock,
But Fai+To Find Any
thing or Value

A daring daylight burglary attempt
was made during the noon hour last
Thursday at the Bluffton college ad-
ministrakon bfIaing. Thieies how
eyer, were apps dFeAtly frighk kenhd off
before then COY 1d IKE anyehing by
emAloyees reGsthing ram their lunch.
The burglars gained entrance to
the building by forcing a lock on the
west entrance of College hall. 1t ap-
peared that some tool such as crow
bar was used in prying the door open.
Authorities are of the opinion that
whoever perpetrated the break-in
must have been hidden in the campus
woods awaiting departure of sstSa1 T
from the office at noon.
Carl M. Lehman, bpsfhess manager
and treasurer-a6>tfe college, was the
last person to leave the building. He
said that it must have been about
1890 when he departed, locking the
doors behind him.
The battered doors were discovered
not more than half an hour later when
the first employees returned to the
college office.
The intruders apparently were in
search of cash since typewriters and
various other items of value about the
offices were undisturbed. Nothing was
discovered missing. Only evidence
that someone had been in the building
was the broken door locks.
An investigation was made by
deputy sheriffs of the Allen county
office.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21

are enjoying week of recreation and
fun as well as training for future
leadership in agriculture and the
Farm Bureau.
This is the fourth consecutive year
that the school has been conducted
on the local campus.
The program began Sunday after
noon with registration at Founders
hall, and will close Thursday even
ing, the group returning to their
homes on Friday.
Monday afternoon the young peo-
pie were initiated to English Rugby
Football by Simon Barle and Charles
Durrant, who are in this country from
England on the Farmer Training
Program of the American Farm Bur-
eau Federation. The English boys and
their companion, Etienne Brunn, of
France are learning American games
in return.
The weeks program includes train
ing in public speaking, legislative
procedure, informal dramatics, music
appreciation, square dance calling and
farm safety. The group also learns
the purpose and aims of the farm CO.
operatives and will see practical ap-
plication in the organization of CO.
op Store and Student Council which
serve the group during the week.
The training program is under the
direction of W. A. Freeman, north
west region Farm Bureau Federation
supervisor. Pat Ensign, regional
chairman of the Farm Bureau Youth
Cabinet is training school chairman;
Norman Cheatwood, dean of men,
and TheIma Taylor, dean Of women.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21

following seven day period, according
to Joe Foster, project engineer for the
state highway department.
Mr.. Foster said that all of the BERN
had been seeded, guard rails have
been installed on the railroad over
pass and the bridge over Riley
creek. Only work which remained to
be finished before the new eight-mile
stretch of highway could be opened
was black-topping the bridge over the
Riley and the railroad.
Residents of Bluffton's Main street
were looking forward to the end of
the noise and confusion on the heavily
travelled Dixie; business people, par
ticularly service station nd res
taurant-owners, were holding their
breath to see how the change would
affect cash registers.
The opening of the bypass to traf-
fic will come several months ahead of
schedule. The eight-mile project was
originally set up for completion in
November.
Construction of the link began early
in June of last year after the contract
was awarded to the Heffner Con-
struction company, Celina, on bid
of 81 1,903,833.
The project includes divided four
lane ribbon of concrete from a point
half mile northeast of Beaverdam
to the Gratz crossing just south of
town. From. that point where it by
passes Bluffton, the route is only a
two-lane 24-foot strip. The right-of-
way for, the other strip, however, has
been purchased and graded. The con-
crete work will be done at a later
date.
The bypass rejoins the present
Route .25 approximately two miles
northeast of Bluffton.
Local motorists who have driven
over the highway before its compile
tion have been treated to completely
new views of the countryside near
Bluffton. The elevation over the A. c.
& Y. railroad provides good view of
two new water-filled depressions of
considerable size west of the overpass.
The lakes were created by removal of
earth there for the overpass eleva-
tlon. sSs .--.s. sstss sssz rs {. e.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Births

The following births were recorded
at Bluffton Community hospital dur
ing the past week:
Mr.. and Mrs. Walter George, Nc
Comb, a girl, Patricia Sue, born last
Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Russell Youtsey,
Bluffton, a girl, Lisa Ann, born last
Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard Heitmeyer,
Benton Ridge, boy, David Everett,
born last Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Norris Ward, Bea-
verdam, boy, Larry Gene, born Sat
urday.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Miller, Mt.
Cory, a girl, Vicki Lee, born Satur-
day.
Mr.. and Mrs. Howard Beach, Jene-
IA. a boy, David Paul, born Monday
Mr.. and Mrs. Dean Haley, Nc
Comb, a girl, Susan Elizabeth, born
Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Essinger, Ar
lington, boy, John William, born
Tuesday,
Mr.. and Mrs. Raybern Rupright
Mt. Cory, boy, born Tuesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ronald P. Diller, st
Louis, Mo-, a girl, born July II. Mr.
Diller is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Pau
Diller of Bluffton.
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Stewart
Dayton, Ohio, boy, James Michael
born Saturday in a Dayton hospital
Mrs. Stewart is the former Louehs
Herr, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. M. j
Herr and granddaughter of ?. c
Herr.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21

submit bid because he misunder-
stood that the project had to be COM
pleted early this fall. Present COM
mittments, he told members of the
board, made it impossible for him to
undertake the work Immediately.
Upon learning that the project
would not have to be started at once,
the builder said that he would submit
a bid in August. Representatives of
Kohl & Kaliher, Lima engineering
firm employed to plan the job, said
that they were rounding up other
competitive bids.
The small three-room building viii
house a pumping room, work shop
and small office. 1t will measure 36 K
IS feet and is estimated to cost
around $4,000 including work of
changing over water lines and pump
equipment.
When completed, the plant will
have four times the present pumping
capacity with an auxiliary standby
gasoline operated pump for emer-
gency use.
The board decided to erect the new
building when it was found that ex-
tensive repairs and changes were
needed to continue the operation in a
part of the present building which
until recently had been used mainly
as the municipal light and power
plant.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Church Women Attend
Tiffin Conference

Two representatives of st. Johns
Evangelical & Reformed church,
Mrs. V. C. oppe ann and
Mrs. NJ. E. Basinger, attended a
four-day conference sponsored by
The Women's Guild of the Evangeli-
cal and Reformed church last week
at Heidelberg College, Tiffin.
Theme of the conference was:
"Here / Stand The Meaning Of
Christian Commitment"
Discussions and devotions were
lead by E & R church leaders from
all parts of the country.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21

morning.
Traffic was backed up bumper-to-
bumper for two miles north of st.
Ignace docks, and the cue Of traffic
was longer on us. Rts. q and 81 at
Mackinaw City.
The non-union, civil service crew
men called off their walk-out when
the Michigan Civil Service Commits
sion agreed to hear their case in sup
port of an additional Is cents hourly,
plus -and-a-half pay for Satur-
days and double time for Sundays
They had just received a 15-cent
hourly increase last month.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Orange Twp. COP
Caucus Set Tuesday

Orange township Republicans will
hold their party caucus next Tuesday
evening at 8 p. m. in the Orange Cen
ter Community House to select candi-
dates for township offices in the Nov
ember election.
Nominating petitions, which re-
quire Is valid signatures, must be
filed with the board of elections on or
before 4 p. m August TO-
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
PLAN TO OPEN DIXIE BYPASS THIS WEEK
PLOlDing Contest, Air Tour
Set For BLuftOn Area

The Bluffton farming area has
been selected for this years Al
len County Flowing Contest and
Air Tour on August 8, it was an
nounced this week by Gene
Schmidt Of BInfftnn, president of
the Allen County Farm ImpIe-
ment Dealers association. Five
government and private agencies
will join hands in sponsoring the
events.
Level land plOwing competition
will take place on the Wilson
McBain farm, mile south of
BIuffton on the County Line
road. The Charles Fisher farm,
across the road, viii be host to
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Garden Clubs Set
Flower Show Dates
For August 2O-21
Show Open To Everyone;
Entries Invited In IL
Different Sections

The annual Bluffton Flower Show
sponsored by the Mems and Women's
Garden clubs has been set for Satur-
day and Sunday, August 20 and q, it
was announced this week with the re-
lease of exhibitors programs.
The show, which annually attracts
entries from women and men over a
wide area including the neighboring
towns of this area, is opened to all
without fees Exhibitors need not be-
long to either of the sponsoring or
ganizations.
Theme of this years show viii be
"A Symphony of Flowers" and
entries are invited in II different sec
tions of the show.
The various divisions will include
artistic arrangements in nine classi-
fications, miniatures in two divisions,
decorated tables, division for junior
exhibitors to 16 years of age, a di
vision on delphiniurs, another on
dahlias, and on roses. One division of
the show is reserved for arrangements
for men only. Other sections will be
reserved for exhibits of gladiolus and
for unusual" flowers.
Entries will close at 1880 a. m on
the first day of the show, at which
time exhibits are to be in place.
All entries will be turned over to
the placement committee who will
place them on the exhibit floor.
In all classes first, second and
third place ribbons will be awarded.
Oliver Zimmerman and Mrs. Nell
son Steiner are co-chairmen of the
flower festival, also or the general
committee are Miss Edith Amstutz
and Mrs. Ray Hilty.
Other committees include Schedule
Mrs. Vida Althaus, Mrs. William
Garmatter, Mrs. Armin Hauenstein,
Grover Soldner, Sidney Settler and
Karl Gierman; Staging and Proper
ties-Mrs. Harvey Gratz, Mrs. Char
les Montgomery, Mrs. Harry Barnes,
Mrs. Nelson Steiner, Mrs. Abram
Rickert, Mrs. Kenneth Winkler, Mrs.
Jerome Herr, Mrs. Leland Amstutz,
John Boehr, Lester Niswander, Ray
Dirmeyer, Paul Clark, Homer Gratz,
Noah Zimmerman, Roscoe Blakesly,
Continued on Page 10)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Business, Pleasure
Mix Well For Mast

Ken Mast, Bluffton college athletic
coach, attended an educational con-
ference of the Equitable Life Issur-
ance company over the weekend at
Bedford Springs, Pa, and came home
with golf trophy.
Mast, accompanied by his wife,
was surprised to find the Eastern
Chapter of the National Lefthanders
Golf Assn. holding tristate tourna-
ment at the resort golf course. Ask
ed to enter, he obliged, and walked
off with the championship and a
handsome trophy. He shot 73 and
rs for the SO holes.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Mrs. Dean NislCdnder
Heads Booster Group

Mrs. Dean Niswander was elected
president of the Bluffton College
Booster Committee, which re-organiz-
ed last Thursday evening and began
laying the groundwork for another
Booster banquet sometime next spring
and a community program earlier this
fall
Also serving with Mrs. Niswander
on the committee this year are Arthur
Schumacher, Pandora, and Milton Ed
wards, Bluffton.
Hopeful of bringing to the COM
munity a speaker of wide reputation
for the annual banquet, the committee
has already started to make arrange
ments.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21

the contour plOwing contest.
Air tours viewing farm con-
servation projects in the county
will fly from the nearby Bluff
ton Airport. Flights will be of 80
minutes duration and will provide
aerial studies of farms in the
BIuffton, Beaverdam, Pandora
area.
Sponsoring the events are the
Lima Farmers club, Allen County
Implement Dealers, Agricultural
Extension Service, Allen Soil
Conservation District and the
BlufftOn Airport.
Rain date for the blowing
matches and air tour is August
9.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Dollar Days Set
In BLuftOn Stores
For July %, 30

Due to arrive a week earlier
than usual Bluffton's COmmu-
nity-Wide Dollar Days have been
set for Friday and Saturday, July
20 and 80, it was announced this
week by Silas Diller, chairman of
the businessmen's committee in
charge bf the event.
The arlier dates this year en-
able slippers tOeget extra sum-
berNJs4vke EoN seasOnable
4 her hanki s,Diller\ pointed out,
I fAsapernt the locaNretailers to
prepare tAeir stores \ pr an ear
lier showing of the ne arrivals
for fall.
Word of the Bluffton hale will
be sent to residents of a wide
area through the distribution of
more than 5000 eight-page ad-
vertising announcements in addi-
ton to advertising in The Bluff
ton News. Arrangements are be-
ing made by the stores to provide
extra clerks in order to handle
the annual flood of shoppers.
Harold BaImer and Ed Walter
mire are serving on the Dollar
Days committee along with
Chairman Diller.
Final plans for the event will
be made at a meeting of the
Bluffton Business Mems assOcia-
ton Wednesday evening, July 27,
At 8 p. m. in the Geiger and Dill
ler Store.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21

fourth and added three more in the
fifth. Howe opened this frame with a
single. He advanced to third on sue
cessive walks to Moser and Which,
and all three rode home on Schmidt's
double.
Jerry's Tavern e.. 900 010 0 = 8 0
Triplett .--.......-.-. 900 13O 0 a Z 0
Brown and Dulap; Which and
Howe
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
English And French Farm Youths Join
Ohio Farm Bureau Group In COnfab Here

Representing 20 counties in Northwestern Ohio group of
6 young people have Buffton
college campus for the Farm Bureau Federaons leadership
ing school, Special guests the school young boys
from England and another from France
Ranging ages years students at the school
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
BPA Fails To Receive Single Bid On
New Municipal Water Works Building

Because not single contractor submitted bid last Saturday
the proposed municipal water plant the board of public
affairs began this week edvese for bids to be opened again
August 13
Harvey Bauman president of the board said that local
builder had indicated interest doing the work.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
REUNION NOTICE

Pandora Shelter House will be the
setting for the ninth reunion of the
Reichenbach family on Sunday, July
"a.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1955-07-21
Main Street To Feel LuIl
AS Heavy Traffic Passes
State Applying Finishing Touches
To$2 Million, Eight-Mile HighDay Link

The steady stream of motor traffic. which has flowed through
Bfon State Route 25 the beginnings of the horse
less carriage will be diverted by the end of this
week.
the Dixie bypass not opened by the end of the week.
it almost certain that traffic will begin within the
Evening star., 1955-06-05
FIGHT NIGHT

Stan Fine is so often concerned
with mischievous children in
cartoons we were sure he had at
least a dozen. Turns out he has
none at all. But he does have a
wife and a TV set which helped
him dream up this episode.