davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-14
Netherlands Side

On April 5, the Embassy Of
Indonesia complained in a let
teN of "a strange silence" in
the American press concerning
what was described as a mis-
carriage Of justice in Neither
lands New Guinea, involving
Indonesian citizens accused
by the Netherlands govern
ment) Of stirring up a revolt.
In reply the Netherlands In
formation Service herewith
sets the record straight on this
matter.
The April 5 statement Of the
Indonesian Embassy parallels
a February 7 report by
ANTARA, one of the Indo-
nesian news agencies. This
report" was officially an
SWered on the following day.
February 3. by the Neither
lands governments represent
ative in Jakarta. Indoncsia.
The IndoneSian Embassy s
April 5 statement declared
that. while there has been
much recent discussion in the
American press concerning
the case of Leon JungSchlae-
ger. a Netherlands citizen &C
cused Of conspiring against
the Republic OF Indonesia
with the aid Of the American
and British Embassies in In
donesia, there has been a
strange silence concerning a
miscarriage Of justice in West
Irian Netherlands New Gui-
neal which occurred in No
Vember, 1855, involving 81
IndoneSian citizens accused of
stirring up a revolt"
The statement further de-
Jared: Eight Indonesians
we're sentenced to death no
information is available at all
on seven other prisoners; and
IS were sentenced to two to
six years imprisonment in
Hollandia Netherlands New
Guinea
The statement also charged
that these accused Indonesian
citizens had no right to a
public trial and that the
eight alleged to have been
shot to death were executed
after a "star-chamber pro-
ceeding."
The first and foremost fact
IS that the group OF so-called
lndonesian citizens" re-
fcrTed TO in the Indonesian
Embassy's April 5 statement.
were armed; and they were
apprehended in the act of in
yading, or infltrating, Neither
lands New Guinea by force Of
arms.
The record Of this infiltra-
ton. and subsequent events,
is contained in the following
official statement issued on
February 3 by the office of the
Netherlands High Commits
Sioner in Indonesia, in an
SWer to the original ANTARA
report, on which the Indo-
ncsian EmbaSSv'S April S state
mcnt Is based
"On November %. 1855, at
iIollandia Netherlands New
Guinea % inhltrants from
lndoncsia were sentenced for
armed intiltration Of West New
Guinea In October 1854 IN the
nciehborhood Of Etna Bay.
During the countcraction
AGAINST this armed attack a
number Of the aRprcSsorS were
killed.
Their leader, j a Dimara,
was sentenced TO eight years
imprisonment the Others re-
cclvcd sentences ranging from
three 10 SIX years. An appeal
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-14

one sixteenth OF the United
States payment. His share still
is held in the United States.
1 DR.. Pontecorvo worked for a
time at Britain'S top secret Har-
we'll Research Center and be-
came a naturalized Briton. Then
in 1850 he fled to Russia. The
Italian scientist disclosed last
year that he had been working
on Soviet atomic projects since
1850.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-14
Suit Charges Britain
.Infringed Atom Patent

LONDON April IA HP-Brtan's Atomic Energy Authority
said today 1t being sued by British firm for alleged infringe
men of basic atomic Italian
lists The Italian included Bruno Pontecorvo,
man in the Soviet thermometer
The patent key in making sotopes Of the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

flremen.
Being voluntary organization, the
members of the fire department were
not disciplined for absence nor COM
pensated for being present Occasion
ally they received some pay from the
owner of the property, but more Of
ten payment consisted of a treat az
a village store or a meal at the tav-
ern.
The fireman's tournament, a late
Victorian mid-western institution,
was a time for celebration and fes-
tivities. These were annual events,
held in the larger towns to bring the
companies into competition.
Although there were many events
throughout the day, the highlight of
the tournament twas the competition
of the visiting fire companies to see
which group could perform the foil
owing stunt in the fastest time: The
fire wagon was pulled by the COM
pany for forty rods at break-neck
speed; as soon as the mark was
reached the ladder on the wagon was
hoisted straight in the air and firmly
Continued on page 12)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
TOWn's First Fire Department Served
Social As Well As UtiIitarian Function

bers pledging secrecy to its const-
tuition, and adopting a pass word.
Meetings were held at one of the
general stores on Main Street when
ever a matter of enough Importance
neceSsitated such meeting. The COM
pany was known as Company A.
The headquarters for fire fighting
equipment was shed built onto the
side of the old calabooSe, as the first
Jail was called. The Jail was located
on the corner of Washington and
Jackson Street. The equipment con-
sisted of several rubber buckets and
a large coupled wagon, twenty-five
feet long. The wagon was built by
Dave Franks, the first fire chief, who
was a wagon maker by trade.
AS there was no bell or siren, the
alarm was raised by the people and
the firemen came from all directions.
They pulled the wagon by ropes to
the scene of the fire and with their
buckets of water proceeded to fight
the fire. They were assisted by the
bucket brigade" made up of the wo-
men and non-department men of the
community. They worked the pumps
and passed the buckets along to the
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Rev. A. ]. Beachy's
Sermon is Winner
I'm Natl Contest

Alvin ]. Beachy, former pastor of
the First Mennonite church now do
ing post graduate work at Harvard
divinity school, was named this week
as the winner of the top award Of
fered students in the Church Peace
Missions sermon competitions.
Rev. Mr.. Beachy's prize is $3.50 in
cash. The contest, which awarded
cash and books for the best sermons
on the subject, "The Church, the
Christian and War;" was announced
last fall.
Prizes were awarded in two con-
test divisions: /. Ministers and lay
men under As years of age who are
not enrolled in a theological school
and, 2. Students in theological
schools and seminaries in the United
States and Canada.
In the student contest, second prize
went to Glen Kitzenberger of Naper-
vile, Ill.
In the other division of the contest
the first prize went to the Rev. ].
Frank Whit, Methodist, Decatur, H.,
and second award to the Rev. Paul H.
Merkle, Presbyterian, Halstead, Kan
sas.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Prery Off To Russia
After MterUieU With Tito

Following an interview Monday
with Marshal Tito at his summer
retreat on an island off Yugoslavia,
DR.. Lloyd L. Ramseyer, Bluffton
college prexy, and his travelling COM
panions making up a Sherwood Eddy
study group, were to be on their way
this week into Russia.
In recent letters to his family, DR..
Ramseyer wrote that on July II he
had his first direct introduction to
Communism when he went into the
Eastern part of Berlin.
Wandering up and down Stalinalle
formerly Frankfort Strausse) DR..
Ramseyer found it beautiful in a
way but lacking variety in archi-
tectural styling.
Stores were small and lacked the
attractive show windows found in
West Berlin. Very little reconstruc-
ton work has been done in parts of
the city and streets were almost de-
serted.
"Unter der Linden, a wide street
with trees in the middle, once a
show place, looked like a ghost city,"
he said.
The party was permitted to take
pictures without restriction.
I'VE saw the ruins of the Chancel-
lory and Hitler's bunker. Everything
almost, was in ruins in that part of
the city. We saw where Won linden
burg once lived, also in ruins" he
wrote.
DR.. Ramseyer found great con-
trast between the free West Berlin
and the Democratic Republic in East
Berlin in progress of reconstruction.
People of West Berlin have a
great hope for reunifcation. They
don't seem to have very realistic
idea of how it can come about, but
the hope seems to have grown from
desperation" he said.
The Bluffton college president
found a royal welcome in two Ger
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Plays Havoc With Local Home
During Fridays Bad Electrical Storm

Lightning, which struck during the
electrical storm last Friday morn
ing, caused damage estimated at more
than $500 to the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. Edwin Rice, Grove street.
1t was not determined definitely
whether the lightning entered the
residence through an outside power
transformer or through the televisfon
antenna. Both possibilities have been
theorized.
Mrs. Rice said she completely dis
connected the television set at about
8:20, seconds before the lightning
struck and had gone Upstairs to close
the windows Moments later she
heard a terrific explosive sound
which shook the entire house.
Bluffton Volunteer Firemen, called
to the scene, discovered smoke COM
ing from the television set. The set
was total loss.
The lightning splintered the motor
box, which changes direction of the
scattering it across the en-
tire room. 1t also burned out the wall
plug, shattered outside wires, and
then travelled across the room to a
desk holding the telephone and
knocked it out. The lightning also
followed path along the spouting to
a back corner of the mouse, knocked
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Work Underway For
Revamping Street
System
Side Streets Get New Fix
lures As Well AS On
Main Street

Bluffton's outmoded street lighting
fixtures in the residential areas will
be completely replaced along with
the improvement in the Main street
system it was learned this week from
an Ohio Power company spokesman.
At one time in negotiations with
council there was a question of
whether all of the side streets would
get new fixtures, but Eugene Schmidt
OF the Power company said this week
that it had been determined to 20
all the way with the improvement.
The work on the side streets, about
so per cent completed, will do away
with the old gooseneck brackets.
Modern "up-sweep" brackets carry
ing $500 lumen lights are being in
stalled by work crews of the Ohio
Power Co. 1t was decided to handle
the project with company crews
rather than have the work done by
outside construction firm as was done
at the time the lines were recon
structed.
-Four or five of the new acorn type
fixtures with $500 lumen lights have
been installed on South Main street
The lights will be larger and more
powerful as they approach the down.
town section. Progressively increas-
ing in brilliance, the lights will be of
10000 lGmen in the heart of the busi-
ness section. Here they will be mount
ed on steel poles.
Wooden poles are being installed
from the corporation line to College
avenue north to Elm street, then
wooden poles from there to the cor
ooration line. A contractor has been
to prepare concrete bases
7or the steel poles in the business
section.
The old underground wiring system
n use on Main street, which is con-
stantly shorting out and causing a
1imming of street lights all over
Town, will be replaced by a single
strand of wire from pole to pole.
Mr.. Schmidt said that every effort
IS being made to have the new sys-
tenn in operation by September /
when the village begins to pay for its
street lighting. The present contract
calls for a street lighting bill of
approximately $713 monthly.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

1t was announced after quarterly re-
view of the average cost of gas ito
West Ohio under the fuel cost clause
in rate ordinances and schedules.
The last change on Mayl1, 1856 was
a one-cent decrease per thousand
cubic feet. The two-cent decrease per
1000 cubic feet effective August /,
1856 brings the total decrease In gas
rates to three cents per 1000 cubic
feet during 1856.
Approximately three fourths of the
new reduction in rates results from
a Federal Power Commission order
issued June %, 1856 which reduces
the rates to be charged West Ohio
Gas Company by its supplier. The
full amount of this reduction in gas
costs is being passed on to West
Ohio customers effective with bills
rendered on and after August 1, 1856.
In the companys quarterly COM
putation of its average gas cost for
the 12-month period ended June 30,
Continued on page g.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
West Ohio Gas Co. Announces Second 1856
Rate Reduction Effective AS Of August |

West Ohio Gas Company today
announced its second rate reduction
this year, a two-cent per 1000 cubic
feet reduction in rates on all bills
rendered on and after August 1, 1856.
The reduction is effective in Bluffton
and Is area towns served by the
utility.
The decrease, second since adop-
ton of 1853 rate ordinances, will
mean reduction of about 40 cents
a month on the gas bill of the
average residential consumer using
gas for space heating. A Bluffton
customer using 10000 cubic feet
monthly has been paying $2052 and
in the future will pay $2012.
Area towns affected are Lima,
Cridersville. Wapakoneta, st Marys,
Celina, Coldwater, Elida, Delphos,
Middle Point. Van Vert. Cairo, Co
lumbus Grove, Ottawa, Leipsic and
Kenton
The reduction was announced by
Joe D. Reid, president and general
manager of West Ohio Gas Company.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Council Approves
Plan To Begin
Bath House Work

Bluffton village council at a reces-
sed meeting Wednesday evening
last week approved plans of the
Recreation commission for making a
start on the proposed bath house at
the municipal swimming pool, but
made it clear that the village could
in no way share the cost
Paul Diller, chairman of the Re-
creation commission, said he had
made arrangements with the con-
tractor to do the preliminary work
of roughing in plumbing, laying the
foundation and a concrete floor for
the bath house while the ground is
open. 1t would save considerable cost
later, he explained.
Diller said that the contractor had
agreed to do the work at cost of
$4,439 if the Recreation commission
could raise the money by public SUBJ
scription.
Council was advised that a Ways
and Means Committee had agreed to
assist in the fund campaign as well
as with other problems which will
arise from time to time in operation
of the swimming pool and allied
recreation program.
Members of Mr. Oilers committee
are Bob Williams, Mrs. F. T. Lauriat
Stanley Basinger, Harold Banner,
Harold Klingler, Dick Cookson and
Wayne Motter.
The Business Mems association has
also agreed to support the campaign.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Business Men Plan
Tour OF Ex-Cell-O
Plants In Detroit

Members of the Bluffton Business
Mems association have been invited
by the Ex-Cell-O Corp. to take a
conducted tour of two of its Detroit
plants it was learned this week by
Ed Waltermire, chairman of the af-
fair.
Waltermire said that the all-day
tour has been arranged for Thursday,
August 2. The group will take a
chartered Greyhound bus. The bus
will leave from the Rexall Drug
Store at 8 a. m.
In Detroit the business men MAX
ing the trip will be guests of Ex-
Cello at noon luncheon. Follow
ing this they will be taken on a
conducted tour of two plants where
they will view frst-hand some of
the varied operations of the corpora
tion.
Due to limited seating capacity
members are asked to
contact Waltermire as soon as pos
sible for reservations.
The trip will De discussed at a
meeting of the association next
Wednesday evening, at the new home
recently completed by Bluffton East
land, Inc, newest member of the
business groups. The house is located
on West Elm street opposite the
Mennonite Memorial Home.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

hole in the roof and singed the
bathroom curtains.
An elbow to a radiator in the room
was burned off and a stove pipe on
the furnace was knocked loose by the
blast Lights and fixtures on the
electrical stove were also destroyed.
Mrs. Rice said the lightning appar-
emily travelled across the floor of the
living room, barely missing niece,
Sue Schumacher, daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. Edward Schumacher, Oak
Park, Mich, who was sitting on a
couch nearby.
The lightning set off the fire alarm
and disrupted lighting and telephone
service in the community.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

EDITORS NOTE: This is the
second of a series of excerpts
from the paper, Zone Hundred
Years of Firsts", partial report
of a, study of "firsts" in the his
tory of BlufftOn, prepared by her
American History class at Bluff
ton college by Mrs. Charles
Steiner, 2O5 South Main street.
This weeks story tells of the
organization of the first volunteer
fire department in 1874 and how
the first trains came to BlufftOn.
Watch next week for the tale of
the towns first telephone, who
drove the first auto, and the day
the first plane was sighted over
BlufftOn.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Order Roof Repairs
At Former Light
And Power Plant

Clevenger Bros, Lima roofing con-
tractor, was awarded a contract this
week to repair the roof over the
boiler room of the old municipal
light and power plant which is now
being used as a warehouse by the
F. c. Russell Co., Pandora.
Clayton Harkness, a member Of the
Board of Public Affairs, said that
accumulated quantities of fly-ash viii
be removed from the roof, it viii be
given tar coating and skylights will
be covered with corrugated metal.
The contract totals more than $500.
The Pandora manufacturing con-
Germ has rented the space for storage
of storm doors and windows. AS
many as 1000 units have been stored
in the warehouse.
Mr.. Harkness also said that the
new roof on the village water tower
has been completed during the past
week.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

meeting. Chief Gaiffe will begin his
new duties on August !.
Born and reared in Bluffton, Mr..
Gaiffe has been interested in police
work for the past five years when he
served as a special patrolman. Dur
ing the war his job as motor vehicle
foreman at the Lima Ordnance Depot
also had to do with security police
work. He has also served the village
as councilman.
He has lived in Bluffton all his life
with the exception of several years
in the late 2Os when he was employed
at the Willys-Overland plant in
Toledo. For the last 10 years he has
operated the Clover Farm Store on
Vine street, which he closed just
three weeks ago.
The appointment by Mayor Riser
is for a six-month probationary per-
iod from August 1 to December 81.
1856. The salary has been set at $3.50
per month.
Chief Gaiffe lives on East Elm
street. He and Mrs. Gaiffe have two
daughters, Mrs. Ralf Steiner and
Betty Lou.
Mr. Coon, who has resigned the
office, viii complete his duties after
20 years of service to the village.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Business Men Given
Sales Tax Reminder

Bluffton business men were re-
minded this week that semi-annual
vendors sales tax reports for the
period between January 1, 1856, and
June 80, 1856, must be filed with or
mailed to Roger w. Tracy, Treasurer
of State, P. o. Box 1893, Columbus.
o., before July 81, 1856.
Vendors who wish assistance in
making out their reports, should take
with them necessary records; such
as, copy of last report, sales re-
cords, and vendors purchase orders
for prepaid tax receipts (pink copy.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
RawsOn Homecoming
Plans Progressing

Plans were progressing this week
for the annual Rawson homecoming
to be held August $40. The event is
sponsored by the Volunteer Fire
mems association and Lions club.
The following committee co-chair-
men have been named: concessions,
Don Latham, Luther Romick, Bob
Sexton; drawing, r. c. Ketzenber-
ger, Floyd Hoch, Ralph B. Jones,
Don Bunk; bingo, Carl Smith, AL
bert Gibbs, Adrian Houdeshell, Dale
Zeisloft, Ernest Zuercher; advertis-
ing, Harry Blymyer, Wayne Jones;
queen voting, Percy Westall, Frank
Kimberley; food, Carl Smith, Olen
Crew, c. F. Cookson.
At a meeting of the food commit
tee members with the wives of the
Firemen's association and Lions club
members, it was agreed that the two
groups of women will prepare and
handle the food concession.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
EastIand To StoW First Model Homes;
Six More To Go Under Roof By Winter

The first model home, a sample of
what will soon be erected by Bluffton
Eastland, Inc. on the mass production
principal, six at a time in the new
sunny Acres subdivision, will be
shown to the public in an "open
house" Saturday and Sunday at AIS
West Elm street.
Richard Benroth, president of the
local development company, said the
public is cordially invited to inspect
the completed all-electric ranch style
home and at the same time visit the
partially completed home being built
next door by the company for Mr..
and Mrs. Gerald Swank.
The new home, a three-bedroom
one-floor plan, includes a breezeway
with attached garage and full base
ment. Completely electric, it offers
the last word in radiant heating in
stalled in the ceilings with individual
room thermostats, built-in electric
range and oven in the modern
kitchen, and electrically he tie d
water.
Painted an attractive yellow color
and handicapped this week, the pic
ture window overlooks the grounds
of the Mennonite Memorial home
across the street. For the open house,
it has been completely furnished by
Basinger Furniture store.
Personnel from the developing
company, suppliers and contractors
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19
Births

The following births were recorded
at Bluffton Community hospital dur
ing the past week:
Mr.. and Mrs. Jack Sheidler, Nc
Comb, a boy, Jack william, born
Friday
Mr.. and Mrs. Roger Musser
dorothy LugibihD, Lima, a boy,
William Harold, born Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wade Huber, Bluff
ton, a boy, Randall Wayne, born SUM-
day.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

walton of six Easements in the Sunny
Acres subdivision on the east side
of town with the house expected to
be under roof by winter.
The subdivision plan was accepted
by village council at a recessed meet
ing Wednesday evening of last week.
After passing legislation providing
vacation of a street and alleys laid
out in the original Sunny Acres plat.
council approved the new plan as
prepared by Robert H. Green, con-
sulting engineer employed by the
Continued on page g.