Note: Bluffton sixth graders in the 1953-54 school year (graduating class of 1960) created a booklet titled "The Bluffton Story." The following article is part of that booklet, which is now in the history collection at the Bluffton Public Library. This series continues each week on the Icon.
By Nancy Houts and Kay Zimmerly
Strange as it may seem to us today, Bluffton was blessed or cursed in the early days by two telephone systems. The Bluffton businessmen had to have the service of both companies in order to serve their customers. The one mutual company was forced out of business by an ice storm and other financial reverses.
The Lima Telephone Company bought out the remaining equipment of the two companies and merged them into our present system.
Two of the first managers were Mr. Elmer Trout and Amos Geiger. They were followed by Mr. Eli Deppler, who was manager for 37 years before his retirement in 1949.
The first telephone in Bluffton was located in the store of Mr. J. E. Luginbuhl and his number was 1.
There were about 1,050 subscribers after a few years and they paid one dollar a month. The operators were paid four dollars a week for each fire they helped to report.
