From the Files

100 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Sept. 2, 1920

REPORT GOOD CROPS AT WASHTUCNA

Washtucna is a thriving, progressive little city, one of the most substantial in the county. Steady improvement is being made in its streets and business buildings and the stores are a credit to the town. At one warehouse we found 40,000 bushels of last year's wheat that big ranchers were holding for higher prices. They let $2.60 a bushel go by, but their patience may be rewarded by the desired $3.00. About 400,000 bushels of grain is warehoused at Washtucna annually. Harvest is not over yet in that vicinity. Many of the big operators have good sized runs yet to make.

75 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

August 30, 1945

Firemen Cause of Alarm

Ritzville's firemen can't even start a friendly little weed-burning of their own without having someone turn in an alarm! A group of fire laddies took the country truck to the Texaco station at the west city limits Tuesday night to clean up the weeds and had the job nicely under way when the city siren began wailing and a long line of cars headed their way. Someone from a distance apparently thought the service station was on fire and turned in the alarm.

50 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Sept. 3, 1970

Patrol Operators Retire

From County

Fred Kupers and Reuben Schoessler "laid down" their road graders Monday and quit work. For both men, long-time employees of the Adams County road department, it is well-earned retirement. Fred began part-time in November, 1929. Reuben, the Lind area patrol operator his entire time on the job, began about 1935. Relief from the jolting, grinding work in the dust will be welcome, said Schoessler. "You can't get over the roads as fast as they want 'em," he added.

25 years ago

Ritzville Adams

County Journal

August 31, 1995

Volunteer firemen training

continued at 'smoke trailer'

"Ritzville Volunteer Firemen are well trained, better than some paid departments," said Lynn Adams, at Monday's practice drill in the Department of Energy's Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) mobile training facility. Adams and Ray Quillen, both safety officers, conducted the drills at the Ritzville Fire Station. Monday's scenario involved a fire in a three-story structure. A small child weighing about 20 pounds was reported down in the building. Firemen were instructed to search and rescue the child. The drill also required the locating and shutting off leaking gas valves in the dark, confined space.