From the Files

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

October 26, 1922

Christian Church

The people of Ritzville are enjoying the privilege in having Evangelist Sargent of Tacoma with them for a few days. His sermons are clear and convincing and free from any offensive matter. His singing is inspiring. Meetings are held each evening at 7:30 and at eleven o'clock Sunday morning. All are cordially invited.

Rancher from Neppel

disappears at Ritzville

Fred Blake, a rancher of Neppel, mysteriously disappeared while on a trip to Ritzville last week. He left his fruit ranch at Moses Lake on Monday with a load of apples and some cider, planning to sell the fruit and cider at Lind and Ritzville. He drove an auto truck which he borrowed from a neighbor.

Blake went first to Lind and stayed there all night, came to Ritzville and spent Tuesday night here. He was reported to have been seen again Wednesday, but since then no trace of him has been secured. He left the truck with some apples, a small quantity of cider, and a few purchases from stores, parked on the streets here.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

October 23, 1947

Start City Garage on Wrong Location

Work on the jinxed city garage stopped completely last week. After digging the footings for the foundations, it was discovered that the garage has been placed almost 25 feet too close to the alley line. The present excavations will be filled in and work started again as soon as weather permits.

Washtucna Senior Class to Give Play

The senior class will present the three-act comedy, "My Man Godfrey," Nov. 20 in the school auditorium under the direction of Mrs. John R. Hansen, dramatic coach. This play, based on the novel by Eric Hatch, appeared as a movie. It also ran in the Saturday Evening Post.

Doolittle Raider to Speak at

Nazarene Church Sunday A.M.

Ritzville folks will have the opportunity to hear the personal story of a former Japanese prisoner when Sgt. Jacob DeShazer speaks at the Church of the Nazarene this Sunday morning, Oct. 26 at 9:45. Sgt. DeShazer was shot down over occupied China as a member of Doolittle's Tokyo Raiders and spent 43 months in prison camp after his capture by the Japanese. He is now attending school at Seattle Pacific college and is flying to Ritzville to speak here Sunday morning.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

October 26, 1972

Grandmothers Set Day for Quilting

The Grandmother club made plans for starting a new quilt and for a "horn of plenty" luncheon when they met Tuesday afternoon at Gritman Senior Center. The quilt will be put up Oct. 30 at the home of Mrs. Orval Luiten starting at 9 a.m. Each of the women will take a sack lunch. The horn of plenty luncheon will be Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Senior Center. The hostesses for the meeting were Mrs. Ray Klein and Mrs. Emil Gust. Mrs. Henry Rehn and Mrs. John Fode won the door prizes.

Toni Benzel Backs Equal Rights

There are a lot of misunderstandings about the equal rights amendment, according to Mrs. Toni Benzel, a backer in this community. It's designated HJR 61 on the Nov. 7 blanket ballot. Declaring herself to be opposed to many goals of the women's lib movement, Mrs. Benzel says the equal rights amendment (ERA) and women's lib are not the same.

"I like being a woman, being placed on a pedestal, entertaining, the whole bit," said Mrs. Benzel. An impression that the ERA will disrupt many social customs is unfounded, in the opinion of Mrs. Benzel.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

October 23, 1997

Ritzville police officers off the beaten path

Police work in the 90s has moved in a variety of directions using more preventative methods such as Community Oriented Police and more interaction with young people. Ritzville has begun an innovative program for a small town in that some officers are now making their rounds by bicycle. Officer Todd Haddorff developed this idea of a bike patrol early this spring when several burglaries were reported. "On my days off, I rode my own bike around town. Kids would see me a block away and wave. Then the burglaries seemed to stop and using a bike just seemed like a good thing to do," he said.

Haddorff took his proposal to Chief Dave McCormick who approved it and then presented the idea to the city council for approval.

Dinner theatre planned

at Legion on Nov. 14

The Ritzville Community Theatre group is planning an adult dinner theatre on Nov. 14. "Love Letters," a play by A.R. Gurney, will be performed under the direction of Nadia Reimer by Judy Gross and Ron Sloot. The play is based on a non-traditional setting during which the entire story is perceived through the letters which Andrew Ladd and Melissa Gardner exchange throughout their entire life.