FROM THE FILES

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

November 16, 1922

Three Fires Take

Place During Week

Several fires have occurred during the past week. Only one caused much damage, that was a barn near the Henry F. Shafer house on West First Ave. which burned during the noon hour Saturday. The barn was completely destroyed. It was the property of Elmer Snooks. Wm. Thom looked after it though he had nothing in it except some doubletrees. It is supposed that some transients had been occupying the barn and started a fire which caught the barn.

Freshman Masquerade

Last Friday night the Freshmen entertained the upper classmen at a masquerade party in the high school gymnasium. The costumes varied from the elegant attire of the ballet to the garb of "Dad" and his son "Willie." Many of the students seemed to have lost high school spirit for a night and were drawn away by other attractions. However, a good crowd was in attendance and all were agreed that however green the freshmen may be in some respects, they are all right when it comes to entertaining their superiors.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

November 13, 1947

Tribute Paid to Country's

Heroes During Holiday

A parade and very simple ceremonies marked Armistice Day in Ritzville this year. All stores were closed and the holiday was quiet. Led by colorbearers Bruno Sielaff, Ralph Streeter, Josephine Labes and Lucille Danekas, the parade at 10 a.m. moved from the IOOF hall to the mill and back again. With the colors were Larry Benzel and Barney Streeter as guards, followed by the high school band, the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. The parade passed in review before the Honor Roll sign on Main Street.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

November 16, 1972

School Bus Talk Set for Dec. 4

The Ritzville school district directors decided to hold a public hearing to review school bus transportation matters, hired a half-day teacher to assist at the fourth-grade level, set the date of the 1973 special levy election and handled a host of other matters in a marathon session Monday evening. The bus hearing was triggered when Mr. and Mrs. Bob Heider appeared before the board to request that their children be delivered to the door rather than being let off on the road. Earlier-about a year ago-the directors decided that the buses would not provide door-to-door delivery and pickup of pupils where the distance involved was less than a quarter of a mile.

New City Pump Here

Installation will be done in December of a pump in the city's new well. The pump was delivered in Ritzville late in October. Sargent Pump and Irrigation Co. of Othello are the contractors to furnish and install the pump, together with the necessary wiring. The contract price is $30,100. Roy Langenheder, councilman who heads the city's water committee, said the Sargent contract calls for the installation to be ready by Jan. 15. Capacity of the pump is 1,200 gallons per minute.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

November 13, 1997

Construction items stolen

from site west of Ritzville

The Adams County Sheriff's Office was notified of a theft which occurred between Oct. 24 and 29 at a construction site near SR 21 and the Interstate 90 interchange. Taken were 18 pieces of 20'x 4" gray electrical conduit and two 90-degree "sweeps." Value was set at $943. The items were taken from the site where a cellular telephone tower is under construction and extra patrol was requested in the area.

--The Journal