FROM THE FILES

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

December 28, 1922

N.P. To Install Block Signals

The Northern Pacific railroad will spend $500,000 next spring in installing automatic block signals from Spokane to Pasco to complete its main line safety apparatus. It will be the first transcontinental railroad to have its entire main line protected by block signals.

Local Brevities

The fire department responded to a call at the Earl Colwell house last Friday. Not the new one, but the old house nearby which they were moving out of. Not much damage and now the Colwells are comfortably settled in the nice new home.

Fire out at the Peter Bauer ranch on the Rosenoff road Christmas day burned the blacksmith shop and destroyed the tools that were in it. The fire started in some way in the wall. Other buildings nearby were saved.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

December 25, 1947

Students Raise $65

for Relief Food in Europe

Somewhere in the war-torn regions of Europe a few people will have more to eat and wear this winter, thanks to the generosity of junior and senior high school students in Ritzville. The younger set gave up their annual Christmas parties and exchange of gifts this year; a surrender not to be taken as lightly as it might sound-and centered their Yuletime efforts on raising money for contributions to the Northwest's Christmas Ship.

Work Proceeds

on Youth Club Here

A door has been installed in the Ritzville Youth Club quarters and the boxing ring has been put in, Police Chief Pete Duffy announced this week. The official opening will be held shortly after Christmas.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

December 28, 1972

Fire Destroys Bowling Alley

Fire destroyed the entire Big Bend Bowl building Wednesday before dawn. The building narrowly escaped disaster almost exactly a week earlier when firemen contained fire in a small storage room. Firemen, working in a steady rain, kept the flames confined to the building while a strong breeze carried flames and smoke toward Nob Hill. Only the concrete block walls remained standing.

Jackson Survives

Crash with Train

Royd F. Jackson, 19, 512 E. Alder Ave., was released from Ritzville Memorial Hospital Friday where he had gone two days earlier suffering injuries received in a collision of his car and a Burlington-Northern freight train. The accident occurred at 8:17 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Division Street railroad crossing, according to a report of Police Officer James Kennedy. Jackson told Kennedy afterward in the hospital that he saw the flashing signal lights but did not see the train. He told Officer Kennedy he thought he could cross the tracks before the train reached the intersection.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

December 25, 1997

Gering to travel on choir tour

Gretchen Gering, a senior from Ritzville, will travel to Europe with the Bethel College Concert Choir during the January interterm. Gering is an alto in the choir. Led by Marles Preheim, professor of music at Bethel College and director of the Concert Choir, the choir will perform in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

Dustan Arlt scores 34

against CH Patriots

Bronco Dustan Arlt was nearly a one-man scoring machine as he burnt up the nets at Gilson Gym Friday night scoring 34 points against the Christian Heritage Patriots. Arlt hit 11 of 19 from the field and was 4-8 in three-point attempts. At the free throw line he was perfect, hitting 8-8. The Broncos won the league game 75-56. "We expected this game to be a little closer than it ended up," said Bronco Coach Dwight Pflugrath.

--The Journal