FROM THE FILES

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

January 18, 1923

Local Brevities

Arthur Glander, formerly of Odessa, has been employed by the Ritzville Trading Company to take charge of their harness department which has been given space on the second floor of the main building.

A party of Masons drove to Washtucna Saturday night to attend the Masonic installation there. W.H. Kreager acted as the installing officer. Others who went down were N.T. Rider, R.B. Ott, and Phil Bier. Returning the snow was falling so thick that they got the wrong turn out of Washtucna, going up the Bassett Road. They wandered around on Rattlesnake Flat quite a while before they got back to the main road.

Jacob Theil, Sr., returned Tuesday night from Astoria where he visited his sons, Fred and Henry. They were burned out in the big fire but have started in business again, securing a location soon after the fire and opening up a restaurant. Mr. Thiel says that some are starting to rebuild in the burned area. Pretty rainy there now.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

January 15, 1948

Sum Reflects A-1

Harvests, Good Prices

The average resident of Adams County-man, woman, or child-has $2,150 salted away in the bank. This figure probably represents one of the highest per non-metropolitan counties in the United States. It reflects the producing power of the great wheat ranches which blanket Adams County.

Call for Bids to Clear

Land at New School Site

Ritzville's new elementary school took a long step forward this week when the school board decided to call for bids on the wrecking and removal of several buildings now occupying the future school site. The buildings are located on two acres of land which Rudolph Sauer has been asked to surrender to the school district by February 1.

Ritzville Post Office Force

Shatters Records in 1947

Practically every record in the books was shattered by the Ritzville post office during 1947 as more people made more trips to mail more letters and packages than ever before, Postmaster Harry Thom declared this week. New all-time highs were reached in gross receipts, cancellations, and postal savings deposits. The total receipts last year were $23,285, nearly $4,000 above the previous high of $19,425 established in 1946. This increase automatically advanced the Ritzville agency from fourth to fifth grade as a second-class post office.

Pastor Herds Family

from Fiery Home

A local pastor rushed his four small children from a burning parsonage, and a small blaze in the Brunswick pool hall attracted a fair-sized multitude of spectators as the Ritzville fire department was kept on its toes in recent days.

The Rev. Raymond Griffith of the Nazarene church was awakened by swirling smoke in his parsonage about 7 a.m. Saturday. He attempted to telephone the fire department but found the phone wires had been burned out. Making several trips up and down a stairway which later was found unsafe for use because of damage the fire was inflicting, Reverent Griffith herded David and Ronnie outside and carried Larry and Sandra to safety. His wife called firemen from the Richard Dehnel residence across the street. The blaze, caused by an overheated furnace stack, was confined to the basement and stairway.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

January 18, 1973

Absentees Rise to 83 at Schools

Flu and other illnesses kept 83 students out of Ritzville schools Monday. An epidemic which had its heaviest effect in seventh and eighth grade attendance last week had spread to the high school Monday. Absences in high school Monday totaled 29 and at Hawthorn school 36 that day. The Evergreen absentees Monday numbered 18.

Supt. Ken White said if the absences got much worse he would ask Dr. Vernon Michael, public health officer responsible, for an opinion on the closing of school. Just closing a day or two wouldn't provide much relief from the heavy absences. Supt. White recalled an occasion four or five years ago when school was closed because of illness a short time before school was to have dismissed for the Christmas holidays.

Cattlemen Name Lynn

Langenheder President in '73

Lynn Langenheder will head the Adams County Cattlemen's Association in the coming year. He and a staff of officers were elected at the association's annual meeting Tuesday night at the Circle T Inn here. Vice president will be Roy Clinesmith, secretary Lloyd Baumann, treasurer Forrest Hardt and directors, Bill Allert and Bob Ott. The retiring president, Mike Holiday, also will serve on the board.

Standard is Low

Standard Oil Co. was the successful bidder to supply Adams County with regular and premium gas, when bids were opened Monday at the courthouse. Their price of 27 cents a gallon for regular gas bettered the bid of Texaco of 28.2 cents. Last year's successful bidder got the contract with a bid of 24.23 cents a gallon for regular.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

January 22, 1988

Council approves request for

'98 Blues Fest funding

Ritzville will have a blues festival in 1998 following approval by the Ritzville City Council Tuesday night to once again contract with the chamber of commerce to fund the event. Proponents of the event delivered the proposal asking for up to $36,000 in 110 funds for the July 11 event in downtown Ritzville. Ticket prices will be reduced in 1998 from the $20 charged last year to $15 per person. Two addition security guards also will be hired.

Slippery roads continue

to plague area drivers

Freezing temperatures during overnight and early morning hours resulted in ice-covered roadways during this past week which surprised some drivers along area roadways. Lorimer Merriwether, 53, of Owens Crossroads, AL, was westbound on Interstate 90 on Jan. 14 at 11:10 a.m. when he encountered icy roads about 23 miles west of Ritzville. Merriwether lost control of the 1974 Ford Explorer he was driving causing it to leave the road and strike a dirt embankment. He was not injured in the accident with about $5,000 in damage reported to the vehicle. Investigating the accident for the Washington State Patrol was Sgt. Kris Boness.

--The Journal