FROM THE FILES

125 Years Ago

Adams County News

July 20, 1898

Local and Personal

Outdoor religious meetings were held by some of the members of the Congregational and Methodist churches last week. It was done principally for the benefit of the transient men who were here waiting for harvest, many of whom signified a willingness to go to church but said they had not suitable clothing with them.

A man was put in the city jail about nine o'clock Saturday night for being drunk and disorderly. About two hours afterward he was heard making quite a racket and upon investigation the marshal found that he had set fire to some bedding and was considerably choked by the smoke.

Immigrants are coming into the county every day. Missouri is sending the most of the them lately.

A notable composition

Somebody has asked for the famous boy's composition, entitled "The cow." This is said to be a true copy:

This story is about cows. The cow is an animal with four legs on the underside. The tail is longer than the two legs, but is not used to stand on. The cow kills flies with her tail. The cow is larger than the calf, but not so large as an elephant. She is made so small that she can go into the barn when no one is looking.

Some cows are black and some hook. A dog was hooked once. She tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat. Black cows give white milk; so do other cows. Milkmen sell milk to buy their wives dresses, which they put water in and chalk. Cows chew cuds, and each cow finds her own chew. That is all there is about cows.

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

July 19, 1923

Rieker station robbed Sunday

Sunday night the office of the Rieker Motor Company was broken into and the safe robbed of about $175. Proceeds of the service station sales for Sunday and late Saturday were taken. The robber first got into the shop in the rear, secured a long file there and used it in prying open a window into the office. The safe was unlocked. Cash and currency were taken and checks were scattered over the floor. The cash register was not molested.

New pump at park fails to deliver water at capacity guarantee

Due to the failure of the new pump in the new well to deliver water up to its rate capacity, the council has not been able to throw the pumping from the coulee station to the park well, as was expected. Either the pump was not properly installed or something else is wrong because it did not when tested out throw the water which it should. The motor is installed now. Drillers are still at work reaming out the old hole.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

July 15, 1948

Work continues on two churches

Swift progress continued this week on two Ritzville church projects-construction of a new Trinity Methodist church and extensive remodeling of the Philadelphia Congregational church. The Methodist contractor, G.H. Bostwick, heading a 14-man crew, said work there is proceeding ahead of schedule. Concrete basement walls were to be poured Thursday of this week, and next week Bostwick expects to begin raising the main walls. The new structure will be completed by this autumn.

Up to July 1 more than 2,000 hours of work had been donated to remodeling the Philadelphia Congregational. Most of the labor is being done by church members under the direction of Foreman John Lenhart. About six weeks' work remains. When completed, the project will increase seating capacity in the church by 150 to nearly 500. The balcony will be enlarged and three aisles will replace the present two. A room added to the back will be used for special events or to accommodate overflow crowds.

At the Ritz

Gene Autry and Champion, Wonder Horse of the West, in "Trail to San Antone"

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

July 19, 1973

Fires require return visits with water

The railroad and the dump split 3-3 over a four-day period last week with fires here, three of the blazes occurring Friday the 13th. Fire men were called out last Wednesday at 11:45 p.m. to the right of way two miles east of Tokio when railroad ties burned. Chief Fred Schwisow said the railroad had short ties all along the right of way. He reported that he called a railroad crew to babysit the ties. Two hundred gallons of water were used.

But three men were dispatched to the site again Thursday morning to dump another 1,000 gallons of water on the burning ties. Acting chief Ron Snowden said the ties can't be put out until they burn themselves out.

Friday morning a hot box and grass burned at the right of way behind Seim Builders and Supply in town. Later that afternoon, five men and three trucks were dispatched when the dump caught fire. Water used was 6,500 gallons.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

July 16, 1998

Rummer's store to close its doors on Saturday

It's like the end of an era. Three-plus generations of a family business that has been a mainstay in the Ritzville community will no longer be as of Saturday. And while Rummer's store will be gone, it will a long time before they are forgotten. Larger stores and faster freeway travel is spelling doom not only to Rummer's but to most clothing stores in smaller communities.

"It's hard to compete with volume discounters and the entertainment value of malls," said Gale Rummer. "People's shopping habits, faster travel in dependable cars, chain stores and discount stores have made it difficult to compete."

Blues Fest attendance "best ever" for Ritzville

Ticket sales for the 1998 Blues Fest hit an all-time high with 1,550 tickets sold, about 600 more than last year. Barb Wagner, co-chair for the event, said about 300 local pre-event tickets were purchased which is a large increase on local attendance.

"It was a really good experience for people. We had a lot of first-time people," said Marva Ulleland, co-chair. "The crowd was fantastic. They really liked Geno Delafose and were mesmerized by the talent of James Cotton."

- The Journal