From the Files

125 Years Ago

Adams County News

September 14, 1898

Last Thursday night fire broke out in Davenport and burned property to the amount of about $20,000. The fire started in the Dale hotel in the room of a tailor who it is thought was intoxicated and probably overturned his lamp. A lodger, Sam Koehen, was so badly burned it is thought he will not live.

After the experience Davenport had last week with the fire, the citizens of the other towns should profit thereby and especially Ritzville. At present we are practically without means of fighting fire, and a large part of the business part of town is built up of small frame structures. The city council should look after this matter and try and provide some means whereby we could offer some little resistance to a fire should it start. There are surely enough interested men here to form at least a volunteer fire company should the council provide apparatus and some means whereby water could be obtained.

Local and Personal

Adam Weber of Crab Creek is sowing 25 acres per day with his Superior disc drill. The Bauer-Bier Co. of Ritzville sells this machine.

We noticed O.O. Hurt in town this week straightening up his business affairs preparatory to taking his departure for Lewiston, Idaho, where he expects to make his future home. Mr. Hurt sold his quarter section of land near Paha to John Dewald for $2,000.

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 13, 1923

Enrollment is big at high school

The enrollment at the high school jumped this week to over 140. It was found necessary to divide some of the classes. The board had hoped to get along with one teacher less than last year, and made plans accordingly. However, owing to the enrollment and size of the classes, a teacher will be engaged to handle two classes.

Local Brevities

Miss Lavine Schragg left Tuesday morning to attend the convention of county auditors at Yakima this week.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Danekas of Ill., and their niece, Miss Mary Danekas of Flannigan, Ill., arrived Thursday to visit for a few weeks at the J. Danekas home. Mr. Frank Danekas is a brother of J. Danekas. They came west through Colorado to Southern California, then up the coast to Portland, and then to Ritzville. Mr. and Mrs. Danekas visited here in 1909, and note many changes since then.

S.S. Schuler, George Schuler and Otto Sielaff are back from White Bluffs where they erected sets of farm buildings for soldiers' tracts. Mr. Schuler was awarded a contract for several more sets of buildings there last week and will begin the work shortly.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 9, 1948

Disposal plant is urged for city by health officer

Ritzville's outmoded septic tanks have been condemned by the health department and their replacement by a modern sewage disposal plant has been recommended, according to Dr. J. Colin Lindsay, city health officer. Since the floods last spring, Dr. Lindsay said, sewage and waste matter have overflowed from the two tanks on the outskirts of town, and the overflow constitutes a "serious hazard to health and sanitation."

Dr. Lindsay declared flies and mosquitoes thriving in the stagnant pools may carry infective germs at least 500 yards, and that distance would place a good share of the City of Ritzville within the dangerous radius.

Gust at Cheney

LIND-Melvin Gust, veteran of last year's Lind high school football team, has started pre-school football practice at Eastern Washington Teachers College in Cheney. Mel was accompanied by Lenard Wahl and Jim Deerheim, also of last year's Lind squad.

At the Ritz

Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan in "Silver River."

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 13, 1973

Gas flames doused

Firemen's skillful help Monday afternoon saved a car from total destruction and the garage in front of which the burning car stood from catching on fire. Just as firemen arrived at Pete's Garage, employees and bystanders were pushing out from the garage a passenger vehicle from underneath which gas flames were issuing in several directions like jet torches. Several hoses soon were in play washing away flames almost as fast as they formed.

Bruce O'Brien seeking post on city council

Bruce O'Brien this week threw his hat in the ring to succeed O.A. "Spike" Fitch on the city council. O'Brien has managed OB's Café since 1971. He recently purchased the café and became the owner on May 1 of this year. Mrs. O'Brien is the former Cheryl Ragsdale, daughter of Howard Ragsdale. They have three children, Denise, Todd, and Christopher. Since living in Ritzville, O'Brien has built a new home at 311 East Second.

Top wild cow milkers told

Phil Langford and "Doc" Baylor won Sunday's wild cow milking contest at the Ritzville rodeo, and Barry Foster and Forrest Hardt won the contest on Saturday. Sunday's contest was so close the two top successful milkers were in a very close foot race to get their milk in beer bottles to Judge Art Benzel.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 10, 1998

Bronco football opens Friday

Part of life is adjusting to new roles and taking on new challenges. There are a number of Broncos in that role as Dustan Arlt has moved from QB to running back, Adam Krause from tight end and defensive end to guard and linebacker, Drew Markum to inside linebacker from outside linebacker. Now that the back pain that Jason Heider has felt all fall has been determined to be so serious that his season has ended, no one will face more of an adjustment and challenge than Justin Ziebell.

"We had moved Ziebs to QB as a precaution before we found out the severity of Jason's injury and now it looks like it is more permanent than we had thought," said Coach Mike Lynch. "We'd like Dustan to play running back and our two freshmen, Kyle Fitch and Chris Wahl, are not quite ready for 'Primetime.' Ziebs is sharp and picks things up well."

At the Ritz

"Lethal Weapon 4" starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, and Jet Li.

-The Journal