FROM THE FILES

125 Years Ago

Adams County News

September 21, 1898

Lemen Bros' Circus

Ritzville's initial circus was anything but desirable to her people.

Monday afternoon Lemen Bros.' circus showed in Ritzville, and a scene was presented never before witnessed in our busy little city, as it was the first circus of any consequence to exhibit here. At an early hour people from the outlying country districts began to pour into the city and by 10:30 o'clock the streets presented a metropolitan appearance. At that hour the parade took place, but did not come up to anything like the usual circus parade.

A high dive was advertised to take place at the grounds, but the feat was not attempted owing to the high wind, to the disappointment of the crowd.

The entrance fee to the side show was more than double the popular price, and the attractions were few and of a very poor class.

But the greatest surprise was in store when the doors opened for the big show, as the entrance fee was exorbitant in the extreme, being $1. The menagerie was a very small affair and the animals were of the more common species of the animal kingdom. On entering the circus tent, one would expect, from appearances, to be treated with a great array of talent. But again the people were to meet disappointment, as with the exception of a few acrobatic, bareback riding and trapeze acts, it was a "dead frost," almost every act being "cut" as much as possible and over half the attractions advertised suspended altogether.

Nevertheless, there were a few attractions on the bills which were especially intended to attract the guileless "sucker" and relieve him of his "filthy lucre." The festive shell worker was plying his illegitimate vocation with his utmost energy, it being estimated that $3,000 was lost against this little game, which might be termed highway robbery in a mild form. The "short-change artist" was also ever alert to give a patron the "worst of it" by a deft slight-of-hand performance, and the nimble-fingered pickpocket was not backward in introducing his nefarious business to the public "strictly on the quiet."

In fact, taken as a whole, the show was about as rotten an affair as could possibly be imposed upon the public, and it is hoped that Ritzville will never again be afflicted with such a stupendous aggregation of hold-ups, gamblers, thieves, rounders and thugs as that carried by Lemen Bros.

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 20, 1923

Order new walks built

The city council checked over needed concrete walks at the Tuesday night meeting. Walks were ordered built on West 7th Ave. from the Rathbun corner to Adams St., also in front of the Gust properties on So. Division St., in front of the Christian church property, in front of the W. D. McCollum residence on Broadway, and in front of the Myers lots on West 4th Ave.

The council discussed the improvement of North Division St., which is exceedingly rough at present. It is probable that something will be done to make the street passable. Eventually the whole of Division St. will probably have to be paved because it is such an important artery of travel.

Local Brevities

Sparks from a flue ignited papers at the C. W. Rathbun home last Friday and started a blaze. Mrs. Rathbun became so excited she "lost her wits" and started carrying things out of the house. She called Mrs. W. H. Proctor who lives next door, and Mrs. Proctor put water on the blaze, extinguishing it. Damage to the extent of $75 was done.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 16, 1948

Remodeling is finished at

Philadelphia church here

Members of the Philadelphia Congregational church in Ritzville will hold special services this Sunday to dedicate their enlarged and completely redecorated church building. Both ends of the church were ripped out soon after the project was launched last April 20. One end was extended 24 feet to the sidewalk. On the first floor this addition provides an extra Sunday school room and another room which may handle up to 50 persons if there is an "overflow" crowd or which may be used as part of the church's funeral facilities.

Above these two rooms is an enlarged balcony seating more than 100 persons. Total seating capacity of the Philadelphia Congregational church now is about 450 persons, Reverend Kirschenmann said, as compared to 300 before the remodeling program.

The entire main auditorium was refinished with a white acoustic tile ceiling and with fiberboard planking in a blend of brown and orange covering the walls. The main entrance has been "moved around the corner" and is flanked by two twin pillars.

Although much of the work was let on contract, the pastor said church members contributed approximately 4,000 hours of volunteer labor.

The church was built in 1912, shortly after the congregation was organized in Ritzville.

At the Ritz

Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in "The Pirate," with songs by Cole Porter.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 20, 1973

Skunk dies by gunfire

The city caught a young skunk in its dog trap one day last week. The large wire cage trap had been baited at the Mike Dorman residence, 108 West Cherry Ave. Chief of Police Don Koehler was notified about 9 a.m. of the catch, and with Gordon Rehn of the city water department went to Dorman's to dispatch the half-grown skunk caught there.

Unable to get the skunk out of the trap, the men dispatched it with a .22 caliber rifle. There had been some scenting by the animal prior to the rifle shot. At that time, the discharge was massive, according to the two men.

Later in the day the men took the skunk away for burial. They found it necessary to use high pressure water from a fire truck to de-scent the trap.

And even then, there's a slight odor about the trap, attests Chief Koehler.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

September 17, 1998

Brueher, Kline,

Blair win races

Voters 'recall' Sandhaus

Adams County voters did on Tuesday what the Washington State Supreme Court refused to do earlier this year: they removed Adams County Prosecutor David Sandhaus from office.

Challenger for the post, Gary Brueher, received 2,226 votes for a 72 percent margin while Sandhaus received 851 votes or 29 percent. Adams County Sheriff Mike Kline was ensured of another four years as voters gave him 1,730 (56 percent) votes while his challenger, Robert Guerrero, received 1,381 votes or 44 percent. Incumbent Bob Blair also received a favorable nod to retain his county clerk's position with 1,792 (58 percent) votes. Jeannie Ochoa earned 1,276 votes for 42 percent.

At the Ritz

"The Mask of Zorro" starring Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins.

-The Journal