From the Files

100 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Sept. 11, 1924

ENROLLMENT IS VERY

LARGE AT RIZVILLE H.S.

Ritzville schools opened Monday

with very satisfactory enrollment. The

high school shows a gain of 16 over

last year's total enrollment for the first

month. The facilities of the high school

are taxed to capacity. Classes are large

and the recitation rooms are almost too

smallto accommodate pupils.

75 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Sept. 8, 1949

OIL COMPANIES

OPPOSE TANK LIMITS

Oil company objects to a proposed

city ordinance restricting the size of

service station storage tanks broke into

the open at the city council meeting

Tuesday.

Representatives of three oil companies

argued that such an ordinance would

restrict free enterprise and that bulk

dealers would make just as much money

whether they were delivering gasoline to

service stations or the gas was dumped

directly by intra-city transports.

Councilman Ray Hayden, reporting

for a committee named by Mayor

Schoesler three weeks ago, replied that

a survey of Ritzville service station

operators showed unanimous support for

eliminating transport deliveries.

50 years ago

The Ritzville

Adams County Journal

Sept. 12, 1974

LOCAL BUSINESSMAN SPIKE

FITCH KILLED IN CRASH

Oas A. (Spike) Fitch, an active

member of the Ritzville community, was

killed late Thursday (Sept. 5) night in a

one car mishap two miles south of the

Sprague Lake rest area on Interstate 90.

Medical reports list the time of

death at between 10:30 and 11:30 p.m.

and the accident was not discovered until

early the next morning.

Washington State trooper Roger

Kries reached the scene of the accident

at 7:15 Friday morning and found Fitch

dead in his 1932 model car. According to

state patrol reports, Fitch was traveling

at a high rate of speed when the left rear

tire of his car blew, sending the car into

an uncontrollable skid.

25 years ago

The Ritzville

Adams County Journal

Sept. 9, 1999

WELLSANDT DECLINES

COUNCIL CANDIDACY

Heidi Wellsandt has informed this

office that she is publicly declining

office as a candidate for the Ward 4 position

on the Ritzville City Council.

Although her name will be on the

ballot, Wellsandt said if elected she

would "decline to take office for personal

reasons."