FROM THE FILES

100 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Jan. 5, 1922

To Finish State Road:

Arrangements made for the completion of gap between

Ritzville and Paha during 1922

Word has been received from Olympia that the state highway department will call for bids for the building of the road between Paha and Ritzville., 12.3 miles, which is the last link on the Central Washington Highway.

The road will be graded and graveled during this year. The completion of this road is made possible at an earlier date than was expected because federal aid money is made available. The work is estimated to cost $100,000 as there are some bridges to be built.

The federal government contributes $50,000, the balance being paid by the county out of the permanent highway fund. The work of surfacing the road south from Lind across Michigan Prairie is under way and will be finished this season...

75 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Jan. 2 1947

Washington is first in

wheat yield per acre

Washington led the nation in yield of wheat per acre in 1946, according to a report of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Washington had an average yield of 29.4 bushels per acre. Idaho was second with 28.8 and Ohio third with 26.5.

"With the average for the United States only 17.8 bushels per acre, Washington's record seems all the more outstanding," says E.V. Kreizinger, extension agronomist, State College of Washington.

50 years ago

The Ritzville

Journal-Times

Jan. 6, 1972

Lincoln School to go down

City councilmen Tuesday awarded a contrat for $2,500 to raze the old Lincoln School Building to Robert Sewall, Harrington.

Sewall told Councilman Ron Snowden he could start next week, and that it will take not over 90 days to finish the job.

City of Ritzville agrees, under the contract, to carry out a controlled burning of the building's insides which will gut the interior. Sewall agrees to truck away debris, to fill the basement hole and take out the interior sidewalks in the block.

Before the vote was taken Attorney Milt Sackman reported he learned the old building's owner owns his home in Spokane, and its value is estimated at $10,800.

Council members earlier hesitated committing the city to a $2,500 expenditure without a way of collecting it.

25 years ago

Ritzville Adams

County Journal

Jan. 2, 1997

Resident states concern

over plowing

Othello resident Bob Carlson met with the Adams County commissioners and Public Works Director DickOwings on Monday to discuss the county's snow plowing operations.

Carlson asked why the county could not provide extra man-hours, either through split shifts or longer shifts if the need arose to clear county roadways.

Carlson said many residents along Bench Road were dismayed that the county had not returned to plow roads on Thursday evening after the snowfall was over.

Owngs explained the county's plowing schedule and procedures that are followed by the crews.

– Journal-Times