From the Files

125 Years Ago

Adams County News

June 15, 1898

For Sale

I offer for sale 1280 acres of land located three- and one-half miles from Ritzville, all fenced, 300 acres in crop, 360 plowed for next year, plenty of water, 400 bearing fruit trees, good house and outbuildings, all necessary machinery and tools, horses, cattle, hogs, chickens, etc. Half cash, balance on time. Johan Wellsandt.

Local and Personal

W.W. Floyd took his horses to the Wenatchee country last week.

A prominent lady in Ritzville desires to say to her neighbors, through the columns of the News, that it is false charity to feed the vast number of hobos who lay around the town and bum their food. One came to her residence and in an insolent manner demanded something to eat. The lady gave bread and butter, such as the family used, but this was not rich enough for Mr. Hobo's cultivated taste, so on reaching the gate he threw it away.

Fifty dollars and costs were the significant words pronounced by Judge Staser Monday morning after hearing the evidence in the case of the State vs Frank Smith. Smith was charged with striking a man by the name of Hall last Saturday night at the saloon. It is to be hoped that the effect of this fine, while it is not any more than should be assessed in such cases, will have a sobering effect on the gang of hobos who seem to have gotten the idea into their heads that they can run the town to suit themselves.

100 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

June 21, 1923

New warehouse manager

D.E. Schimke has been appointed the manager of the Pacific Coast Elevator Co. warehouses in this vicinity with headquarters at Ritzville. He will manage the warehouses of the company at Ritzville, Paha, Tokio and Keystone.

Fire destroys machine shed,

tools and combine harvester

Fire on the Wm. Kembel ranch southwest of town Monday afternoon destroyed some machine and storage sheds and a combine. The total damage ran into several thousand dollars. The fire was started from a pile of weeds which the hired man was burning. The fire spread too close to the sheds. In the building were blacksmith tools, harness and other farming equipment.

Local Brevities

The house car of P.C. Peters, general signal inspector of the Northern Pacific, has been parked under the trees in the local yard. The car has Mr. Peters' office at one end and the living quarters for himself and Mrs. Peters in the remainder of the car. Electric light connection has been made so that they are very comfortably located.

75 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

June 17, 1948

Fences, barn, destroyed

by flash floods

Shattered farm buildings, road washouts, flooded basements and patches of wheat ruined by hail were the calling cards left in Adams County last week by two savage cloudbursts that unleashed tons of water Wednesday and Thursday evenings. At least one barn was completely demolished. Miles of fences were washed away. Cars and farm trucks were filled with silt. Damage from hail was scattered but considerable.

Rain damages are

told to city council

The miseries of the heaviest rainfalls in Ritzville's history were heaped on the city council Tuesday evening as a delegation of nine citizens owning property on Second Avenue between Washington and Jefferson Streets appeared to seek relief from flash flood damages. Hardest hit from water running off Nob hill past plugged culverts and into basements appeared to be Ed Prewitt, 208 West Second Avenue. The foundation on Prewitt's home was practically washed away. The house is now blocked up while work crews are installing a new foundation. Prewitt told the council his total repair bill probably will reach $2,000.

50 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

June 21, 1973

Three-way crash near

Spike's is non-injury

Three cars were involved in a collision shortly before 8 a.m. yesterday when one driver failed to yield the right-of-way after coming down the off-ramp from the freeway adjacent to Spike's Texaco near Galbreath road. No person was injured. According to Ritzville Police Chief Don Koehler, Mary E. Lee, 25, Seattle, came down the freeway off ram, was looking for the Ritzville sign and failed to stop at the stop sign. Mrs. Marjorie Dyck, 40, Ritzville, coming into Ritzville on the Ralston road, struck Miss Lee's car as it entered the road, causing the Lee automobile to cross the road and mow off the freeway directional sign.

25 Years Ago

Ritzville-Journal Times

June 18, 1998

Public notice

After serving the Ritzville area since 1941, the time has come for Rummer's to quit forever! Four generations of Rummers have served their customers faithfully through six decades but now is the time to sell to the bare walls!

Donaldson honored

at Lind Field Day

Edwin, the newest soft white, winter club wheat released by Washington State University's winter wheat breeding and genetics program, bears the name of WSU wheat breeder Edwin Donaldson. Formerly of Lind, Donaldson will retire July 10 after 28 years on the WSU faculty.

- The Journal