This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

The Odessa Record July 26, 1918

Two men drown in Crab Creek: Clarence Hamilton and Ernest Hoppe the victims. Small boys who saw the accident say Hamilton got beyond depth. Hoppe went after him.

The treacherous waters of Crab Creek, which at this season of the year is considered by many a practically dry stream, claimed the lives of two young men, Ernest Hoppe and Clarence Hamilton, while they were bathing at Ferrier ranch 10 miles east of Odessa Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Hoppe was a son of Mrs. Adam Weber and Mr. Hamilton, a hired man whose home was at Daisy, Wash. He had been at work at the Weber ranch ever since spring work began. They left home after dinner and arrived at the “swimming hole,” which is one of the few deep parts of Crab Creek, about 30 feet wide. Its deepest place is about eight feet, and it has been used as a place to bathe by the boys of the surrounding country for years.

According to a report from small boys who saw the accident, it occurred about three o’clock. Hamilton was first in and waded out until the water was up to his chin and then stepped off into a hole. Hoppe attempted to pull him out, but the drowning man overcame him and both went down. Reports disagree as to whether Hamilton could swim, but it is known that Hoppe could swim enough to save himself. Hoppe’s body was found a half hour after the drowning by John Kramer, but it was two hours later when his companion’s remains were located. Hamilton was 20 years old and Hoppe 19. Both were estimable young men and leave behind many friends to mourn their untimely demise. Their bodies were cared for by a Ritzville undertaker. Mr. Hamilton’s father came to Ritzville Monday and took the remains of his boy home for burial at Daisy that night. Funeral services here held for Mr. Hoppe at the Emanuel Congregational church, Rev. Morach Auman and J. Meyer officiating, after which his remains were brought to Odessa to be shipped to Quincy to be laid beside those of his father who was buried there a number of years ago.

Guth is lucky man. F.J. Guth was evidentially born under a lucky star. He walked into The Record office Monday morning with his ring minus the diamond which is large enough to attract the attention of all who see it. The cause of its absence was because the points of his setting had been worn off and as Frank had been working prior to the discovery of its loss in the basement of his building which has a gravel floor, he had given up all hopes of ever seeing it again. At the barber shop a few minutes later, Art Kunkel, learning of his loss, asked him if he had checked his pockets for it, as there was a possibility of its having caught and pulled out there. An investigation proved Kunkel’s theory correct, for in the bottom of the first pocket, safely lay the sparkler, but it will not be seen on Frank’s hand again until it has been reset in the ring.

75 years ago

The Odessa Record

July 22, 1943

Grasshoppers are in plague numbers. Farmers report that grasshoppers are assuming plague proportions throughout the area. Haying activities revealed the great numbers of the insects that were being discovered here.

Emanuel Goetz reported that when a shock of hay was lifted, leaving a slightly moist spot on the ground, one could return in a few moments and find it literally covered with the grasshoppers.

The county agent is assisting in preparing a poison bait for their control, as explained in his weekly letter in this issue of The Record.

Stores adopt new harvest hours. Odessa store keepers planning Saturday night concession to the harvest season, opening between the hours of 8 and 10 each evening during the harvest period, effective the night of July 31.

Regular store hours will be from 8 to 6, including Saturday, and merchants will reopen for the additional two hours on Saturday nights.

Even with many of the women driving bulk trucks, and helping with other farm chores, grocery purchases may be made during daytime. A grocery list can be left on one trip and the delivery picked up on the next, if required.

Merchants call attention to the fact that the Saturday night hours are definitely farmers’ hours and caution townspeople against attempting to crowd in for service at that time.

50 years ago

The Odessa Record

July 25, 1968

Jan Burghard is a Lincoln County Fair Princess. Jan Burghard has been selected as a princess for the Royalty Court of the Lincoln County Fair, Cindy Colville of Reardan is Queen and Barbara Wagner of Harrington is her alternate. In August these girls, and six others representing different areas of the county, will appear on television in Spokane.

The purpose of the Royal Court is to encourage people of the county to take an active part in the fair; to instill a spirit of cooperation throughout the entire county, to promote and advertise the fair, both within and outside of the county and to provide a group experience for the girls in planning and carrying out programs to meet the above objectives.

Jan is a senior, who is active in pep club and will be one of the cheerleaders for the Tigers this coming year. She plays tennis and enjoys sports. She also takes an interest in class activities and has held several class offices and been a member of the student council. “I am happy to have the opportunity to represent Odessa and I’d like to invite everyone to attend the Lincoln County Fair during September in Davenport,” Jan stated.

Post office to open but two hours on Saturdays. In order to comply with current personnel limitations imposed by Congress, the United States Post Office Department has taken in regard to weekend post office window service, Postmaster Melvin Schauerman states.

Effective July 27, 1968 all Saturday and Sunday window service at First and Second-class post offices and classified units will be discontinued except that on Saturdays a General Delivery or Call Window may be opened for a period of not more than two hours.

25 years ago

The Odessa Record

July 22, 1993

BLM adoption at Lakeview finds homes for 29 animals. Despite a light turnout of prospective owners, the Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse and burro adoption last weekend at Lakeview Ranch found homes for 29 animals.

Seventeen horses and seven burros went to new owners at a drawing on Saturday morning, according to BLM natural resource specialist Rick McComas, who directed the adoption process.

Members of the American Mustang and Burro Association were on hand to locate potential adopters and transport the animals to their new homes. While most of the adoptions took place at Lakeview, additional contact by the BLM with potential adopters on Monday sound homes for burros which had not been spoken for at the ranch over the weekend.

Schedule conflicts, including a Bureau Association Convention at George, may have limited the size of Saturday’s crowd which nevertheless included dozens of adopters and spectators. The adopters came from as far as Kelso in western Washington and from Silverwood and Post Falls, Idaho, as well as from Richland, Oroville, Mesa, Toppenish, Othello and Odessa.

The horses were brought to Lakeview from southeastern Oregon and the burros were from southern California.

The adoption was the BLM’s second at Lakeview this year. They are expected to become regular events held at the ranch.

Odessa-area residents are joining with BLM in developing the adoptions as events of the community-wide interest.

The Odessa FFA chapter provided coffee and cookies on Saturday morning.