This Week in Odessa History

What should have been a joyous holiday season in 1918, with world War I having ended in November and many of the service men home or on their way home, was ruined by the ban on public gatherings which Lincoln County commissioners extended for fear that flu epidemic which was beginning to subside might flare up again.

The Odessa Record gave this report in its issue of December 20, 1918:

There are a disappointed lot of people in Odessa over the Lincoln County commissioners final action this week in refusing to raise the flu ban so as to permit the continuation of the public schools in which pupils have already lost two-months of the school year, much of which cannot be made up, and also the holding of Christmas services in the churches this year.

Odessa was one of the first towns in the region to be hit by the epidemic. It was brought here in a group of orphanage children who stayed in different homes in town, and it was spread throughout the town within a week. The two local physicians at home time had more than 300 cases under their care. As that was about a third of the town’s population, the number could not but decrease, but nevertheless the number exceeded 100 for several weeks, so that now it was safe to say that fully 95 percent of the people within a five-mile radius of Odessa have had the disease, and although there have been many very sick people, only five deaths have occurred from the plague within that area.

As Odessa’s physicians claim that a person is not susceptible catching the flu for sometime after being exposed to the disease, local people feel that the commissioners do not understand the conditions as they are here, and that they are much different than in other towns of the county, where the disease is still in its infancy.

Odessa Mayor Kemp and pastors of five Odessa churches have all petitioned the commissioners to lift the ban on public gatherings so that Christmas services might be held, but to no avail.

100 Year Ago

From The Odessa Record

December 29, 1911

The Odessa Firemen have secured the Hallowell Concert company, a nine piece orchestra, to furnish music for the ball to be given by them January 8. An excellent concert will be given after which the orchestra will furnish music for the dance.

Reports have been received to the effect that Odessa is to have a postal savings bank in the near future.

The postal savings system is established for the purpose of providing facilities for depositing savings at interest with the security of the United States government for repayment.

The service of the postal savings system is free, and no charge or fee is collected or required in connection with the opening of account or the withdrawal of money deposited.

Interest will be allowed on all deposits at the rate of 2 percent per annum, computed on each savings certificate separately, and payable annually.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

December 28, 1936

During the past 15 days wheat has been moving at good pace, with carloads being shipped from all the warehouses in this area. Selling of wheat is progressing, an estimate revealing that nearly 60 percent of the total crop has been sold.

After a 12 day Christmas holiday the Odessa schools will resume work on Monday morning, January 4.

The vacation, coming just as the town appeared threatened with an epidemic of children’s disease, is believed to have given time enough for the problem to care for itself.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

December 28, 1961

Odessa’s new fire truck should be here in just a few days and the Odessa Volunteer Fire Department has made plans to make it more effective by adding two self-contained gas masks and equipment for fighting poison gas or in a smoke fire where the oxygen has been consumed by the fire.

Because of the increased storage of farm chemicals and fertilizers, the firemen are concerned about poisonous gasses that will come from a fire in or near those items.

Pre-Christmas stormy weather reached a climax last Wednesday night when winds reached peak velocities of 45-miles-per-hour. When storekeepers reported for work on Thursday morning they found that the wind had blown over every one of the decorative fir trees along the curb.

Winds had reached up to an unofficial 98 miles per hour early Thursday, the 98 reading taken at Richland’s 50-foot airport tower. Ground reading there was 84 mph.

Rains and winds removed much of the area’s snow but left highways slippery during the early Christmas season.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

December 25, 1986

With the addition of three part-time counselors and a full-time secretary, the Big Bend Community College Business development Center will have some new faces this winter – and a new look.

The business development center is a partner with Washington State University’s small business development center. The BBCC operation is on line with WSU computers and has access to WSU’s three full-time small business development researchers. By being part of WSU’s network, BBCC’s center has access to 50 small business specialists working throughout the state.

Effective January 1, 1987, the warning citation period for safety belt violations comes to an end. Motorists cited for not buckling up then face fines of $47.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

December 27, 2001

An otherwise quiet and somewhat somber holiday season this year has been livened considerably by decorative home lighting, which is believed to be the most extensive in Odessa’s history.

Judges of the Odessa Lions Club’s annual Home Christmas Lighting Contest, said that choosing the top winners this year was extremely challenging because of the innovative and elaborate designs and the innovative themes of the lighting displays.