This Week in Odessa History

The opening of the hunting season in eastern Washington 97 years ago was not the same as it will be when the 2012 season opens.

Going hunting then was a far simpler process than it is today, as in almost every aspect of life.

The Odessa Record gave this report in October 1 issue on the opening of the season in 1915:

Today marks the opening of the waterfowl season in Washington and the county, and early this morning there was an exodus of local nimrods to the numerous lakes north of town, where ducks and geese are said to be more plentiful than usual this year. Even yesterday, a large number went out and camped all night to be ready for the shooting with sunrise this morning.

Game Warden Holmes desires The Record to again call attention to the game laws in regard to hunting waterfowl. By law all hunters are required to have their license in possession while shooting. These licenses are issued by the county auditor, but they may be secured by making application through Warden Holmes or the Union State Bank. Licenses which cover both fishing and hunting are issued to residents of the county for $1. Children up to the age of 16 can fish without license, and women can fish without license, but all persons, including women and children, are required to have a license for hunting.

The bag limit is 20 birds, either ducks or geese or a combination of both, killed in one week, and not more than 30 fowls are allowed in the possession of a hunter at any one time. It is unlawful to hunt before sunrise or after sunset of any day, but during the hours between sunrise and sunset, hunters may use decoys.

The sun rises at 5:55 a.m. on the opening day.

Game warden Holmes advises that violations of the sunrise and sunset shooting will be tried in the United States courts.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 11, 1912

A big rabbit drive will be held on the west side of Moses Lake on the morning of Tuesday, October 15. The Moses Lake valley is literally overrun with jack rabbits and in this country just opening to irrigation and apple orcharding the ranchers have determined to hold a big rabbit drive to rid that section of the pest. Hundreds of visitors are expected from Wenatchee, Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma and other places and Louis Hill, former president of the Great Northern, and his party will participate, the date which was set for Oct. 11. The drive will be a novel sight to many and at the same time visitors will be have an opportunity to see the new development work in that section, which is attracting such wide attention all over the state.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 7,1937

Excavation work preliminary to the building of a brick building, 30 X 60 on the lot next to the Keller Motor company, was done this week and a crew of workmen under Con. H. Eckhardt is busy laying out the early construction of the building. Spokane capital is erecting the building and it will house a store.

Construction on the school bus garage is nearly completed, with only the floor remaining. The large building, with room for 14 school busses and a shop, is a distinctive structure, and adds to the business section of town.

With approximately 200 persons gathered at the depot to see the president’s train go through on Saturday, the crowd quickly turned republican when the speed was not slackened and the train raced through, trying to make up lost time in order to get to Spokane by scheduled time.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 8, 1987

Monday night’s Odessa town council meeting determined work to be done on city streets during the next half-dozen years, primarily west of Alder and Fourth and Fifth-- along with Birch, Cedar, Douglas and Elm running off Fourth-- and the entire lengths of Marjorie and Division.

Earlier meetings had included discussion of a real estate sales excise tax-- amounting to one-quarter of one percent or, as an example, $125 on the sale of a $50,000 property inside the city.

Acceptance by the council would allow the city to qualify for special low-interest loans offered municipalities by the state, and no other particular qualifications or “strings” would be attached.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

October 10, 2002

A temporary restraining order on Tuesday ending a 10-day lockout of dock workers at West Coast ports was expected to restore the flow of grain from eastern Washington through Portland and onto the Inland Northwest’s Asian export markets.

This should be good news for the Odessa area’s grain growers, who have seen a drop in the price of soft white wheat of between 15 and 20 cents in the past two weeks.