This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

The Odessa Record

September 6, 1918

Men 18 to 45 to register Sept. 12. Wilson issues call to sign up for military service.

Registration offices at every voting precinct in this county, City Hall - Kucera’s shop here.

All men in the United States from the ages of 18 to 45 years of age, except those already in the army or navy are summoned by President Wilson to register for military service next Thursday, September 12, by the signing of the man power bill which authorizes the extension of the selective draft to extend the 21 - 31 draft ages.

It is estimated that at least 12,778,758 men will enroll, compared with nearly ten million at the first registration, June 5th, 1917.

Of those, it is estimated that 2,300,000 will be called to the general military service, probably two thirds of the number coming from the 3,500,000 or more between the ages of 18 and 21.

Based on the ratio shown by the registration of men between the ages of 21 and 31, June 15, 1917, the shares of the new registrations expected from the Pacific northwest states are estimated as follows: Washington 146,858; Oregon, 84,404; Idaho,55,451.

General March has said that all registrants called into the army will be in France before next June, swelling the American expeditionary force to more than 4,000,000 expected to win the war in 1919.

The last to be called will be the youths in the 18th year, but those of that age who desire and who have the necessary qualifications may be inducted into the service on October 1, for special technical or vocational training.

All registrants will be classified as quickly as possible under the questionnaire system, and a drawing will be held at the capitol to fix the order of registrants in their respective classifications.

Registration offices will be held at every voting precinct in this county at the customary voting places. The registration hours will be from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the penalty for failing to register will be both fine and imprisonment. The local registration places will be the city hall for south Odessa precinct and the Kucera shoe shop for North Odessa.

Soldiers are encouraged. New manpower measure pleases the boys in France.

With the American Army in France, the enactment of the new man power measure brought expressions of satisfaction from the American army.

The high command is interested in the moral effect the measure will have upon the enemy. His man power is now concededly at its weakest and his replacement sources limited. Military authorities count upon a reaction in the morale in Germany as a strong factor in the winter situation.

It may be said that from the commander -in- chief to the rank and file everyone is encouraged by the act.

Germans tired of war. Prisoners taken by Americans say new Teuton offensive unlikely.

With the American army on the Vesle - German soldiers believe that Germany is not planning any more offensives because of the manpower shortage, according to one of a party of seven of a German patrol captured by the Americans east of Fismes. The prisoners said the German soldiers no longer had any enthusiasm for war.

Most of those with whom he came in contact believe the war would end soon.

The prisoner had been fighting for three years, and declared he was thoroughly tired of it. He said the soldiers understood that the German losses during the recent allied offensives had been very great.

Plenty of Germans, he added, would desert and surrender if give the opportunity. Many of them are constantly watching for a chance to give themselves up.

More wages given lumber workers. New wage scales, effective September 1, for virtually the entire lumber industry of the northwest, were promulgated when Colonel Brice P. Disque of the spruce division made public a full report of the first meeting of the central council of the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen.

The big result of the meeting from the men’s standpoint was adoption of a new wage scale for mill men which fixes a minimum which averaged about 5 cents an hour over the old wage scale and a minimum as a rule from 2 to 5 cents under the old scale.

Minor adjustments were made in the loggers’ wage scale, but since the loggers appeared satisfied to a great extent with the present scale it stands to most instances.

Holidays approved at the sessions are: labor day, Thanksgiving day, Christmas and Fourth of July. It is permitted, at the option of the different locals, that any holiday may be omitted.

75 years ago

The Odessa Record

September 2, 1943

Stolen car found in Davenport. The Heimbigner boys returning from their harvest working reprehensibility, stopped at Davenport Saturday and took possession of the car stolen from their father, H.G. Heimbigner, last week.

The car had been found parked near the school house at Davenport, after being stolen from in front of the school building here. Gasoline tickets, the certificate of registration, two pedigree records for cattle and a coat were all missing from the car when found.

“Perfect”crystals are needed by U.S. Army. Dr. Frederick J. Bates, distinguished scientist , who is the chief of the optics division of the Nation Bureau of Standard in Washington, D.C., has revealed to the Optical Society of America how silently but vigorously a search is being made for “perfect crystals.”

Small regular pieces of crystals are used in devices for radio communications between military tanks. A mass attack by tanks is possible only through such instruments which “synchronize,” that is harmonize, the time factor of the tanks rushing against the enemy lines.

In submarine detecting devices, also, the crystals play a most important part. Dr. Bates broadly pointed out other war uses for the crystals.

But “perfect crystals” are needed for such purposes, and they are most difficult to find.

America’s scientific sleuths are hunting for flawless crystals throughout this country, Latin-American countries and even in Asia and Africa.

Postpone Festival due to shortages. The annual Odessa fall harvest festival has been postponed for this year, due to shortages in restaurant foods and labor, and on other articles sold elsewhere in town.

The condition became apparent on Wednesday, when a shortage of help forced the Odessa Bakery and Cafe to request that the commercial club take its meeting elsewhere. The Brooks cafe was able to handle the group, after Mrs. George Schiewe, wife of the club president, volunteered to assist in the serving. The next meeting will be at the Hotel Odessa.

E.F. Newland, school superintendent, introduced Bayard Hollinshead of the school staff, and reported on the school attendance for the opening day, a drop of two thirds in high school alone.

Investigation of the Boy Scout troop fund revealed that the group had enough money on account to start formation of the renewed troop, which the Lions club is sponsoring.

Present at the meeting were George Schiewe, C.A. Bragg, Howard Moore, T.C. Anderson, H.C. Phillips, David Weber, Nath Koth, Sol Reiman, W.C. Raugust, G.A. Weber, E.J. Wachter, J.C. Jantz, A.W. Jessett, E.E. Newland, Rev. M.J. Galle and R.N. Kissler.

50 years ago

The Odessa Record

September 5, 1968

Harvest is completed here this week. With the return of warm, dry days, harvest of irrigated crops in this area has been wrapped up this week. A delay of two to three weeks had been experienced with the period of showery, cool weather.

Irrigation farmers, caught in the middle of harvesting their late grain, were back in the fields late last week and many labored on Labor day, according to R.E. Suchland, OTC manager. Warehouses were open over the holiday to accept grain.

Completion of cutting in this immediate area was expected before the week end, Suchland said Tuesday.

One way to get the job done in a hurry took place when six neighbors showed up with combines at Al Fink’s. Jerry Schafer moved in his rig Friday and Lonnie Lobe, Don Bates, Reuben Finkbiner, Leo Lobe and Marvin Fink joined with their machines to put eight combines in the field for a quick wrap-up Monday. the group then moved to the Wayne Walter farm to cut over 200 acres there Monday and Tuesday.

Two hundred and forty acres were cut at Fink’s with 160 of them going down in 5 1/2 hours on Monday.

More burglaries occur in county. Three taverns and an attorneys office were burglarized in Lincoln County on the same night, August 27th, as the break-in at Fode’s Market here, Police Chief Ray Buxton reports.

The county prosecutor’s private law office was ransacked as well as a tavern in Davenport. Taverns at Reardan and Almira were also burglarized.

Indications are, Buxton said, that the same burglars were involved in all of the break-ins as the “MO,” method of operation, appeared very similar.

Donna & Little Shavers entertain at Veterans Hospital. Donna and the Little Shavers entertained at the Veterans Administration hospital in Spokane on Thursday evening, Aug. 29. The last Thursday of every month is birthday night for all hospitalized veterans who have birthdays that month.

The program began with the “Happy Birthday” song. The group also joined in on “ You are My Sunshine” and ‘Show Me the Way to Go Home.” Coffee, punch, cake and cookies ere served, with cookies furnished by the Odessa Legion Auxiliary members.

Murl and Alma Spurling were also present at program.

Fall festival arrangements are being set up for 1968. A progress report on the preparations for the 1968 Odessa Chamber-sponsored Fall Festival was made at Wednesday’s meeting of the organization. The Festival, delayed a month this year to coincide with the Odessa Riders club Rodeo, will be held Saturday, Sept. 21.

The weekends activities will begin with a rousing football game here Friday afternoon, Sept. 20, with the Ritzville Broncos. Kick-off time is 3:00 p.m.

A parade, planned to be bigger and better including costumed children, the high school band, floats, horseback riders, commercial entries and vintage vehicles, is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21.

Activities move to the city park thereafter where the annual free barbecue will be served by Chamber members. Desserts and beverages will be available. Those organizations considering concessions must clear their project with the Chamber president, Merl Janke, in order that duplication be avoided.

High-light of the afternoon will be the Washington rodeo association Championship finals rodeo at the Odessa Riders club grounds. Scheduled for 2:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, the local club is again sponsoring this special event which features the 10 top cowboys from the Pacific Northwest in each level.

Donation tickets sponsored by the Chamber are again available this year from any member. Ten prizes will be distributed with a total value of nearly $500, the ticket committee reports. Items on the list this year are: One-half beef, front quarter beef, a Cosco card table with chairs, two 8.25x14 Unico tires, Norelco electric shaver, man or woman’s watch, Sunbeam Teflon waffle iron, Porter ice cream freezer and a Taylor indoor-outdoor thermometer.

Add pacemaker to hospital heart equipment. The Memorial Hospital Auxiliary recently purchased a Cardiac Pacemaker to add to the emergency cart at the hospital. This piece of equipment is used to assist a patient’s heartbeat when the normal pacemaker located in his heart fails because of injury or disease.

The machine produces an electric current which stimulates the heart muscle to contract. The rate and intensity of the current can be adjusted according to the needs of the patient, Merlin Traylor, hospital administrator explains. The electrical stimulation may be delivered to the heart through the chest wall by means of electrodes placed on the chest or may be delivered directly to the heart muscle by means of an electrode catheter placed through a vein in the arm or neck.

25 years ago

The Odessa Record

September 2, 1993

Dog trials back, skydivers coming to Deutschesfest. The German dog field trials introdyuced last year at the Deutschesfest will return this year as a feature of the 23rd annual Odessa celebration, but this year they will be a two-day event, held on both Friday September 17, and Saturday.

Sponsored by the Private Land Wildlife Management Foundation in cooperation with the German Longharied Pointer Club of America, the Odessa field trial and show has been planned to become a nationally recognised German dog field trial classic.

the first show here last year was ill-timed, scheduled for the same hour as the Deutschesfest Parade. this limited the attendance of the general public.

“We want to enjoy all the festivitites this year, and we want everyone to be able to come to the show,” said Gary Bumgarner of Spokane, the chairman of the foundation.

Last year, about 50 dogs representing not only German Long haired Pointers, but also other German-originated breeds and other retrievers and pointers were entered in the exhibition.

The goal of the foundation is to make the trials and show an annual feature at Deutschesfest time which could develop into a nationally recognized German dog classic.

The field trials and show include contests in training and judging skills, water retrieval tests and pointing and tracking demonstrations. Typically in these trials categories include puppies to 15 months and derbies to 24 months and an open class of dogs of any age.

Another feature of this year’s Fest will be a skydiving demonstration by four jumpers of the Spokane Parachute club. Skydiving has been a popular feature at past festivals, with the jumpers sometimes landing on First Avenue right after the Deutschesfest Parade.

This year, the jumping exhibition will take place at the half-time of the football game between Odessa and Waitsburg high schools at Finney Field. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The new horseshoe pits at the Odessa Historisches Museum will be the scene of the second annual Deutschesfest Horseshoe Tournament on Sunday, September 19. Play will begin at 10 a.m.

The two top teams of the Deutschesfest tournament will be eligible to compete with winners from other communities in the finals of the Spokane Ag Expo’s horseshoe pitching contest next January. Four $500 grants will be awarded to the final winners as scholarships for students in the respective communities.

There will be co-ed volleyball tournament starting at 9 a.m. in the Odessa High School gymnasium.

Check in time will be at 8:30 a.m. The teams must have three men and three women. Entry fees will be $50.

The event is being sponsored by the Goodwill Ambassadors Volleyball Team and the Odessa Record.

Odessa Union settles with EPA over fumigant. The Odessa Union Warehouse Cooperative has agreed to pay a penalty of 23,811 to settle a complaint alleging violations of federal pesticide regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week.

Odessa Union manager Marvin Greenwalt confirmed that the lengthy litigation which began a year ago in May had been concluded with the agreement between the firm at the EPA’s regional pesticide section.

The Odessa Union was charged with committing 18 violations of EPA rules regarding the transport, handling or coming into contact with phosphine gas produced by aluminum phosphide fumigants. These are used widely throughout the area on many commodities including grains. The EPA says the rules protect grain inspectors and other persons.

The EPA announced it had reduced the penalty from $90,000 it had originally proposed because of the Odessa Union’s good faith efforts to comply with the pesticide regulations. In reaching the settlement the Odessa Union neither admitted nor denied allegations of the EPA.

The complaint charged that fumigated grain shipped by the Odessa Union from Ephrata arrived at a Portland grain elevator with more than the allowable limit of phosphine gas and without warning placards.

The EPA said the fumigant is “restricted use pesticide,” exposure of which “for grain handler or inspector walking atop a rail car or semi-trailer could cause a serious fall.”

Parents should teach children to be ‘street smart’ for safety. Parents can instill “street smarts” in their children to help ensure their safety and make the coming school year a safe and happy one, says the Washington Education Association.

Street smart kids know their full name, address and telephone number at an early age. Make sure this information is among the first learning experience you share with your children.

Show children the safest, most direct walking route to school, explaining any traffic hazards along the way. Teach them to stop at the curb, to look both ways to be sure that traffic is clear before crossing, and to walk across the street in the crosswalk.

Of course, warn children never to accept a ride with a stranger.

If your children ride their bicycles to school, be sure they obey bicycle laws, including always riding with a helmet. Examine bikes frequently to check that with parts are in good condition, brakes are working properly and the seat and handlebars aren’t loose.