This Week in Odessa History

Odessa’s water supply was quite low and gasoline was hard to come by during the second week of May 1920.

The water was scarce because the town’s north side well was no longer putting out at full capacity.

Gasoline was in short supply because of an unprecedented demand by an ever-increasing number of motorists throughout the country.

The Odessa Record carried this front-page story on May 14, 1920, describing the shortages:

Odessa’s water supply promises to run hand in hand with gasoline for the next six weeks. Three exceptional dry seasons have lowered the water in the well north of town, and this week was the first time since the installation of iron pipe in the water mains that the town water supply ran low enough to necessitate stopping the sprinkling of lawns and garden irrigation except at hours specified by Water Superintendent Walter Schoonover.

He has made the reserve supply of water for fire safety by holding a full tank of water for fire protection and this will not be molested until the water supply is again adequate to meet all demands. With one take in reserve, he has found it necessary to divide the town into two sections, with residents in each being permitted to sprinkle every other day for a half hour in the evening.

Superintendent Schoonover feels confident that if everyone will try to conserve water every lawn in town can be brought through the next six weeks which will be required to obtain and install a pump in the new well, after which the water supply will become normal again and citizens privileged to use all they wish.

The cause of the gasoline shortage is said to be the increased demand for gasoline for motor cars and power purposes, which have increased more than 40 percent in the past year. The situation prevails throughout the Inland Empire.

The shortage was first felt in Odessa last week when manager Thiel, of the local Standard Oil Company station, passed the word around among gasoline dealers that with normal consumption he had less than a three-day supply of gasoline and with no prospect of a rail car from any source. The dealers were therefore told not to sell more than three gallons to a customer until the crisis is over.

It is expected it will take from a month to six weeks for conditions to become normal. The limit on sales applies to passenger cars and trucks alike, and everyone is asked to be reasonable in the use of and avoid waste of any gasoline.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April, 1913

The remainder of April’s history is missing from the 1913 newspapers. The 100 year column will resume in May.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 21,1938

Dogs, junk and building permits occupied the attention of the city council on Monday night and the city attorney was directed to draft an ordinance handling the dog problems.

The Easter egg hunt, sponsored by the American Legion, drew children from all parts of the surrounding area, and nearly 200 were present when the march started. Led by Legion captains and Boy Scouts, the children were paraded through the town, each group dropping off at its designated hunting field.

Enthusiasm greeted the hunt, which was the first of its kind that had been staged in Odessa.

Five percent of the nation’s wheat is produced in Washington in normal years. This amounts to an average of more than 40 million bushels annually grown on two and one-eighth million acres.

The coming week will see the annual cooking school, promoted by the Washington Water Power company.

Farm women are invited to share in the cooking school, as the advent of power lines and farm cooking and refrigeration devices have opened a new field for these women.

It is planned to feature such goodies and tongue-teasing tidbits as steamed fruits, frozen orange prune whip, chocolate cake with broiled icing, cinnamon apple deluxe bake dinner of beef birds, deluxe baked potatoes, corn bread, pudding, economy dinner of lamb shanks with potatoes and vegetables, molasses pudding, honey angel food cake, refrigerator rolls, broiled ham luncheon, banana ice cream, thirty-minute bread, cherry pie and doughnuts.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 18,1963

Although those who have been living along main street do not notice the changes, they continue to appear.

Ready for unveiling was the modernistic front on the old drug store building, owned by Mrs. Pat Quirk of Govan, and to be occupied by Dr. John J. Condon, childrens’ dentist.

During the Easter season the city hung 59 new street lights, each of 20,000 lumen capacity, mercury vapor type lights that will light up the street like a summer morning.

Eventually it is hoped to have an improvement association formed ro looking at buildings, to attract new firms and increase the possibilities of the town as a business center.

Easter weather, for which the weather man held no hope, was bright for the morning sunrise service and through church time in the morning. Cloudy weather followed and during the late afternoon it was raining.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 21, 1988

Odessa’s new high school building, currently under construction on the south edge of the school block, took three places on Monday evenings agenda for the district’s board of directors.

Asked his opinion about he quality of work and workmen, Chip Hunt was quick to respond. “This has got to be the best-managed project I’ve ever seen,” he said. “The crews get in and get their work done and keep out of each other’s way. They all work very well together.”

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

April 24, 2003

Members of the Columbia Basin Development League and the various economic development councils and irrigation districts of east-central Washington have determined that the time has come to push for the East High Canal proposed for the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project.

It has been 50 years since the East High was first proposed as an extension to the Columbia Basin Project, which first put Columbia River on Basin lands in 1948 and began to fill of nearly 1 million acres of farm ground in 1952.

“It’s time to start the East High, which if begun today would take 20 years to complete,” said Bill Graedel, of Odessa, spokesman for a coalition of agencies which announced their intention to work toward taking the East High Environmental impact statement off the shelf and get the project moving.