This Week in Odessa History

100 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 14, 1917

Miss Bessie Schibel hit by auto.

Miss Bessie Schibel, daughter of John Schibel, a prominent farmer residing southwest of Odessa, was the victim of an auto accident which nearly cost her her life on the main street of Odessa Saturday afternoon when she was struck by a car driven by Allen Motycka at the intersection of Fourth street and First Avenue. Miss Schibel had started across the street from the Michaelsen & Koth store, when Motycka, who was intoxicated drove down the street with his car and struck her in the back, knocking her down under the machine. She was picked up with blood streaming from her nose and mouth and carried to Dr. Ganson's office just across the street, where it was found that in addition to a number of bruises she suffered from a fracture of the base of the skull, but that her injuries were not as serious as was first anticipated.

Motycka who is a young farmer residing south of town, was intoxicated at the time. Reports differ as to the rate of speed he was traveling. Some of the spectators claim that it was nearly twenty miles per hour. He was arrested by Marshall Jenks at once and brought before Justice Kelly who fined him one hundred dollars and costs. Miss Schibel's condition is rapidly improving and she was able to be taken to her home in the country soon.

Lincoln County game law.

Following is a copy of the new game law showing the session for this county for all wild game and the bag limit for each besides a little general information regarding licenses, who must have the and the price of the same:

Deer October 1st to November 15. 1 deer, either six, in one season.

Prairie chickens protected until Sept. 15, 1919.

Grouse and native Pheasants- Sept. 1st to Nov. 15th. 5 birds in one day.

Duck-Geese, Brant, Snipe, Plover and Curlew (Federal Law) 20 birds in one week. It is unlawful to kill ducks; geese or brant between the hours of sunset and sunrise. (Federal Law.)

Quail No open season.

Hungarian Partridges October 1st to November 15th, both days inclusive.

5 birds in one day.

Sage Hens - Protected, no open season.

Trout Bass, Croppie, Perch, Sunfish and Pike not less than 6 inches.

April 1st to Dec. 1st. Not more than 50 fish or 20 pounds in a day and not more than 30 pounds one week.

Aliens must have $15.00 license in addition to hunting license, to be entitled to shoot game.

Blanket licenses for fishing and hunting in each county, $1.00.

State licenses are issued by County Auditor, good in any county $5.00.

Women are not required to have a license to fish.

Children under the age of 16 years are not required to have a license for fishing.

All persons of either sex must have hunting licenses, except those exempt are subject to arrest and fine.

75 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 14, 1942

The board of school budget review was at Davenport Friday to give final approval to the budgets of Lincoln county school districts. The board reports county school districts in the best financial shape in history, with $126,000 in cash on hand now which is a gain of $44,000 over the 1941 cash.

Odessa's temporary wheat storage bin, built by cooperative efforts of company employees and farmers, has attracted national attention. One picture carried in the Record has been chosen as the front page feature of the Grain and Feed Journal, a national magazine.

Leland Boyk, former assistant coach at Odessa is playing in the backfield of the Spokane War Industries football team. Boyk was a football and track letter winner at Cheney college.

The fall season is sitting in, it was apparent from the last week's weather, where a high of 85 and a low of 38 was reported. There has been no rainfall here.

Everett Kissler found a weather balloon on a cut-over field at the Kissler ranch 14 miles north of town during the week end. It carried the date November 24, 1941, and the address of Clifton, N. Harvest operations had been completed in the field a short time before and the balloon was not there at that time.

Al Wacker has enlisted in a branch of the air corps and will be called to report soon.

A dinner was given in honor of Joe Schiewe at the Odessa Hotel on Wednesday night, before his departure for military service. Cards followed at the Schiewe home after the dinner.

Two former Odessa football players, Leon Dobson and Elmner (Shorty) Heimbigner, will coach football at Odessa this season, as the coaches from last year had to go into the armed services.

Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Low have purchased a home in town and moved from their ranch at Wheeler on Tuesday, to make their home here.

Winston Weber, stationed somewhere in Alaska, writes, thanking his uncle, W.F. Weber, for fishing tackle he sent him. Winston says his group can kick 10-pound salmon right out with their feet, but he enjoys catching some of the trout with tackle.

Mrs. Grace Williams is having new floor foundation and flooring laid in her store, the Ladies' Specialty Shop, with Schauerman Brothers doing the work.

There is not time for resting on the job. The government has asked this community to stage another scrap rally, in answer to its urgent need. We ask every resident to get behind the rally, discover scrap that has been missed in former searches.

50 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 14, 1967

Four are hurt in Sunday eve head-on collision.

Four Odessa young people were injured in a two-car accident about five p.m. Sunday five miles south of Odessa on Highway 21, Trooper Steven Robertson of Davenport reports.

The Trooper reports that a car being driven by Gary A. Melcher, 18, Odessa, was westbound on a dirt road and was in a head-on collision with a car being driven by Rovbert L. Turner, 20, Spokane, that was in the process of a turn.

Injured and taken to the Odessa hospital were Melcher, fractures to the head, and his passengers, Rita Gies, 19, Odessa, hand injuries, and Jane Schillinger, 19, Odessa, lacerations to her right arm, and a passenger in the Turner car, Larry Lobe, 19, Odessa, lacerations to his head.

Jr. Cattlemen do well at County Fair.

The Odessa Junior Cattlemen 4-H club members are home from a very successful Lincoln County Fair.

"We feel that our hard work well rewarded," Norman Ott states.

The efforts of all the members won the group the $5.00 Herdsmanship award which is given by the Lincoln County Cattlemen's Association for the care of pens, equipment and livestock.

Penny Wraspir received the Mel Jan award. This is given by the Double J Hereford ranch to the top 4-H exhibitor.

Penny was champion Junior showman and Bruce Walter was Reserve Champion showman. Claudia Wraspir was Reserve Champion showman and Reserve Champion overall showman.

In livestock placing, Norman reports the club had eight blue, ten red and three white ribbons in the market steer class. Bruce Walter showed the Reserve Champion southern steer. Claudia and Penny Wraspir showed four blue-ribbon heifers and champion and reserve champion in that lot.

"Our club was happy to sere so many Odessa people out to see our cattle and we wish to express our appreciation to the community for the good support at the sale," Norman states.

25 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

September 10, 1992

22nd Deutschesfest takes new direction.

Odessa plays host to a good share of the Pacific Northwest next Thursday through Sunday as the 22nd annual Deutschesfest unfolds with a full program of music, dancing, dining and recreation.

The festival, now Lincoln County's biggest show, has grown in size and stature ever since the first event was put on in 1971, when the organizers were amazed that an Oktoberfest-like celebration in Odessa could attract 3,000 visitors.

The number has inched up, year by year, to 5,000 in the second year and then to a steady 15,000 in most succeeding years. And as the Fest's popularity grew, the crowds came in ever increasing numbers. In some recent years, the count has been estimated at 20,000 or even 25,000 revelers.

Forecasts this week hint that the upper figure may be approached or surpassed this year. The indicators are fully booked RV hookups in Odessa for the Fest period, a myriad of inquires about the Hole-in-One golf contest, the 3-on-3 basketball tournament and other Fest activities.

"We'll know for sure if it's going to be a record crowd when the RVs start rolling into town on Monday," said one of the organizers of the Fest, which is under the sponsorship of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce.

The vast majority of RVs park at Finney Field and an adjoining two-block area, although they also crowd around Odessa's town park and in other available spaces as near as possible to the Biergarten, the nerve center of Deutschesfest.

In past years, an average of 6,000 RVs bring Fest visitors to town and remain for stays of one night or longer. Increasingly, the trend is for RV travelers to arrive well in earlier advance of the actual Fest dates to set up camp and enjoy Odessa's recreational opportunities, including its golf course.

A major cause for optimism that this year's Fest organizers have noted that on Sunday of the three-day event (Thursday is considered a pre-Fest day even though a growing number of activities are now on the agenda) has been slow. Many of the booths and concessions selling Odessa's famed German food specialties were sold out by Sunday noon. For the visitors who came in their RVs and for others, Sunday afternoon was a time to pack up and go home.

That left only the locals to visit among themselves and enjoy the music, song, dancing and refreshments in the Biergarten during the final hours of the Fest.

This year, to bolster the Sunday program, the Chamber's Deutschesfest music committee has arranged for two well-known country music acts to perform in the Biergarten. Kelly Hughes and the Border Patrol and JulieAnne and Southbound have been booked. The two name attractions are expected to appeal to a wide range of Deutschesfest visitors, including the regulars, who otherwise might have left early for home.

Trails rides for Deutschesfest visitors through the Channeled Scablands are another new feature this year. The community has a new-found pride in its surrounding countryside, which has been recognized, but only relatively recently, to have a unique geologic character. The Scablands are becoming tourist attractions and this year the guided trail rides will give Deutschesfest visitors the opportunity for a first-hand look at the craters, basalt formations and other phenomena which have become famous.

A first-rate carnival is back as a part of the Deutschesfest program for the first time in three years. Fest organizers felt there had been a void in the entertainment possibilities for children. The carnival's 10 rides are expected to help fill that need.

With these and other new attractions, the 22nd Deutschesfest takes a new direction. It's definitely a bigger show this year, and its new features combined with the traditional attractions undoubtedly will make it a better one.

Lydia Weber, a lifetime resident of Odessa, who will celebrate her 100th birthday tomorrow, will be the grand marshal of the Deutschesfest Parade. Twelve floats are entered thus far.