This Week in Odessa History

100 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

October 19, 1917

“Help Wanted” makes big hit.

The short two act comedy, “Help Wanted,” staged at the O. C. B. opera house Tuesday night received a large and appreciative audience and was one of the most successful efforts of its kind ever given in Odessa.

The play was a representation of two scenes in a city intelligence office where female help seek employment and every one that witnessed it agrees that the home talent that filled the cast of characters were admirably chosen to act their respective parts.

The plan of the local auxiliary to keep the expenses of the entrainment to the lowest possible level so as to supply more comforts for soldiers in hospitals or at the front was carried out to the letter and each participant hunted up her own paraphernalia and the result was very gratifying for no costumer could have ever produced the apparel that was brought forth and as for variety, Solomon in all his glory could have gotten a few pointers from viewing that array. One of the first questions a lady bears on meeting a friend, since that night is “Where in earth could Mrs. So and So have gotten that dress?”

The different numbers in the cast were taken by Mrs. R.E. Scholer, who as Mrs. Smith, the employment agent, filled her part most creditably. Miss Luverna Johnson as her secretary proved to be an artist in the role of a gum chewing office girl, even though she did mix matters at times. Mrs. Reeves and Miss Cora Brown as Mrs. Wentworth and Mrs. Alden, city club ladies in search of a secretary and maid, received much favorable comment and Miss Leona Holmes produced the part of Kate Alden, a runaway school girl, in her usual pleasing manner. But the hit of the evening was Mrs. “Bob” Kelly as Bridget, the Irish servant girl. The minor roles were “ladies” in search of positions and were filled by Mesdames W.B. Kelly, Nettie Hamilton, N. Urbanus, H.W. Rieke, D.C. Holmes, W.H. Luher and H. Mitchell. The latter ladies, while they may not have had much to say orally, talked with gestures using their hands and various facial expressions so that they were fully understood and furnished much hilarious merriment.

A short musical program was also furnished, as opening numbers and between the acts. The first of these was a piano duet by Mrs. P.R. Harrild and Miss Madeline Leary, which was followed by a chorus of about twenty of the best male and female voices in Odessa which furnished a number of old time patriotic songs. The audience showed its appreciation of both vocal and instrumental numbers with generous applause and repeated encores.

Before the show closed the Red Cross publicly expressed their thanks to the band boys for the donation of their opera house and the open air concert given on Main street for the purpose of aiding the Red Cross in its efforts.

The opera house was filled nearly to its capacity and the ladies netted about $76 as the result of the entertainment.

75 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

October 19, 1947

Among the seven men from Lincoln county sent to Spokane for induction were Glen S. Porter and Herbert Jeske of Odessa.

George Zicha, who recently purchased the Weber dray line, took his city license on Monday night and is changing the name of his business to Zicha dray line.

Three hunters, scheduled to appear before Justice F.B. Totusek on Monday following their arrest on Sunday for allegedly shooting off a highway, forfeited bonds of $10 each.

George Ott, senior from Irby, was selected president of the recently-organized Club Commons at the State College of Washington.

A farewell party was held at the Margaret E. Walter home on Friday night in honor of Miss Berniece Hardung, leaving for Spokane. Hostesses were the Misses Harriet Smith and Viola Gross.

Jo Ann Bresee, attractive senior girl, is starting her second year as yell queen for Odessa high.

Bill Smith, while at Spokane on Monday, enlisted in the air corps ground force of the United States Army and is awaiting call.

Pfc. Norman C. Schillinger is still with the medical corps at Fort Worden. He wants to congratulate the home folks on the excellent showing made in the scrap drive.

Word from Sam Weber indicates that he is taking his basic training in the ordinance department at Fort Francis E. Warren in Wyoming.

Petitions for naturalization of two Odessa persons, Henry Lesser Jr., and Phillip Victor Harold Carlson were approved by Claude T. Tomlin, Spokane, federal naturalization examiner, following hearings in superior court.

When the season opened on Sunday for ducks and upland birds, it ushered in one of the most successful early hunting seasons known in this area. Duck and goose hunters had to quit early at many lakes because their legal limit of birds had been reached.

The school children are starting the second phase of their salvage drive this week, collecting all critical metals aside from iron and steel, including aluminum, copper, brass, zinc, lead, bronze and also rubber. Calls for children to gather such scrap will be received at the high school.

C.C. Dill, congressional candidate, addressed an Odessa audience on the street on Friday night, outlining the part he had taken in his 16 years of congressional service.

Sam Fink’s dogs made contact with a porcupine at the ranch this week and came out second best. They brought the quills home where Sam preformed a pulling match.

John C. Ingle, pioneer rancher of the area, who a few years ago returned to the area to start a cattle herd, has decided to dispose of his herd, due to advancing age. He sold the herd sire this week to Jos. Pavliska and three late spring heifers to Fred Schmidt.

50 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

October 19, 1967

Rev. Werner J. Fritz retires from full-time ministry, moves to Oregon.

After nearly 11 1/2 years of church work in the Odessa area, Rev. Werner J. Fritz has resigned his Christ Lutheran church pastorate and is retiring at Woodburn, Oregon. His final service was conducted in Odessa on Sunday, Oct. 8. A reception honoring Pastor and Mrs. Fritz was held the same afternoon, attended by 250 congregation members and friends.

It’s moving time at Grange Supply.

With completion of the first section of the new Grange Supply building, moving of the office and stored supplies has and is taking place.

On Saturday the office of the old Grange Supply building was separated from the main warehouse structure and moved a few feet south, to the opposite side of the gas pumps. Charles Avery of Moses Lake is handling the building moves. The office, sitting on large timbers and a bit out of plumb, is still being used by Al Wacker and staff.

Personnel of the Grange, with some additional help, has been busy moving the farm machinery parts, tire oils, greases and farm chemicals stored in the warehouse into the new section. Plans are to move the old warehouse unit to a site north, or behind the Richfield Oil bulk plant where the building will be utilized for machinery storage and servicing, Wacker states.

When the buildings are out of the way and old foundations have been removed, the contractor, Delbert Cook, will continue with erection of the new block wall and steel building. Weather permitting, it is anticipated that the Grange will be operating from its new building before the end of the year.

25 Years Ago

The Odessa Record

October 19, 1992

Town, EDC coordinating improvement programs.

There will be a coordination of effort between the Town of Odessa and the Odessa Economic Development Committee in improvement plans for the community, it was announced this week.

Odessa EDC field director Ann Herdrick told members of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce that a welcome packet to be provided for newcomers to the community is the first project to be completed in the new coordination arrangement.

The packet includes informational data about Odessa and some free coupons and donated items from local businesses. It is a successor to the welcome wagon which was discontinued several years ago. Both the Town of Odessa and the Odessa EDC are sponsoring the distribution of the packets, which are available for new residents who wish to pick them up at the office of the town clerk.

Last month the Odessa Town Council had announced the creation of a new improvement committee consisting of council members headed by Evelyn Weber. That body’s principal responsibility was to determine improvements which have been proposed for the Odessa Community Center.

This week it was reported that Odessa EDC members would be included on that committee. The plans for the center include both cosmetic and structural modifications.

There has been some duplications as well as some confusion in previous improvement efforts of the council and the committee. Two weeks ago when the council’s plan to make survey among community residents to determine income levels and opinions on priorities for town improvements, it was noted that the committee was preparing a similar questionnaire to be presented to citizens.

Last week the town’s survey was delayed while the committee provided its inputs. The combined questionnaire, as reported elsewhere in today’s issue of The Record, was presented to occupants of Odessa households yesterday.