This Week in Odessa History

100 years ago

The Odessa Record

April 5, 1918

Schnase comes to grief: In the presence of a large but orderly crowd, A. Schnase, a very well known character who visits this section several times a year selling medicines and other wares, came to grief at his home town, Sprague, last Thursday when found in possession of rabid pro-German literature.

The event took place on the main street after he was caught with “the goods.” Schnase was forced to kiss the American flag and give three cheers for the United States government. The pamphlets to which exception was taken purports to describe atrocities by British officers on French women and to give examples of German atrocities manufactured by British soldiers. The pamphlet was shown to the executive committee of the Sprague patriotic league and Schnase was brought before the committee. To the members he admitted that he had pro-German sympathies and it was decided to communicate with the federal authorities, also to make Schnase salute the flag in public.

Schoonover gets post office: G.C. Schoonover has received notice of his appointment as postmaster of Odessa. His name was sent by the president to the senate for ratification the latter part of last week and he will relieve Acting Postmaster F.M. Fleisch as soon as his bond has been filed and he is checked in which will probably take a couple of weeks. There were four other candidates in the field for the office – F.L. Kueera, Jacob Bastrom, Jr. and Mrs. E.G. Webber, all of which took the examination in October, the returns of which were recently received. It was the general opinion of all that had dabbled at all in politics Mr. Schoonover would stand the best chance in securing the recommendation for appointment as he had the solid support of both the local and county democratic organizations.

75 years ago

The Odessa Record

April 8, 1943

No baseball for Odessa this year: August Heimbigner has announced that no action will be taken to form a baseball team for the town this year, owing to the lack of men and forbidden transportation.

It is hoped that a softball league can be started, to offer a substitute for the organized play.

One man fun wave is appearing: Spring time is the time the newspapers generally carry stories warning against the slicker games that lure money from the unsuspecting public. This year, we warn of a man whom banquet friends accuse of having taken in a fire sale at a novelty shop.

The person is E.E. Newland, superintendent of schools, and those sitting next to him at banquets have learned to prepare for almost anything. Exploding spoons, knives that hinge at the handle, and a finger pinching pictures are but a small part of his stock of banquet supplies.

With him and A. W. Jessett at the same table, excitement is apt to occur at any time. Mr. Jessett won his publicity through a playful manner of dropping glasses of drinking water into laps of unsuspecting dinner guests, and for his ability to flip a spoon from the table into his water glass.

Designs Lions Club service flag: Mrs. E.D. (Anona) Heimbigner has designed a service flag for the local Lions club, a white plaque surmounted on a red and white striped shield, with two Victory “V”s and the Lions’ emblem adorning the field. At present the flag carries the names of Paul Hoefel, Glen Strate, Winston Weber, R.E. Suchland, Roscoe Wagner, James Scrupps, Max Schoening and Leroy Kuest. It is on display in the club’s meeting room at the Odessa Hotel.

50 years ago

The Odessa Record

April 4, 1968

Odessa’s UFO has flying schedule: The large unidentified flying object which rumor says has been frequently sighted just west of Odessa, is now claimed to appear on Tuesday and Thursday nights. The interested and skeptical sky watchers have been setting up viewing posts to see it come in. Whether it has been sighted varies with reports.

Some observers, at posts near the Myron Walter ranch, and from the height at the city dump have scanned the skies for several hours. They report that they all have seen so far are the lights of the dozens of cars driving out there.

Donna and Little Schavers entertain at VA Hospital: Donna and the Little Schavers entertained at the V. A. hospital in Spokane the last Thursday of each month. The American Legion sponsored the entertainment in honor of those who had birthdays during the month. In March 15 patients had birthdays.

Donna and the Little Schavers drew the largest crowd the hospital has had for several years. Mrs. Al Jackson, who is in charge of the entertainment, stated.

After the entertainment birthday cake and coffee were served. Those from Odessa attending the March entertainment were Jerry Schafer, Edna Leitz, Frieda Kissler, Alma Spurling, Merl Spurling and John Kissler.

They also visited with Herb Kuest, former Odessa resident, who was well enough to attend the program, following recent surgery.

Kramer and Boyk top April tourney: Thirty participants turned out Sunday for the April Fool golf tourney at the Odessa Golf Club Grounds. Low handicap honors were won by Myron Kramer, with runner up honors going to Robert Zimbelman.

Low scratch honors went to Lee Boyk and runner up to E.J. Wachter.

Closest to the pin went to Jim Bain and Myron Kramer. Long drive honors went to Cecil Schell and Jerry Wacker.

The tournament committee included Jerry Wacker, E.J. Wachter, R.L. Dashiell and Lee Boyk. Members said they were happy with the turnout, as this is what makes a golf course.

25 years ago

The Odessa Record

April 8, 1993

Odessa hospital and board win state development award: The administration of Odessa Memorial Hospital and the Board of Commissioners of Lincoln Hospital District #1 have been awarded the 1993 Board Development Award of the Washington State Hospital Association.

Announcement of the award was made last week in a letter to hospital administrator Carol Schott.

The Odessa hospital and its board were chosen from several outstanding applications, the association said, because of their ongoing commitment to send commissioners to conferences and their tri-community dinner meeting with hospital boards.

“Your hospital’s ability to commit resources when necessary to further board education and also to be innovative in getting the most out of your resources is truly commendable,” the letter announcing the award stated.

A plaque will be presented at the association’s trustee symposium on April 16 in Seattle. Schott and Mary Kern, Odessa hospital board chair, will travel to Seattle to accept the award.

A large picture of Odessa Memorial Hospital will be on display during the meeting and award presentation, which are to be held in the Seattle Sheraton Hotel.

Restoring water at Lake-view Ranch; Odessa Ducks Unlimited gives $14,000 for pothole pipeline: The Odessa Ducks Unlimited Committee has announced that it is cooperating with the Bureau of Land Management in a project to pump water into five dry potholes at Lakeview Ranch and that Ducks Unlimited will contribute $14,000 to the program.

Installation of a pipeline from the well a half mile north of now-dry Pacific Lake on BLM-managed public land to the five potholes will take place on June 24 and 25, BLM Spokane District spokesman Todd Thompson said this week.

The BLM manages about 8,000 acres in the Lake Creek Recreation/Wildlife Enhancement Area, which includes Lakeview Ranch, seven miles northwest of Odessa.

Ducks Unlimited’s $14,000 will nearly match BLM funds of $15,000 and will be added to $5,000 pledged by the Inland Wildlife Council for a total of $34,000 for the 1993 phase of the project. The Inland Wildlife Council also will donate vehicles and labor to install the pipline.

A standard surface-lay six-inch aluminum irrigation pipeline will extend from the well at Lakeview Ranch Road westward and southwestward for a distance of about two miles to the pothole area.

The well at Lakeview is rated at 750 gallons per minute. In later phases of the program it is planned to fill ponds in four additional potholes. Thompson said that eventually runoff from the pothole ponds could seep into Walter Lake, the dry lake to the west of Pacific Lake.

The Odessa Ducks Unlimited Committee and Ducks Unlimited members have had great success in fund raising in support of projects such as the pothole pipeline.

Nationally, Ducks Unlimited was founded in the 1930s to save North America’s waterfowl populations, then at unprecedented lows. Today the national organization has a membership of 510,000. Last year it raised $64 million to conserve and restore waterfowl habitat.

In Odessa, the organization will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Saturday, April 17. The occasion will be observed in the Odessa Community Center with the 10th anniversary Odessa Ducks Unlimited Auction and raffles.

The auction will include Ducks Unlimited Edition guns, carving wildlife prints and other items. Auction and raffle items will be on display and the selling of raffle tickets will begin at a social hour at 6 p.m. This will be followed by the Goose Pit Steak Feed at 7:30 p.m.

The 1993 Odessa Ducks Unlimited Committee includes Mel and Doris Quincy, Bud and Linnie Largent, Dave and Brenda Frederick, Jay and Sandi Libsack, Lee and Debbie Praetorius, Dick Derr, Toad Shrauger, Joe McNeil, Mike and Cheryl Nichols, Doug and Nancy Plinski, Wally and Gerry Weishaar and Norman Ott.