Been wondering if the dry, wildfire, tornado weather of the past few months in other places in the United States (though some wildfires are mighty close to us this week) will prompt people in say, Oklahoma or Texas, to relocate to Spokane or Coeur d'Alene where there are fewer "natural" threats, such as tornadoes and earthquakes and tsunamis.

This weather pitch has been around a long time. Today, I found in the newspaper’s King Collection a Spokane Chamber of Commerce publication from 1905. It features photographs of buildings, grand homes and scenes around the area. On one page, surrounded by photos of the Spokane Falls, is written this "pitch:"

Not once, since the opening of the U.S. Weather Bureau Office (over 24 years ago) in this place has there been an instance of loss of life or property at Spokane, caused by extreme meteorological conditions, such as occur yearly in other parts of the country.

(S-R archives photo)

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