Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

A reporter went in search of prophecies of what the year 1913 would bring.

He questioned a dozen or more Spokane luminaries. Some of the answers involved pressing local matters, such as “the apple situation will be solved,” referring to problems of storage and handling.

Others referred to national and global issues: the completion of the Panama Canal, the triumph (or failure) of Woodrow Wilson’s new administration, and an increase in nationwide highway construction.

 Some prophecies were soon to be proved wrong, such as the Spokane mayor’s assertion that “the Balkan upheaval will be settled speedily” and a “hundred year’s peace pact would be formed.” World War I would break out in 1914.

Others were more pessimistic. One local judge said he had it on good authority that “the world is coming to an end in 1913.” The judge said he planned to investigate that claim, and if true, “I won’t pay my taxes.”

From the logging beat: North Idaho’s logging camps were in danger of shutting down, not because of too much snow, but too little.

Wintertime logging required enough snow to haul logs on sleds. This winter, there was just enough snow in the valleys to impede operations but not enough to run sleds. Snow was plentiful, however, in the high country.