100 years ago in Spokane: Facing competition from the Uber of the day, streetcar companies announce merger

From our archives, 100 years ago

Spokane’s streetcar companies were in a slump, partly because of the steep rise in auto ownership and partly because of competition from the jitneys, which were like the Uber cars of the time.

Consequently, two of Spokane’s biggest streetcar companies, Washington Water Power and the Spokane Traction Co., announced plans to merge. The merger would “do much toward solving the financial loss” confronting both companies, said optimistic executives.

If they could have looked into the future, they would have seen that the streetcar business was on an irreversible decline and that the old Spokane streetcars would become extinct in the 1930s.

From the weather beat: About 52 “girl and women employees of the Palace” department store departed on a merry hayride for the evening.

Then a big snowstorm blew in. All 52 were stranded for the night at the rural home of Albert Selter and family in Kiesling, not far from Valleyford.

The women were not suffering much from their plight, according to telephone reports. The Selters warmed them with a festive oyster supper.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1918: Mississippi became the first state to ratify the 18th Amendment, which established Prohibition.