Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The Idaho Pure Food and Drug commissioner said Idaho was becoming known as the “home of the dope dispensers.”

He said the recent conviction of two Chinese immigrants in Idaho Falls exposed a widespread web of opium and cocaine smuggling in the state. He said the dope was smuggled into Idaho from Canada, and “this state is said to have been used as a supply depot” for distribution elsewhere.

In addition, “dealers have introduced drugs into state institutions for criminals and insane, regardless of precautions taken by officials.”

“The entire traffic is of an underground character and the drugs are passed along and sold at a fancy figure to the unfortunate individuals who have become slaves to the habit and will do almost anything to secure the ‘dope.’ ”

From the war beat: The Great War in Europe was causing a shortage of truck engines, and that was having an effect on Spokane’s streets.

The city was four trucks short of the full quota of sprinkling trucks, used to water Spokane’s unpaved streets. Thus, Spokane’s dust problem was particularly bad in summer 1915.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1910: A series of forest fires swept through parts of Idaho, Montana and Washington, killing at least 85 people and burning some 3 million acres.