100 years ago in Spokane: 14 suspected of selling sherry wine arrested at downtown hotel

From our archives, 100 years ago

Spokane’s largest booze raid since prohibition resulted in the arrest of 14 men at the Arlington Hotel Bar, 310 W. Sprague.

The proprietor was dispensing a “red-looking beverage,” believed to be sherry wine, from a large steel safe and pouring it into a coffee pot. Then, he sold it “by the canful” at 15 cents a drink.

From the transportation beat: Few, if any trains arrived in Spokane from the west, because one of the worst snowstorms in Northwest history completely blocked travel in the Cascades.

“The Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Milwaukee (railroads) had given up trying to get any trains through until the storm abates,” said the paper.

Seattle, Portland, Bellingham and Victoria were all “paralyzed” by the storm. The roof of Seattle’s St. James Catholic Cathedral collapsed under the enormous weight of snow. Authorities were searching through the snow and rubble to see if anyone was hurt.

In Portland, snow, sleet and freezing rain combined to cut off all travel and close most businesses.

Spokane was in somewhat better shape, but blizzard conditions were reported in Freeman and Davenport.