100 years ago in Spokane: Historical society trumpets mastodon skeleton as crowning achievement

The Spokane Historical Society was planning to put on display a full mastodon skeleton, which had been discovered near Fairfield.

It would, said the Spokane Daily Chronicle, make the Spokane museum into “the Smithsonian of the Northwest.”

The historical society had a small museum in the Crescent Building on Riverside Avenue.

The bones were to be taken from a spring near Fairfield, “near which have been found 10 or 12 other mastodons, the majority of which had been shipped to the Smithsonian Institute” and other museums.

“It will take considerable work to excavate and arrange the bones for shipment,” said E.A. Lindsley, of the society. “It is our plan to have motion pictures taken of the work from the time excavation begins until the bones are mounted in the museum. These films will be of immense educational value not only locally, but to the whole country. … In connection with the moving of the bones here, it is our plan to have a big parade …”

From the wildfire beat: The region was enduring one of its worst wildfire seasons, with fires raging throughout Montana and North Idaho.

“We have had no rains for a long time and these little showers don’t do any good,” said the district forest supervisor from Missoula.

He said that 2,500 men were fighting these fires.