This day in history: Spokane approaches all-time snowfall record for February

From 1975: Snow was dominating the news, mainly because the city was approaching the all-time February snowfall record.

Another 3 inches pushed February 1975 into second place as Spokane’s snowiest February. The total so far was 27.2 inches.

The record was 37.8 inches in February 1893, so the record was still a long way off. But there were still 11 days left in the month.

Skiers were not complaining, and neither was George E. Vaughan, owner of Vaughan’s Automotive Repair and Supply. His firm had been building snowplows for 21 years. It was shaping up to be one of his best winters since 1968-69.

From 1925: The cable on the Spokane City Hall’s elevator snapped, sending an elevator car full of people plunging four stories down the shaft.

Five people were injured, including one woman with a broken ankle.

“I felt the elevator start falling after we had stopped to pick up a passenger and the next thing I realized, we were in the basement, in a heap on the floor of the elevator,” a woman passenger said.

The danger was not over yet. The heavy cable unspooled and landed on the roof of the crashed elevator car. Fortunately, the roof held.

Spokane city commissioner Maurice Smith was one of the passengers. He commended the elevator operator for his “cool head” after the crash. The operator prevented everyone from rushing out until he stepped out and pulled a switch, cutting off the electricity to the live wires and other equipment.

A “safety catch” on the elevator prevented the accident from being more serious.