No Christmas candy for some kids in 1920

The schooner Inca, carrying redwood lumber from Humboldt County, was dismasted about 800 miles off the coast of New Zealand in December 1920.

According to the Dec. 17, 1920 Humboldt Times newspaper, the American vessel was en route to Sydney, Australia, when it was damaged. By the time the British steamer Cosmos arrived to assist the boat, the captain’s wife and all but two crewmen — who’d volunteered to stay on the craft — had fled to safety aboard the Inca’s lifeboat. All were rescued once the Cosmos showed up on scene.

The Cosmos towed the Inca to Sydney, and the schooner was soon discharged and sold as hulk, according to several online accounts.

Other news from 100 years ago this week included:

J. W. Nelson, associate professor of agriculture with the University of California, visited Humboldt County in December 1920. According to a Dec. 18, 1920 Humboldt Times article, Nelson told local farm adviser J. W. Logan that if the county was to “take its place in the ranks of progressive California counties, it will be necessary for the agricultural interests of this section to realize the importance of standardization of their products so that they may compete with the producers nearer the larger markets of the state.”

Nelson encouraged local produce growers to ensure the visual appeal of their fruits and vegetables, making sure items were cleaned of dirt and that packaging was tidy. He also encouraged farmers to familiarize themselves with their land and grow crops that would easily thrive.

“There is no excuse for a farmer not knowing his land,” Nelson said in the article.

The Dec. 19, 1920 Humboldt Times reported that Essie Case of Eureka would perform in concert on Dec. 27 at the Rialto Theatre in Eureka before leaving for New York to further pursue her singing career. The newspaper said, “Miss Case, although of this city, has spent much of her time abroad,