Jim Kershner’s This day in history » On the Web: spokesman.com/topics/local-history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The chairman of Washington Trust Bank came out strongly in favor of a well-regulated “restricted district” in Spokane.

By that, he meant red-light district.

“It is dangerous to be without a restricted district,” he said. “Women and children are subject to assault on the streets at night and in the daytime by vile characters who would drift to such a restricted district, where they belong.”

He also added that “you can legislate ’til doomsday, but you cannot legislate vice out of existence.”

From the medical beat: A “rising young singer,” 17, went to a Spokane restaurant with friends and ordered a sandwich – which killed her.

The girl, who was working at the Dreamland Theater, complained that the meat tasted bad. A few hours later she became ill from what was reported as ptomaine poisoning.

Doctors did all they could do, but she “steadily sank” for several days until “death ended her sufferings.”

From the wheat beat: A farmer near Ritzville reported that he had planted a stunning 50 acres of spring wheat in a single day.

How? He used his new 45-horsepower “caterpillar” engine, the first of its kind in the county. He also intended to use it to plow.