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

From our archives, 100 years ago

A Spokane fire captain was defending his honor – and the honor of several unidentified “women callers” – in an incident at a Spokane fire station.

The captain was accused of “entertaining women” at the firehouse at night.

However, the captain issued a vigorous defense. He said the women in question were not visiting him at all, they were visiting another fireman. Also, he said, the visit was in the daytime and totally innocent.

The newspaper noted that there had been discord between various factions at this firehouse for a long time.

From the labor beat: Strikes were threatening to shake up two crucial industries in Spokane: laundry and beer.

Mrs. Rose B. Moore, the organizer of the laundry workers, said “there are 40 girls on strike.” Some laundry workers were making only 13 cents an hour. They were striking to get a boost to 17 cents an hour.

Meanwhile, contract talks had broken down between brewery workers and Spokane’s major beer companies. The brewery workers were asking for a raise from $24 to $27 per week.

The dispute had come to a head (so to speak) and a strike vote was scheduled for May 1.