Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Spokane prohibition advocates were celebrating the passage of the statewide prohibition law – yet they knew they had plenty of work to do.

The law was scheduled to go in effect in a little more than a year. In the meantime it faced a possible Supreme Court challenge and a repeal drive.

The Rev. Hugh H. Given told a celebratory gathering that “we have won a battle, but not a war.”

Nobody mentioned the issue that would turn out to be the real problem with prohibition: the difficulty of enforcement.

The head of the Spokane Realty Board rejected the idea that prohibition would cause an economic depression.

“The money that formerly went into liquor will go into the necessities of life,” he said. “… Prohibition will stimulate the development of Spokane as an educational center.”

From the lodging beat: The Owl, a hotel/boardinghouse one block north of the Great Northern Depot, offered this sales pitch: “Cheaper Than the Jungles.”

That’s pretty cheap, since they were referring to the hobo jungles. The rooms at the Owl were 15 cents, and that included free baths. It was also, according to their ad, “The Cleanest Place in Town.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1872: A fire destroyed nearly 800 buildings in Boston.