100 years ago in Spokane: The circus was in town, complete with ‘educated performing rabbits’ and an elephant that had recently broken out on the West Side

Thousands of spectators crowded the Al G. Barnes Circus, which was famous for its performing animals, both large and small.

On the small side were the “educated performing rabbits.”

“They had little hurdles and ladders, and separate little stalls which they found by name, Bunny, Hunny, Red, Fritz, Cotton, Eldorado, Jack, etc.”

On the large side were the elephants, including Tusko, who had recently gone on a rampage through downtown Sedro Woolley, Washington, before being recaptured. In Spokane, Tusko was well-behaved, balancing his “mountain of flesh on a remarkably small table.” Other elephants formed their own band, complete with drums and bass violins.

Also on the large side was Lotus, a hippopotamus, who “waddled around the track” harnessed to a two-wheeled cart.

“With her big head carried close to the ground, her big snout had something of the appearance of a road scraper,” a correspondent wrote.

From the travel beat: At least 200 Spokane residents took advantage of summer excursion rates to embark on eastbound trains to Chicago, New York, Boston and other points east.

The special rates were to be effective through October. Extra cars were planned to accommodate demand. One railroad agent said he expected another rush of traffic to California, beginning in June, due to a number of conventions.

Also on this day

(From the Associated Press)

1977: the first “Star Wars” film (later retitled “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope”) was released.