Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The president of Spokane’s Progressive Colored Citizens’ Club announced that it planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation with a “Golden Jubilee Fair.”

They were inspired by Booker T. Washington’s plan to create a large national celebration. The club had not settled on a site for its fair, but members had plenty of time to work out the details. They were planning it for Sept. 23, 1912.

From the parks beat: The Spokane Parks Commission said it had plans to use female police to patrol some public parks. The commission said, cryptically, that female police would be useful in certain parks “where many children assemble.”

From the technology beat: Spokane was bragging about being on the forefront of communication technology in 1911.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle reported that Spokane led all cities in the nation, with populations above 50,000, in telephones per capita.

Spokane had nearly one telephone for every five people. No explanation was offered for why Spokane residents were such early adopters.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1921: Iowa became the first state to impose a cigarette tax, at 2 cents a pack. … 1970: Apollo 13, with astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert, blasted off on its ill-fated mission to the moon.