Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Stunt aviator De Lloyd Thompson repaired his damaged biplane, took off from the spot where it crashed the day before, and thrilled a crowd of thousands at the Interstate Fairgrounds.

Despite rain and a driving north wind, Thompson treated the crowd to “the loop, the reverse loop, tumble and finally a thrilling glide to earth,” which he called The Undertaker’s Drop.

Then, as part of the show, famed auto racer Barney Oldfield jumped into his Fiat Cyclone and raced around the dirt track, while the biplane roared just over his head. Oldfield made the turns at high speed by “clever applications of the brakes, causing the rear wheels to skid around.” The two daredevils made two spins around the track, and the “race was won by the aviator by a narrow margin.”

Oldfield also drove his 300-horsepower Christie machine around the half-mile track in 33.4 seconds.

Many of the 3,000 spectators were admitted free, on presentation of ticket stubs from the day before, when Thompson crashed. 

From the Liberty Bell beat: About 300 people a minute filed past the Liberty Bell, on display at Spokane’s Great Northern Station. It was there only for the morning of July 13, but the paper estimated 72,000 people saw it.