100 years ago in Spokane: Indians outfielder had league-leading record

From our archives, 100 years ago

A reporter and photographer spent a jolly – although bittersweet – afternoon at the Salvation Army Home for Women and Maternity Hospital, at 3422 W. Garland Ave.

“Barefoot kiddies” and “tender toddlers” cavorted on the lawns, guided by “watchful lieutenants” of the Salvation Army. It was home to 39 “little folks,” children of “husbandless mothers.”

A woman ensign said that the most common question they are asked is, “Do you have children for adoption?” The answer is always a resounding no.

In fact, the Salvation Army was trying to raise funds to build a separate home to care for the little children when they got older.

“What our chief aim is for these unfortunate little mothers is that they marry wisely,” said the ensign. “Even though they seldom marry the man who wronged them, they want their babies back. Now don’t you see how fine is our idea? Of course, when a mother marries, she wants her little child. How sad if she had given that child away!”

Each of the mothers was “somewhere working to live down her one error.”

From the baseball beat: With the season half gone, Spokane Indians outfielder Eddie Mensor had yet to make a single error. He also held the league lead in number of runners thrown out, with 17. Meanwhile, he was “plastering the pill at a .300 clip.”

“Which gives some idea of what a valuable cog he is” in the Indians’ machine.