100 years ago in Spokane: Residents vote to build four bridges

From our archives,

100 years ago

Spokane residents voted to build four bridges: the Division Street Bridge, the Greene Street Bridge, the Water Works Bridge and the Natatorium Park Bridge.

The Division Street Bridge disaster, in which the bridge collapsed with two streetcars on it, was no doubt still fresh in voters’ minds. Residents were clearly inclined to spend money on Spokane’s infrastructure. In one precinct, only two votes were cast against the Division Street Bridge project, and all four of the proposals passed handily. The city said bids would soon be let on all of the bridges.

From the streetcar beat: In a hearing of the state Public Service Commission, the public made their feelings clear about another transportation issue: owl cars.

Owl cars was the slang term for the late-night streetcars that brought people home after midnight. The Washington Water Power Co., which ran most of Spokane’s streetcars, wanted to do away with owl cars.

“Our streetcar lines are losing money every day,” said WWP president D.L. Huntington. “… The only thing we can do toward self-preservation is to reduce expenses.”

Yet the public was adamant about preserving owl car service, and so were city officials and the State Attorney General’s Office. They testified that curtailment of owl cars “would be a serious inconvenience to night workers and others.” WWP maintained that owl car demand dropped dramatically when prohibition went into effect, but the city said late night revelers were only part of the owl car patronage.