100 years ago in Spokane: Boys test flammibility of gasoline, escape unscathed

Two small boys, age 8, found a can of gasoline on the back porch.

One of them came up with a brilliant idea: Why don’t we drop a lighted match on it? Will gasoline burn?

In the ensuing explosion, both boys had a bad scare, but escaped injury. The fire department came quickly and extinguished the fire on the back porch before extensive damage was done.

From the prohibition beat: Police stayed busy confiscating illegal booze.

In one case, police discovered a “neat, typewritten” advertisement in the hands of a hotel bellboy. The ad said “Whisky,” and included a phone number and the address of a downtown billiard parlor.

A detective called the number and placed an order for a quart of whisky. When a man delivered the goods, police arrested him, raided his home and found eight more pints of liquor.

In another case, police found a consignment labeled “Sheep Dip” at the Northern Pacific Depot. A tipster had told them to be on the lookout for this shipment. When police checked it, they discovered it actually contained 60 gallons of whisky.

It was addressed to McLean’s sheep camp in Carlson, Wash.

“Packed in the boxes were a dozen or so small tin cups, apparently for serving the liquor,” said the paper.