100 years ago in Spokane: City celebrates Belgium’s war effort

The Royal Belgian Commission – or, “These Brave Men From the Little Land of Heroes” – was scheduled to arrive in Spokane for a visit.

Spokane was doing its utmost to show support for Belgium, which had taken the brunt of some of the worst fighting in the European war.

The commission, which included the Belgian consul, was to be greeted by a fife and drum band and then celebrated with a big parade through downtown.

A mass meeting with speeches at the Spokane Armory would close out the day. The commission also would get an auto tour of Spokane sights.

The commission was coming by train from Chicago and would continue on to the coast.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle’s editorial page said, “They bring to Spokane and the great Pacific country the glad message that despotism is doomed. They bring the sure hope that democracy, liberty and justice cannot perish.”

From the holiday beat: The final toll from Spokane’s Fourth of July celebrations included 12 fires, mostly attributed to “boys and fireworks.” Many of the fires were started by rockets that landed on roofs, or firecrackers thrown on roofs.

There were 21 arrests made, including seven for drunkenness.