100 years ago in Spokane: ‘Tile house’ a total loss after fire

A fire raged through the main building of the Washington Brick, Lime and Sewer Pipe Co. in Dishman.

The four-story structure, used as a drying house for tile, was a a total loss. The fire was discovered in the elevator shaft, and before long flames were “shooting almost to the roof.”

“Nothing untoward in the origin of the fire is suspected by company officials,” said the paper.

From the accident beat: A 5-year-old boy found his father’s .38-caliber revolver in a drawer. In “childish innocence,” he pointed the gun at his 2-year-old brother, and shot him dead. The parents were reported as “prostrated.”

From the army beat: Another 61 men from Spokane County were called up by the draft board and told to be ready to depart within days for American Lake (Camp Lewis, later named Fort Lewis). Thousands of soldiers were already training there.

From the food beat: Nearly 10,000 people in Spokane had already signed “Hoover food conservation” pledge cards.

They pledged to cut back on meat, sugar and other scarce food items as a contribution to the war effort. Pledge drive officials said the response was so strong that they were having trouble keeping up with the demand for cards.