100 years ago in Spokane: Throngs fill downtown Spokane streets on Independence Day

Thousands thronged the downtown streets for an Independence Day street dance and pageant. “Hotels report every room filled,” the Spokane Daily Chronicle said.

Meanwhile, thousands were attending a big horse-racing meet at the fairgrounds. Plenty of other sporting contests also were taking place during the day: golf tournaments at the Spokane Country Club and the Hayden Lake course, a junior rifle shoot at Fort Wright and a tennis tournament at various Spokane courts.

Natatorium Park was, as usual, jammed. A fireworks display was planned later in the day.

Officials were expecting a relatively quiet day for fireworks, in general, since the supply of powder was limited because of the war.

However, another story on the front page indicated the U.S. would still have its usual alarming quota of fireworks-related injuries. In San Francisco, five boys sneaked into a fireworks warehouse, planning to steal some firecrackers. One of the boys dropped a lit match.

Three of the boys were killed by the ensuing explosion.