100 years ago in Spokane: IRS worker explains the income tax

An Internal Revenue Service collector in Spokane attempted to explain the complex rules regarding a relatively recent kind of tax, the federal income tax.

Curtiss W. Waters reminded people that practically every dollar of income must be accounted for.

“Among the things which must be listed are salaries, wages and commissions for personal services, including bonuses, interest received on notes and deposits in banks, including savings banks,” he said.

Also, citizens had to report profits from real estate, stocks, royalty, patents, copyrights and franchises.

Tax forms had to be filed on or before March 15, but authorities suggested people file earlier. IRS deputies were already reporting long lines at their offices in Spokane’s federal building.

From the juvenile beat: A city probation officer warned parents about a new “habit” among boys ages 10 to 16: snooping in vacated homes and stealing anything “which strikes their fancy,” including light fixtures and water faucets.

He said parents needed to caution boys that this would land them in juvenile court. He said the habit began during the flu ban, when boys were out of school and had nothing to keep them occupied.

From the labor beat: One branch of Seattle shipyard workers, the draftsmen, voted to end their strike, and other branches of the metal trades unions were preparing to vote on ending the strike as well. The strike had roiled Seattle for months and was the cause of the short-lived Seattle General Strike.