100 years ago in Spokane: Famous dancer to bring troupe to town

The Isadora Duncan Dancers, trained by the famous (and soon to be notorious) Duncan, were coming to Spokane’s Auditorium Theater in a month, the Spokane Daily Chronicle reported.

The six-member troupe, along with pianist George Copeland, were “regarded as among the most artistic and refined of dancing attractions,” the Chronicle said.

“The six girls interpret by pose and gesture the emotions aroused in them by Mr. Copeland’s renditions of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Schubert and Gluck,” said the paper. “The six were chosen by Miss Duncan from 100 of her pupils, and their individualities have been developed by her to a high degree of perfection. Although the eldest is 21, all have worked with their teacher for 14 years.”

Duncan was already one of the most famous dancers in the world. Within a few years she would also be famous for her unconventional love life, communist sympathies and risqué performances.

From the aviation beat: A four-plane hangar was near completion at the Symons-Russell airfield east of Spokane, and owners were calling it the “Aviation Station.” It had refueling and repair facilities and amenities for “air visitors,” the Chronicle reported.

In other words, it had the rudiments of what we would call an airport.

It should be a “big drawing card for air visitors,” the owner said.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1889: The first jukebox made its debut in San Francisco, at the Palais Royale Saloon.