100 years ago in Spokane: Francis H. Cook, integral to the creations Mount Spokane State Park and Manito Park, dies at 69

Francis H. Cook, a key name in Spokane’s history, died at age 69 after a long bout with cancer.

His death was front-page news, because Cook’s accomplishments were far-reaching:

• He was the publisher of the city’s first newspaper, the Spokan Times, in 1878. His opinions were often controversial – he was once attacked by two gun-toting antagonists in his office.

• He was the owner of the city’s first motorized streetcar line, to the area on the South Hill known as Cook’s Addition.

• He had dreams of creating a beautiful park on the South Hill. A large part of his former land would eventually become Manito Park.

• He purchased most of Mt. Spokane in 1908, built a road to the summit, and was the driving force behind its eventual designation as a state park.

• He and his wife, Laura, were among the founders of Spokane’s First Presbyterian Church.

His funeral services were to be held at that same church.

From the entertainment beat: The Auditorium Theater was hosting a touring production of a show titled “The Bootleggers.”

It promised “Pep – Fun – Girls” and a “Glorious Chorus of Singing Beauties.”

The subtitle was: “A Musical Cocktail With a Kick.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1971: The Supreme Court ruled, 6-3, that the government could not prevent the New York Times or the Washington Post from publishing the Pentagon Papers.