100 years ago in Spokane: The city’s ‘dry squad’ busted a posh club and confiscated more than 100 quarts of booze

The police “dry squad” raided one of the poshest clubs in town – the Spokane City Club – and netted five arrests and more than 100 quarts of booze.

The booze was of uncommonly high quality. Police confiscated 10 bottles of champagne and some bottles of cognac and “old wine.”

Among those arrested were a vice president of the Spokane International Railway and the manager of the Spokane City Club.

Some were accused of having liquor in their rooms. In addition, police jimmied open lockers belonging to the club and found stashes of liquor.

From the music beat: The Spokesman-Review gave some backhanded praise to the Spokane Orchestra (one of many precursors to today’s Spokane Symphony) for its concert at the Auditorium Theater.

“The director, Leonardo Brill, worked hard to keep his musicians in hand,” wrote the reviewer. “Sometimes, they needed it, but the general effect was surprisingly good.”

The reviewer concluded by saying that the orchestras is “giving a great deal of pleasure and is doing the community a real service.”

From the sports beat: A local committee of golfers appeared before the city parks board and requested that the size of the Downriver golf links be doubled from nine holes to 18 holes.

They said large numbers of people in the city are “enthusiastic over golf” and more could play if the course was doubled.

On this day

(From Associated Press)

2008: Cuba’s parliament named Raul Castro president, ending nearly 50 years of rule by his brother Fidel.