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100 years ago in Spokane: A fiery crash on the Division Street bridge showed ‘what a couple of drinks will do’

 (S-R archives)

A “couple of drinks” caused mayhem and panic on the Division Street bridge.

A gasoline tanker truck driven by George Deal was southbound on the bridge when Deal “turned directly in front of the northbound Astor streetcar.”

The streetcar slammed into the side of the truck, shoving it 40 feet.

“Almost immediately the (gasoline) truck burst into flames,” The Spokesman-Review wrote. “… The flames spread rapidly and in a few seconds the front of the streetcar was ablaze.”

The streetcar passengers were understandably panicked, but the motorman, “with admirable coolness,” ushered them to safety through the emergency door. No passengers were injured or burned.

A passenger in the truck was not so lucky. He was tangled in the wreckage, badly injured and threatened by the spreading flames. Fortunately, the tanker was empty at the time, and the flames were fed only by its own gas tank. The passenger was extricated, although his leg was amputated at the hospital.

The driver suffered minor injuries.

“See what a couple of drinks will do?” he said to the officers while awaiting treatment.

From the movie beat: Movie star Louise Lovely (yes, that was her stage name) was in Spokane to make an appearance at the Liberty Theater.

She was also going to give several girls in the audience a chance to become movie actresses themselves.

An ad declared that she would select several young ladies to “assist her in the making of a fairy story,” which would be filmed and shown on screen the next week.

“Here’s your chance, girls!” the ad said.

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