100 years ago in Spokane: The city’s big streetcar merger was complete, putting an end to a confusing era of dueling lines

The new Spokane United Railways streetcar system was declared complete, after the final three streetcar routes were folded into the system.

For the first time, passengers would be able to use one streetcar system to get anywhere in the city.

Up until then, Spokane had a confusing combination of two competing streetcar lines – The Washington Water Power Company’s system and the Spokane Traction Company’s.

Those two systems were consolidated by public referendum, following years of wrangling. It took months to get all of the routes and tracks connected, but now that work was completed.

New schedules under the Spokane United Railways banner were now in effect.

From the court beat: Police arrested another woman, Mabel Hedges, in connection with the upcoming Maurice Codd perjury trial.

Hedges was placed under $1,000 bond to guarantee her appearance at the trial.

“Mabel Hedges is wanted to corroborate the testimony of Beatrice Sant, who had turned state’s evidence and is to be the star witness of the case,” The Spokesman-Review wrote.

More than a dozen witnesses and attorneys were slated to stand trial on charges that they lied during the murder trial, or solicited others to lie.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1951: “I Love Lucy,” starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, debuts on CBS.