100 years ago: Spokane’s Santa Clauses deliver 250,000 items in 1 day

The Spokesman-Review identified two men who ought to be given the unofficial title of “the Santa Claus of Spokane.”

That would be either Thomas Smith, Spokane’s postmaster, or J.E. Daniels, deputy collector of customs.

Why?

Because together they oversaw the distribution of 250,000 presents or greeting cards on one day alone, Dec. 22.

They handled more than 18,000 parcels. Another huge delivery was expected to arrive by train the next day.

“We’ll put on a big clean-up drive Monday,” said the postmaster. “We expect to have about 20 extra carriers, while the regular carriers will work overtime. … We want to have all parcels out of the way on Christmas Eve because the carriers and workers are going to have their Christmas dinners in their homes.”

Parcels came from Canada, England, Ireland, Germany and other far-flung places.

From the movie beat: Pedestrians on Riverside Avenue had to “plow through youngsters knee-deep” to get to the Liberty Theater.

The kids were there to see child star Jackie Coogan in the movie “Circus Days,” in which he played Toby Tyler. (Coogan would go on to play Uncle Fester in “The Addams Family” in the 1960s.)

“Everybody has a lingering love for Toby Tyler,” said The S-R’s movie reviewer. “… He could not come to life in any more adorable person than in Jackie. Jackie still continues to wrap himself about your heart in rags of raiment. … ‘Circus Days’ is a perfect picture for youngsters.”