This day in history: Smoker on state health board was criticized as board considered public smoking ban

From 1975: Roger James, a Spokane member of the Washington State Board of Health, was in trouble for blowing smoke – metaphorically – in people’s faces.

One of his fellow board members quoted him as saying that “he resents not being able to smoke cigars on airplanes and that he wants to be able to blow cigar smoke in the faces of cigarette smokers.”

This was a provocative statement, especially since the board was grappling with a controversial decision over whether to ban smoking in public places.

One of his fellow board members, from Seattle, wrote a letter to the governor asking that James be removed from the board.

James, who was also the Spokane Utilities Director, responded by saying that nonsmokers should not “necessarily be the only objective people in considering a regulation covering smoking in public.”

For 1925: An ambitious plan was finally abandoned to create a “combined auditorium and stadium” on the west side of downtown Spokane between Riverside and Main avenues. The site was just west of the current Riverfalls Tower Apartments and east of Cedar Street,

Downtown business men had come to the decision that “the proposed site was too costly from an auditorium construction point of view and that the time was not ripe for such a venture.”

The group decided to look more closely at alternative plans, including a plan to buy a new new site next to Glover Field and expand the existing stadium there.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1792: U.S. Postal Service created, with postage 6-12 cents depending on distance.

1962: John Glenn becomes first American to orbit the Earth.