This day in history: Struggling Spokane Valley zoo looked for big donors. New group formed for veterans of Indian Wars

From 1976: The Walk in the Wild Zoo in Spokane Valley had become an endangered species, so to speak, which prompted about 30 people to form a committee to save the zoo from extinction.

They wanted to keep the fledgling zoo open and “not lose the momentum that has picked up over the years.”

This was prompted by remarks from the president of the Inland Empire Zoological Society, who recommended closing the zoo and returning the site near Mirabeau Park to its owner. He said the society was $10,000 in debt and all funding efforts had failed

“We could close at this point without anyone getting hurt,” he said.

In other news, Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson announced that he was dropping his presidential campaign after some disappointing primary results. He added, however, that he would “remain available” if the party decided to turn to him.

From 1926: A Spokane man announced that he was forming an organization “for veterans of Indian wars living in the state of Washington.”

He said he expected “25 Indian fighters to attend the meeting.”

It was unclear whether the association would accept veterans from both sides of the Indian wars.

But he did say his group planned to attend a commemoration ceremony at the Little Big Horn battlefield, which would be attended by “2,500 Indians, four regiments of the Seventh Cavalry and many former Indian fighters.”

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1840: “Penny Black,” the world’s first adhesive postage stamp is issued by the United Kingdom.