50 years ago in Expo history: The fair was only three months off, and the pressure was palpably mounting

The calendar showed only three more months before Expo ’74, and general manager Petr Spurney said to the fair’s board, “We’re operating at maximum speed, although we must go faster.”

He noted the “frightening” fact that there were only two more board meetings before opening day. He said he and his staff were keeping the “lights burning late.”

Days earlier, he had been full of optimism. Construction was on schedule, and the budget was balanced. Still, he and the rest of the staff were feeling the pressure in attempting to pull off a World’s Fair in the smallest city ever.

He noted, for instance, that 120 truckloads of exhibit hardware had yet to arrive for the Soviet Union’s large pavilion. They were still on the way from Vladivostok.

From 100 years ago: Spokane observed two minutes of silence in tribute to former President Woodrow Wilson, who died three days earlier.

This silent homage had been organized by a committee chaired by the mayor.

“Spokane’s two minutes of silence blended off into a greater observance of the sad occasion that was taking place in Washington D.C., where a quiet family funeral service was being held, as thousands lined the streets.”

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1899: The Spanish-American War ends; peace treaty ratified by the U.S. Senate.

1952: Queen Elizabeth II succeeds King George VI to the British throne and is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand.