50 years ago in Expo history: A ‘railroad hotel village’? It was just the latest ‘Ideas for Expo’ suggestion that was a hit with the editors

An intriguing suggestion came up in The Spokesman-Review’s “Ideas for Expo” column: Why not create a “Railroad Hotel Village” in Spokane’s nearby railyard?

“Sleeping cars could be brought in, hooked up and lighted, to establish a practical Railroad Hotel Village for travelers,” he wrote. “The road bed could be covered with white rock, and potted trees could be paralleled to the track at both sides.” This reader noted that people had previously suggested a “tent city” to house visitors during Expo ’74’s peak season, but he felt this was a far better idea.

The “Ideas for Expo” editors agreed, noting that there were probably “thousands of fine old Pullman cars” sitting unused along railroad sidings in the U.S.

But this was an idea that would never depart from the station.

From 100 years ago: The Union Oil Co. had options on three blocks on the east side of the city and had plans “to make Spokane one of its big distribution centers for the Northwest.”

It planned to build “numerous storage tanks, a two-story headquarters building, and a string of service stations.” The exact location had not been disclosed.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1918: Leon Trotsky declares that Russia is leaving World War I.

1954: President Dwight Eisenhower warns against U.S. intervention in Vietnam.

1996: IBM chess-playing computer Deep Blue becomes first computer to win a game of chess against a reigning chess champion, Garry Kasparov.