100 years ago in Spokane: Woman plans to open jitney bus business

From our archives, 100 years ago

Mrs. M.B. Chasse filed for a license to operate a jitney bus business, which would make her the only woman in Spokane in the jitney business.

Mrs. Chasse apparently did not plan to drive the bus herself. She hired her husband to be the licensed driver, and he was preparing to take the license exam.

Another woman, Mrs. W.B. Swain, earlier had a license to operate a jitney, but she had allowed it to lapse after she drove her bus off the road and down a hillside on Sprague Avenue.

Jitney buses were private, for-hire buses or cars.

From the presidential beat: Spokane was preparing for the visit later in the week of Republican presidential candidate Charles Evans Hughes.

Hughes planned on making two speeches in the area, one at Coeur d’Alene’s City Park and the other at an outdoor stadium in Spokane. At first, Hughes’ advance team rejected the idea of a stadium speech, because “open air addresses are likely to cut up the justice’s speaking voice.” However, they finally relented.

Hughes would make both speeches on the second day of his visit. On the first day, a Sunday, he planned to rest from the rigors of his campaign.

The Spokesman-Review predicted that the people of Spokane would like the “courage and candor” of Hughes.