100 years ago today in Spokane: 30 new whooping cough cases in 1 day

Spokane’s whooping cough epidemic was reaching serious proportions.

In one day, 30 new cases were reported.

Sufferers of the disease were now banned from streetcars and railway passenger trains. One child from Montana contracted whooping cough while visiting Spokane, and the city health officer refused to allow the child take the train back home.

Regulations were already in place barring children under eight from “churches, schools, theaters, picnics and other places of assembly.”

These rules were playing havoc with many families’ plans for the Fourth of July.

From the labor beat: Coeur d’Alene citizens held a mass meeting and decided to take up arms in response to the Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies) menace.

The sheriff swore in 150 “special deputies” and 30 “special police officers” and he said he will swear in more if needed. These special officers included many “leading laboring men and merchants.” They have been divided into squads and the sheriff authorized them to arm themselves.

The meeting was prompted by a rumor that the Wobblies were planning to bring “scores of men from Spirit Lake, where they have a camp.”