100 years ago in Spokane: Shriners say city ‘a logical place’ for future children’s hospital

Spokane was “practically assured” of acquiring a Shriners children’s hospital, according to a local Shriners official.

During a Shriners hospital trustee’s meeting in Minnesota, Spokane was declared “the logical place” for a hospital in the “northern intermountain country.”

Construction of the proposed 50-bed hospital was expected to begin in early 1923, but the Spokane Daily Chronicle said there was a chance it would be delayed until 1924.

It was, in fact, delayed until 1924 – and it would not be a stand-alone hospital. It opened as a 20-bed wing of St. Luke’s Hospital in November 1924.

It was the seventh Shiners children’s hospital in the U.S. It would move into its own building in 1939.

From the murder beat: Paul Staren, the confessed Wilson Creek slayer, was sentenced to hang on Nov. 10.

He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.

From the bank robbery beat: Bandits robbed the First National Bank of Culdesac, Idaho, for the fourth time in four years.

This time, they only got away with $150. They broke in at night and drilled holes in the safe, but were apparently scared way before they could blow the doors off.

Also on the day

(From onthisday.com)

1778: Captain James Cook anchors at Alaska.

1863: President Abraham Lincoln designates the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

1941: Nazis blow up six synagogues in Paris.

Editor’s note: This column has been updated to reflect the correct year President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving.