50 years ago in Expo history: The fair’s unsung heroes were celebrated, and California was an unexpected bust for a pavilion

A reporter for the Spokane Daily Chronicle walked through the Expo ’74 grounds and talked to the workers rushing to get the fair ready for the May 4 opening.

What did the workers think about the project?

“Well, I’ve seen a desolate junkyard turn into a wonderful site,” said Bob Plummer, 27, a carpenter. “I can say I’m proud to have had a part of it.”

He added that he and the other construction people were happy to be recognized for their hard work, because “sometimes the big brass of this thing don’t shine too much light our way.”

Trucks and tractors were swarming Canada Island, planting trees and bushes and laying down bark for ground cover. Other workers were assembling exhibits.

In other Expo news, word arrived that California would not have an Expo ’74 exhibit. California had reserved about 1,000 square feet in the Pavilion of States, but the funding never came through.

From 100 years ago: The hunt was on for forgery suspect S.F. Maddux, who had made not one, not two, but three daring escapes from the law.

The first came when a detective tried to arrest Maddux at the Galax Hotel, where he was an elevator operator. He slammed the elevator gate shut, ran the car to the top of the building and went down a fire escape. The second came when detectives went to his room at the Pacific Hotel. He escaped through a window and went down another fire escape.

The third – and most spectacular – escape came the next day, when private detectives found him at another hotel room. Maddux threw mattresses and a pillow out the window, as if to jump. Instead, he took detectives by surprise by suddenly throwing open the door, brandishing a pistol. He forced them into a closet and locked them in.

Then he skedaddled down another fire escape and vanished.