100 years ago in Spokane: a talking skull, a disembodied voice, and a phantom-like doll terrified a correspondent until he learned the science behind the tricks

One correspondent was shocked by what he saw at the Big Electric Show, a six-day exhibition in Spokane.

A skull resting on a black plinth asked him “the time of day” and asked how the correspondent “liked the show”.

In another corridor, an apparatus seemed to “distill as many knockout drops of moonlight as one could wish for”.

In another hallway, a Kewpie doll appeared to be shaking and shaking – but when he grabbed the doll, it did not move at all.

Finally, an exhibition guide explained everything.

The skull spoke through a novel use of the “cordless telephone”.

The “still” distilled water for use in batteries, not moonshine.

The Kewpie doll “flickered” due to an optical illusion through cleverly arranged light.

The “wireless telephone” also caused a sensation at the beginning of the show.

Mayor Charles Fleming remotely delivered his opening address from the offices of the Western Electric Company.

“Mayor Fleming’s voice could be heard clearly in every corner of the large exhibition space and his words were loud and clear.”

This indicated that the radio age was just around the corner in 1921. Amateur radios capable of recording music “broadcast by the San Francisco wireless phone” were on display.

Most of the exhibition was dedicated to the presentation of labor-saving devices such as washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners.