100 years ago in Spokane: Teen girl saves teen boy from waters of Liberty Lake

Helen Goldblatt, 13, was on the shore of Liberty Lake when she heard a cry for help.

She turned and saw Arthur Shelton, 18, struggling in the water and waving his arms frantically. Arthur had been attempting to swim from a raft to the shore, but couldn’t make it.

Helen, a strong swimmer, dived in and swam to the drowning boy. He went under briefly, but she caught hold of him and brought him to the surface. She was “forced to struggle some time before starting for the raft, as the boy was panic-stricken and tried to pull her under the water.”

Finally, she managed to make headway toward the raft, with the boy in tow. A friend of hers rowed a boat toward the pair. Helen grabbed hold of an oar and the two girls were able to help the boy over the side.

He was unhurt, but utterly exhausted and “it was nearly two hours before his strength was restored.”

Helen was credited with saving his life.

From the fire beat: A three-story home on First Avenue in Browne’s Addition was damaged by a fire that started in either the roof or the attic.

Firefighters from four stations converged and extinguished the fire. Damage was estimated at $5,000, but most of the house remained intact.

It remains intact today. It is the Campbell House, a well-known Spokane tourist attraction and part of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1889: The Wall Street Journal was first published.