This day in history: Sewage was coming to the Spokane River – on purpose

From 1975: Raw sewage would be “unavoidably” dumped directly into the Spokane River over a five-day period, said Spokane’s utilities director.

Why?

Because the city’s sewage disposal plant was being upgraded, and construction had entered a critical phase in which “a complete bypass (was) necessary for a short period of time.” He said the city had known this would be necessary when the plant’s modification began.

“A new flow pattern must be provided and a new measuring device must be installed,” he said.

A permit for “temporary modification of the water quality criteria” had been issued by the state Department of Ecology. A department official said the discharge would create “a very visual short-term impact,” but agreed that there was no alternative.

From 1925: Isador “Izzy” Edelstein, the alleged master safecracker in the Paulsen Building caper, had $3,500 in travelers checks, $900 in cash, a $500 watch and $2,500 in diamonds in his pockets when arrested.

A Spokane attorney was now starting proceedings to recover some of that money. He said members of his family lost Liberty bonds and diamonds in the theft from the Paulsen building’s vaults. He filed a $1,000 “garnishment action against Edelstein.”

Edelstein, meanwhile, claimed that he could prove he was not even in Spokane at the time of the Paulsen burglaries.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1957: USSR launches Sputnik I, the first satellite, into low Earth orbit.