This day in history: A Spokane sewage dump sparked massive contamination jump in river; worker injured in electrical accident

From 1975: Stay out of the Spokane River! Don’t even touch it!

That was the message issued by the Washington Department of Ecology after the city dumped raw sewage into the river.

Sampling revealed “contamination levels 100 times above normal.”

This long-planned discharge was made necessary, according to city officials, because of new improvements being constructed at the treatment plant.

The city “regretted having to dump raw sewage into the river but had no other viable alternative.”

Residents were warned not to enter the river – or even come in contact with the water – for the next several days at least. Nobody was certain how long it would take until the water was safe. A visual survey of the river showed that it appeared relatively clear, “with the exception of a few floating prophylactics.”

Meanwhile, a group of residents living downstream was considering a lawsuit.

From 1925: W.L. Myers, a workman at the Central Heating Co. in Spokane was atop a heating plant, pushing sawdust down the chimney with a long steel rod.

Then he made a painful mistake. He lifted the rod and touched a high -voltage wire above his head.

He was immediately knocked down, with severe burns throughout his body. His socks and one shoe were burned off.

He was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital, where an attending physician said “there is a chance for the man’s recovery.” The next day doctors said he was out of danger.