This day in history: Couple dies after vehicle falls over Monroe Street Bridge

From 1974: A Spokane couple died when their car veered through a railing in the middle of the Monroe Street Bridge and smashed into the riverbank 135 feet below.

Lois Ratay died on impact. Mark Ratay, 26, died while fire personnel attempted to extract him from the crushed car.

Witnesses said the car was traveling about 25 mph at 9:30 p.m. when it suddenly spun around in a circle, crossed the centerline and smashed through the concrete railing. Some witnesses thought the car might have hit a patch of ice, but investigators said there was no evidence of significant icing on the bridge.

Mark Ratay was a Gonzaga Law School student and Lois Ratay worked for an insurance firm.

From 1924: What did Spokane’s needy families want most for Christmas?

Jobs.

That’s what the head of the local Social Service bureau said. “Scores of family heads” were unemployed in Spokane.

“This class prefers to be able to help themselves rather than be dependent upon out-and-out charity,” he said. “Employment of a family head is permanent relief for the family.”

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1868: The first traffic lights are installed outside the Palace of Westminster in London. Resembling railway signals, they use semaphore arms and are illuminated at night by red and green gas lamps.

1941: Adolf Hitler orders U.S. ships to be torpedoed three days before declaring war on the U.S.