50 years ago in Expo history: Buzz around the fair was so strong that officials were asking for help getting enough gas for people to drive here amid a shortage

Expo ’74 officials were nervous that the gasoline shortage would discourage tourists from making the trek to Spokane. So they were sending a written request to federal officials asking for an increased gas allocation for Spokane.

Expo general manager Petr Spurney was sending the request to Washington Gov. Dan Evans, who was expected to forward it to the Federal Energy Office.

“There is no reason in the world to think we wouldn’t get it,” Spurney said.

He called gasoline availability “a manageable problem.”

Yet having a good supply of gas in Spokane would still leave a larger problem unsolved: getting motorists from all over the country to Spokane.

From 100 years ago: Posses had given up on ever finding Ephrata murder suspect Owen Hudson alive – but then word came from Pasco that the alleged triple-murderer had been arrested there.

A Northern Pacific worker said he knew Hudson and recognized him on the street, posing as Joe Houston.

Another man said he thought he recognized him as well, but he was “not positive in his identification.” The suspect denied he was Owen Hudson and denied any knowledge of the crime. He said he had been in Walla Walla all winter.

Also on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1923: Howard Carter opens the inner burial chamber of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb and finds the sarcophagus. Tut died at the age of 18 circa 1322 B.C.