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A Tragic Waterfront End

A Seattle iron worker perishes in Everett harbor after a night of drinking.

The story, cleaned up

A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.

Everett, March 13.—The body of Nicholas Smith, of Seattle, who was drowned in the bay on Saturday evening, was recovered last night. As the body had only been in the water a few hours it was easily identified. When last seen he was under the influence of liquor, and it is supposed that he stumbled and fell off the dock. An inquest was called by Coroner McClellan and the verdict given was 'accidental drowning.' Deceased leaves a wife in Seattle and was employed at the Sumner Iron Works. No one could be found here last night who knew Nicholas Smith and his family could not be located.

“When last seen he was under the influence of liquor, and it is supposed that he stumbled and fell off the dock.”

— Printed in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893
Then · 1893133 years apartNow · 2026

This tragic incident reflects the dangers of the early Seattle-area waterfronts, which were often poorly lit and treacherous for workers. Today, the industrial history of Everett and Seattle waterfronts remains a significant part of the regional landscape, though modern safety regulations and urban development have drastically changed the environment of the docks.

The original page

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-14. Library of Congress, Chronicling America.

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About this story

From
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, MAR 14, 1893, Page 2
Rights
Public domain
Place
47.97934, -122.21270 · placed automatically
The paper in the Library of Congress catalog ↗