Chehalis Logger Minor Martin Drowns in River Crossing
A logger attempts to cross a swollen, rapid river in a damaged boat and drowns, leaving behind a family.
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.
Minor Martin, a logger in the employ of Luedinghaus Bros. of Chehalis, was drowned in the Chehalis river, near Dryad, this morning. He attempted to cross the river, which was high and rough, in a dilapidated boat partly filled with water. The boat struck a rock or snag and was overturned. Martin was an excellent swimmer but seems to have been seized with a cramp. He sank and was quickly carried out of sight of his companions on the bank. A party went from Chehalis at noon to search for his body. Martin was about 30 years old and had resided there for several years. He leaves a wife and three children.
“The boat struck a rock or snag and was overturned. Martin was an excellent swimmer but seems to have been seized with a cramp.”
Rivers like the Chehalis remain central to the region’s geography and logging history, though modern safety standards and infrastructure make such transport accidents much rarer today than in the late 19th century.
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