A Sudden End in the Woods
A young immigrant worker killed by a falling limb near Seattle highlights the perils of early logging.
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.
William Brock, a young man recently from the East, while working in the woods for Forest Island, was struck by a falling limb on Tuesday evening and instantly killed. He was a half-brother of Mr. Al. Marshall, of this city, and spoken of as a steady, industrious young man, who came to the Territory about six weeks ago. His remains were brought to Seattle by the steamer Wash. and given a Christian burial.
“He was a steady, industrious young man, who came to the Territory about six weeks ago.”
Logging has always been the backbone—and the greatest peril—of the Pacific Northwest. This brief obituary reflects the transient nature of the workforce in 1883, as newcomers arrived seeking fortunes only to face the lethal reality of the timber industry.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.