The Lost Cook of Lowell
A camp cook vanished from the logging woods near Snohomish, leaving behind his belongings and fueling local rumors of desertion or death.
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.
Mr. John Ross was in town last Sunday, from whom we learn the following concerning a man by the name of Joseph La Mox, who had been cooking for Mr. E. D. Smith, of Lowell. La Mox had previously been employed as cook in the camp of J. & A. Ross, and when discharged from the services of Mr. Smith, he again came to Mr. Ross. When Mr. J. Ross returned to camp at noon of the third day, he found his wife getting dinner for the men, and she informed him that La Mox was last seen going down the trail leading to Mr. Afflick's saloon at half-past seven o'clock that morning. Mr. Ross immediately went down to Afflick's place, but they had seen nothing of the man there. The camp was also robbed of some $30 and a revolver; but suspicion rests on other parties than La Mox, he having gone away, wearing everything but pants and shirt, he having a good hat and plenty of clothes in the house. The supposition is that something has befallen the man, or perhaps, becoming demented, has put out his own light. It is now some three weeks since the man disappeared, and although Mr. Ross has made every inquiry, no clue to his whereabouts can be obtained.
“The supposition is that something has befallen the man, or perhaps, becoming demented, has put out his own light.”
Disappearances in the isolated logging camps of the 19th-century Snohomish Valley were often difficult to resolve. The language used reflects the period's lack of mental health resources and the precarious nature of labor in the timber industry.
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