The Sad Mystery of 'Kanaka Joe'
A man who drowned in Elliott Bay is identified as a former hospital patient known as 'Kanaka Joe' from the Sandwich Islands.
The man found back of the Lilmore block has been identified as a native of the Sandwich Islands named John Puloke. Coroner Dawson, learning that the Sisters of Charity at Providence Hospital could throw light on the recent drowning, proceeded to the hospital and learned his history. He worked in the sawmills in Port Gamble until 1884, when he came to Providence Hospital for treatment. He had been suffering for weeks and was completely broken down with disease. He had sought aid from the County Commissioners to go to California, thinking the sulfur springs would work a cure, but he did not receive aid. Despondent, he was seen on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 8th, and drowned that night. He had been seen by witnesses throwing a rope at the time of the drowning, but his strength gave out before help could reach him.
“He was asked if he could hang on until they got a small boat around to him, but his reply was indistinct on account of his failing senses.”
This story highlights the lack of a social safety net for laborers and immigrants in early Seattle, a theme that persists as the city grapples with the health and housing needs of its most vulnerable residents. It captures the reality of the 1880s: if you couldn't work the mills, you were left entirely to the charity of religious orders.
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