The Tragedy of the Skykomish Logger: A Life Cut Short by a Single Log
In the dangerous world of early 20th-century logging, James Magher’s fatal accident serves as a grim reminder of the perilous conditions faced by workers in Snohomish County's timber camps.
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.
James Magher, a young man employed at the logging camp of Mr. Charles Shannon on the Skykomish River, was so unfortunate as to cut his foot fatally on the 27th.
Nearby, W. P. Stevens and W. Stevens, formerly from Omaha, Nebraska, while at work in the logging camp of Mr. William Hawkins at Fiddler's Green, had his left leg badly fractured by a falling tree. Both the unfortunate men were brought to town and are receiving treatment and care. With good prospects of a favorable and speedy recovery.
In another incident last Monday morning, the Blackman Bros., who are doing an extensive logging business here by means of a railroad and car drawn by four large mules, met with quite an accident. It appears that they stopped the car on a small down grade for some purpose, and the teamster in order to assist the animals in starting used a lever at the wheel, when the car started much faster than usual, and before he could reach the brake the team ran away. Speeding along under a full head of steam they finally came to a short curve in the road when the car jumped the track, and stopping suddenly threw the logs forward with such force as to strike one of the mules killing him instantly. The damage to the car was slight.
The logging industry was the economic backbone of Snohomish County for decades, but it came at a high human cost. James Magher’s death in 1907 highlights the lack of safety regulations that would later be established by OSHA and other bodies. Today, while logging is still dangerous, modern equipment and strict safety protocols have significantly reduced the frequency of such fatal accidents, though the industry remains one of the most hazardous in the world.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.