A Tragic Search for a Missing Brother
A young man rides out on horseback to attend his sister’s funeral in Seattle, only to vanish into the frozen wilderness of the Territory.
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.
On February 1st Miss Hattie McGrane died at St. Mary's Hospital in this city of diphtheria, and the sad news was immediately telegraphed to her parents, who reside in Lewiston. The parents decided that, as the boats were not running, it would be better for their son Frank, aged about 24 years, to come to this city and attend the funeral. Accordingly, Frank McGrane started for this city on the 1st inst. mounted on horseback. From the time that youth McGrane crossed Snake River he has not been seen or heard of. His friends in Lewiston and this city are fearful that he was overcome by the cold, and laid down to rest and there perished. It is understood that parties will immediately leave Lewiston in search of him.
“His friends in Lewiston and this city are fearful that he was overcome by the cold, and laid down to rest and there perished.”
This story highlights the deadly reality of pre-highway travel in Washington. In an era before reliable transit, a simple trip across the state for a funeral could turn into a life-or-death gamble against the weather.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.