Drowning of John Bright
A tragic case of accidental drowning in Puget Sound leaves a man dead and his belongings recovered.
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.
The body of John Bright, one of two men missing since last Sunday and supposed to be drowned, was picked up on the beach near McDonald & Alltee's sawmill. Coroner Boat held an inquest, where it was found that the deceased was a native of Massachusetts, 40 years of age, and that he came to his death by accidental drowning. Thirty dollars in gold and forty-five cents in silver were found in his pockets. He will be buried today in the undertaking room of G. C. Stoney.
“It was found that he came to his death by accidental drowning.”
In the 1880s, the dangerous reality of working on and around the Puget Sound waterfront led to frequent, often overlooked, maritime fatalities. Today, accidental drownings remain a tragic part of life in a city defined by its water access.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.