The Mysterious Disappearance of A. I. Cecil
A local wood-cutter vanishes into the dark waters of Puget Sound, leaving only a missing boat and unanswered questions.
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.
A few days ago we published a statement about A. I. Cecil, who lived and did business at Alki Point. He with a partner cut cordwood for sale to steamboats. December 29th he came to Seattle in their boat, a skiff capable of carrying 200 bushels of charcoal or three tons weight. He was seen here New Year's eve, and has not been seen since. Neither has the boat. What has become of him is a question of deep interest to his friends. The Post-Intelligencer called on Captain Grant of a passing steamer, who reported: 'When off Alki Point, about 5:30 p.m., I noticed some large object immediately in front of the steamer. I threw the wheel hard over and reversed the engines. It was dark, but I could see the outlines of a skiff. The steamer was under such headway that we went by the skiff like a flash. I heard a muffled cry, and that was all. No person was seen, and no boat has since been heard from.'
“It was dark, but I could see the outlines of a skiff. The steamer was under such headway that we went by the skiff like a flash.”
Disappearances in the Salish Sea were often treated with a matter-of-fact grimness in the 1880s, reflecting the isolation of small-time wood-cutters living on the Sound. It serves as a reminder of how the water was both a primary highway and a frequent, silent grave for those working its margins.
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