The Tragedy of the Tug 'Mogul'
A young seaman from Maine loses his life in the waters of Port Townsend after a fatal fall from his vessel.
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.
Port Townsend, July 17—George Madden, employed as a deck hand on the tug Mogul, fell overboard yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock and was drowned. He was engaged in washing the decks at the time. Every effort was made to save him, but he could not swim and sank before assistance reached him. His brother, who is a mate on the same boat, was compelled to witness the scene without being able to render any assistance. Deceased was a native of Stockton, Maine. He was aged 22 years and was unmarried.
“His brother, who is a mate on the same boat, was compelled to witness the scene without being able to render any assistance.”
Port Townsend remains a vital maritime hub where the hazards of the industry continue to echo. The intersection of local labor, the crushing reality of unexpected maritime accidents, and the close-knit nature of those working the Puget Sound waterways remains a constant, sorrowful thread in the history of Washington’s coastal towns.
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