According to public records, the total number of residents living in what is now Washington State grew from just 1,201 in 1850 to over 1.1 million by 1910.
Although these records exclude the Native American populace and thus understates the base line, this rate of growth is extraordinary by any measure.
Why and how could this happen? Drought conditions and failed crops in the Midwest, government incentives and a high rate of immigration into the country all played a role. But at it's core, we can look to the amazing brew created by the combination of railroads, coal and timber. All three were essential ingredients fueling the fire. The history of the railroads during this period is fascinating and well worth one's time to read up on. Two particularly good articles that help to understand the role of coal and the railroads here in Black Diamond include Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad by PacificNG.org and When Newcastle Coal Was Young by Black Diamond History.
But railroads and coal also needed timber to succeed. Timber to build the railroads and provide freight revenue from customers in the east. Timber to help build the mines. Without the railroads and mines, however, northwest timber had limited market potential.
Now a quiz. What did the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad ship first - coal from Black Diamond and Franklin or logs? Following are two photos showing the first logs being shipped on the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad in 1880.
Photo courtesy Seattle Public Library, circa 1880
The first log train apparently used the same tracks as those used for taking coal from Newcastle to the bunkers in Seattle - except the log train locomotive was grass powered and not steam powered.
Photo courtesy Seattle Public Library, circa 1880
For the record, the first coal train from Black Diamond, consisting of 40 rail cars, was not transported by the Columbia & Puget Sound railroad to the coal docks in Seattle until 1884.
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