If Lake Sawyer Mill Company's high lead logging Spar Tree takes the prize for most extreme feat by a high climber, then another local company, Pacific States Lumber in Selleck, pushed the envelope with construction of its logging railroad trestles. Courtesy of the Maple Valley Historical Society, following are two photos taken in the 1920's showing construction of one of their logging railroad trestles.
Can you imagine the high wire act that construction crews had to undertake to build this structure? Note the individual in the top photo walking back to safe ground along a very narrow walkway. A donkey engine was apparently used to power some sort of pile driver and/or perhaps a crane that permitted lifting trestle beams into place.
For more about Pacific States Lumber and Selleck, follow this link to Ken Jensen's article in Black Diamond History - Exploring the Ruins of the Selleck Mill. Some photos of the mill site in Selleck can also be found at Selleck & Pacific States Lumber.
I was told the trestle spanned the Rex River, which flows into Cedar Lake/Chester Morse Lake.
Posted by: Ken Jensen | 03/21/2017 at 07:43 AM
Thanks Ken for the correction!
Posted by: Craig Goodwin | 03/21/2017 at 10:02 AM