J. M. Colman
Named in 22 stories. Back to all names
- Oct 28, 1876The Man Who Would Build His Own LocomotivesIn 1876, Seattle industrialist J.M. Colman rejected foreign machinery in favor of local manufacturing, predicting a self-sufficient Pacific Northwest within five years.Seattle, WA
- Nov 4, 1876Twelve Miles Down, Twelve to Go: Seattle Bets on a Railroad to the Coal FieldsStockholders reorganized the Seattle and Walla Walla road, re-elected their officers, and then turned on the subscribers who have not paid their bonds — because twenty-four miles of track would open the Cedar River coal and the valley's bottom land.Seattle, WA
- Jan 6, 1877The Iron Horse and the Muddy Streets of SeattleWhile the shipping of Talbot coal promises a bright economic future, the city's infrastructure remains stuck in the mud, waiting for the arrival of the railroad.Seattle waterfront, Seattle, WA
- Jul 27, 1878The Rails That Built SeattleCivic leaders convene to expand the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad, the ambitious line designed to link the growing city to the bounty of the east.Renton, Seattle, WA
- Aug 31, 1878The City That 'Surprised' the Supreme CourtA Seattle editor's fiery defense of the city's potential, calling out San Francisco's economic blockade of Puget Sound.Seattle, WA
- Nov 23, 1880The Decades-Long Battle Over Yesler’s MillA landmark legal struggle over the future of Seattle’s foundational sawmill reaches a tense standoff in the courts.Seattle, WA
- Jan 18, 1885The Boomtown Ledger: Seattle’s Economic Surge in 1884A detailed survey of Seattle’s rapid 1884 expansion reveals a city bristling with new brick blocks, bustling steam mills, and a skyline reaching toward its future.Opera House, Seattle
- Feb 28, 1886Brutal Murder of Two SettlersA Canadian man and his sons arrested for the cold-blooded killing of two men traveling to Seattle to provide evidence in a murder case.Seattle, WA
- Nov 11, 1886The Trial of George Miller: A Chilling Murder InvestigationA brutal double murder on Lake Washington shocks the city as testimony reveals the harrowing details of the arrest and the suspect's behavior in custody.Lake Washington, Seattle, WA
- Apr 18, 1889The Pioneer Spirit and the Building of SeattleA look at the ambitious civic development of Seattle's Front Street and the men behind its early transformation into a modern business hub.Seattle, WA
- Oct 6, 1892The Canal Scandal: A Fabricated List of Prominent BackersThe Post-Intelligencer accuses the Seattle Telegraph of inventing a list of wealthy citizens and firms to support a private canal scheme.Lake Washington Ship Canal, Seattle, WA
- Mar 17, 1893The Water Works Water-Pump FiascoPublic officials scrambled to hide that the new city water pump was 'pounding' and breaking down, just as citizens were losing faith in the entire system.Lake Washington, Seattle, WA
- Jun 15, 1893Creosote Fire in North SeattleA spectacular industrial explosion at a wood-preserving plant in North Seattle raises alarms about the city's inadequate fire infrastructure.Harrison Street, Seattle, WA
- Nov 22, 1893The Endless Track DisputeA four-year legal battle over the 'Ram's Horn' railroad tracks continues to stall city development between Columbia and Marion streets.Seattle, WA
- Dec 8, 1893The Waterfront Right-of-Way WarProminent developer J. M. Colman seeks to block a railroad from cutting through his prime real estate, claiming the company forfeited its right-of-way by price-gouging.Colman Building, Seattle
- Jan 24, 1894The Waterfront Tracks FightA legal stalemate over rail access between Columbia and Marion Streets keeps the city's waterfront in suspense.Seattle, WA
- Feb 14, 1894The Waterfront Tug-of-War (Feb 14, 1894)A legal stalemate halts railroad track expansion as property owners fight for their land rights.Seattle, WA
- Feb 15, 1894Railroad War on the WaterfrontA bitter legal battle over a disputed right-of-way erupts into accusations of perjury in court as railroad crews prepare to tear down a local businessman’s building.Seattle, WA
- Feb 17, 1894The Last-Second Injunction That Saved a Seattle Building From the RailroadJudge Langley cleared the way for demolition, then a federal mortgage-holder's suit stopped the axes at the Colman block.Seattle, WA
- Jun 10, 1894The Forger Who Ordered Champagne to the Mansion of J. M. ColmanFor two weeks a smooth-talking stranger worked Front Street with forged order slips and a taste for the good stuff — until six bottles of champagne went to the wrong address.Seattle, WA
- Jan 1, 1895The Iron-Jawed Worm That Ate Seattle's WharvesAt the foot of Harrison Street, the Colman family has a new weapon against the teredo worm: steam, a vacuum, and a dose of dead oil of tar.Seattle, WA
- Jan 20, 1895Taxpayers vs. County Hall: The Municipal League's 1895 RevoltA poorly attended Municipal League meeting still sent 200 taxpayers' signatures to the county commissioners, threatened impeachment, and fought over private counsel and school warrants.Chamber of Commerce, Seattle, WA