James M. Colman
Named in 13 stories. Back to all names
- Apr 6, 1876The Renters and the Landless: Seattle’s Early Conflict over PropertyAn 1876 editorial from the Pacific Tribune calls out wealthy landowners for reaping the benefits of city growth created by the labor of the landless.Seattle, WA
- Apr 27, 1876The Industrial Gamble That Defined a CityHow local visionary James M. Colman pushed Seattle into the future by betting his fortune—and demanding the town follow suit—on a critical rail link to the coal mines.Seattle, WA
- Nov 11, 1876The Railroad That Bought Its Way to GloryWhile the rest of Seattle debates politics and morality, a coalition of bankers and developers is quietly laying the groundwork for the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad, betting millions on land and gold bonds.Seattle, WA
- Mar 16, 1877The Unstoppable Rail Builder of 1877How James M. Colman bet his personal fortune to push the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad through the mountains, defying skeptics and funding the project on his own terms.Seattle, WA
- Sep 20, 1883The Jackson Street Railroad Takes ShapeThe City Council reviews a massive ordinance granting transit rights across town, from Elliott Bay to the city limits.Commercial Street, Seattle, WA
- Jan 20, 1884The Secretive Coal King of SeattleJames M. Colman is quietly opening the McCallister mine, signaling a new industrial play near Renton.Colman Dock, Seattle, WA
- Mar 27, 1884An Industrial Experiment on the WaterfrontLocal entrepreneur James M. Colman introduces a new technology to protect wharf pilings from the destructive 'teredo' wood-boring worm.Seattle waterfront, Seattle, WA
- May 1, 1884The Inside Story of Seattle's Rail WoesJohn Leary reveals why plans for a railroad to the Cedar River coal fields have stalled, exposing the delicate dance between local boosters and coal barons.Cedar River, Seattle, WA
- Feb 13, 1886The Strange Disappearance of James Colman and Wilbur PattenA prominent Seattle businessman and a young schoolboy vanish while crossing Lake Washington, sparking immediate fears of a violent, land-related murder.Jackson Street, Seattle, WA
- Jan 22, 1887A Lawyer Halts Seattle Wharf ConstructionAs Seattle's waterfront development heated up, a pile-driving crew found themselves caught in a messy property dispute, leading to a temporary injunction that halted work.Marion Street, Seattle, WA
- Mar 29, 1887Showdown at Cedar MountainStriking coal miners in King County confront non-union workers, forcing the Sheriff to intervene as tensions boil over at the mines.Cedar Mountain, Maple Valley, WA
- Dec 1, 1893The Railroad and the Riparian RightsColman seeks injunction against railroad's Columbia Street track extension over contract and riparian claims.Columbia Street, Seattle, WA
- Feb 8, 1894The 'Ram's Horn' Tracks Cleared for ConstructionA Supreme Court ruling clears the way for the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad to proceed with construction, settling a long-standing legal battle over land access.Columbia Street, Seattle, WA