The Architect of the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad Steps Down
J.M. Colman resigns from the railway company to pursue private ventures and a long-deferred trip to Scotland.
The story, cleaned up
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J.M. Colman, the superintendent of the Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad, has tendered his resignation, effective January 1st. Colman has been a most useful man to the company; an indefatigable worker with a varied business experience. When he took hold of the old Seattle & Walla Walla, many predicted it would fail for lack of railroad experience, yet he carried the project through to success. His health now demands a rest, and he has long desired to visit his old home in Scotland. He also has private business interests that need his entire attention. When it was found that Mr. Colman would not continue, the company tendered the position to James Walsh, a practical railroad man of California, who is expected to arrive here by Saturday evening. On his return, Mr. Colman will take hold of new enterprises that will be of vast importance to Seattle, the nature of which it is not advisable at this time to mention.
“When he took hold of the old Seattle & Walla Walla, many predicted it would fail for lack of railroad experience, yet he carried the project through to success.”
J.M. Colman was a titan of Seattle's early infrastructure and industrial growth, and his transition from railway management to private development mirrors the city's long history of local leaders pivoting between public projects and private real estate investment. His influence on the region's connectivity helped define the city as a Pacific trade hub.
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