The Shingle Packing Showdown
Thousands gathered in Snohomish to watch a test of skill that crowned a local favorite and showcased the vital labor of the timber industry.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The shingle packing contest on the Fourth at Snohomish was one of the most interesting features of the day's events. This test of skill not only furnished entertainment for several thousand people, but demonstrated in a practical way how it was possible to become expert in a trade that is of foremost importance to this country. Quite a while before the contest, crowds began to collect in the vacant space in front of the postoffice. Presently, three fine-appearing young men stepped up to their positions and began handling the shingles: W. S. Crook of Snohomish, J. Redmond of Machias, and Frank Brink of Everett. Brink had some trouble with his machine and lost over a minute trying to get his first bundle out, which seemed to make him nervous. Crook and Redmond kept pretty close together. The sympathies of the crowd were unmistakably with Crook, who had just gotten out of bed, where he had been confined for some time with a broken leg. Just as Redmond was driving his last nail, Crook threw out his last bundle, amid the cheers of the crowd. Crook received the $50 first prize, and Redmond $15 for second.
“The sympathies of the crowd were unmistakably with Crook, he having just gotten out of bed, where he has been confined for some time with a broken leg.”
Shingle weaving was once the heart of the regional economy, transforming raw cedar into the building blocks of the Pacific Northwest. Today, while the industry has evolved, the spectacle of a 'fastest hand' contest reminds us that these were skilled trades demanding intense physical focus—a stark contrast to the automated efficiency of modern construction.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.