Eleven Ships Wait While Newcastle's Coal Mine Sits Idle
Eleven deep-water ships sit in port while the Newcastle mine pauses work to expand, promising 1,000 tons a day when it reopens.
Eleven deep-water vessels are now in port, namely the steam colliers Mississippi, Pintaula and Walla Walla, and the sailing vessels Fanny Tucker, Henry Failing, Commodore, Spartan, Detroit, C. F. Sargent, City of Brooklyn and the schooner Dakota. The cause of this collection of so large a fleet seems to be as follows: the Newcastle mine, in order to increase its capacity, stopped all operations, and consequently the boats are kept waiting for a cargo. The mine will run with full force next week, and they claim it will turn out 1,000 tons each day.
“The mine will run with full force next week, and they claim will turn out 1,000 tons each day.”
Newcastle coal once powered Seattle's growth, and a mine stoppage could leave a fleet stranded at the docks. Today's energy transitions and port bottlenecks raise the same question: how much of a city's prosperity rests on a single extractive industry?
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