Game ended in a row: West Seattle objected to decision at Black Diamond and left the field

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, April 30, 1906

The game at Black Diamond yesterday had a very unsatisfactory ending, the West Seattle team leaving the field in the fourth inning, after protesting a decision of the umpire. The score at that time stood at 4 to 2 in favor of Black Diamond.

It hurts the game for a team to leave the field, and the West Seattle team would have shown a more sportsman-like spirit had the boys gone right ahead regardless of the decision. Had they won out in spite of the umpire their glory would have been the greater.

Bringing next Sunday the amateur teams in the league will not leave the field, and it will be useless to kick about the umpires. It will be a good thing, too,

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Special Parent-Teacher Association (P.T.A.) edition

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, April 28, 1924

This photo is from the 1925 P.T.A. visit to Briquetville, near today’s Gene Coulon Park.

Briquet Plant data of interest to you

This plant was opened in 1914 and has run continuously since that time. It operates two shifts of eight hours each and produces five hundred tons of briquets a day. That means that over one and one-half million briquets are made each day.

Camp welcomes you

Through Mrs. Julius Johnson, president Newcastle Circle of the Parent-Teacher Association, its membership numbering 51, joins with the entire camp and the company officials in welcoming the visiting P.T.A. members of King County today. We want you to see the mine and the camp of which we are so proud, and when you leave us, above all, we want you to remember your trip to Newcastle and that your return will be welcomed.

The briquets are made from a combination of Black Diamond and South Prairie coals. The first of these give it its free burning quality and low ash and the last, a coking coal, gives it its strength and fire holding power. The binder used is a specially prepared form of asphalt from which the stickiness has been removed.

The trip through the plant will be in the direction in which the coal is run, beginning at the point where the raw coal is received and ending at the point where the finished briquet goes into the railroad cars.

First, will be seen the unloading hoppers through which the fresh coal will be flowing from the railroad cars. From here the coal goes to the top of the high timber structure known as the “Raw coal bunker.” Through this it is fed down by gravity and in the exact proportion required into the two steel box conveyors which run from this bunker into the steel building ahead, known as the “Dryer Building.”

Before leaving the raw coal bunker, by stepping up the first flight of steps may be seen the “measuring” conveyors which portion out the two grades of coal as the housewife measures the ingredients of a cake.

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Black Diamond’s on the move as King Coal begins to come back

Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, April 28, 1976

Coal is moving once again through the streets of Black Diamond, Friday, April 15. Four trucks from Moulden & Sons of Enumclaw, began bringing coal into the Palmer Coking Coal Company’s washing plant at the north end of town.

Each truck has a capacity of 12 tons and each truck makes up to 14 round trips a day so by our calculations that amounts to 672 tons per day! According to Wendell, one of the drivers, they will be hauling five days a week, at least until September.

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Eager Maple Valley awaits first Queen’s Parade May 6

Originally published in the News Record, April 27, 1961

Ready to march—Queen Darlene Jones of the Maple Valley Community Club admires the costumes Jody and Kenny Stickley will wear in the first annual Queen’s Parade Saturday in Maple Valley. The youngsters are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Harley Stickley, and Queen Darlene, a junior at Tahoma High School, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Jones.

Bands will play and flags will fly in Maple Valley next week when the first annual Queen’ s Parade of the Maple Valley Community Club starts its march at the Junior High School at 2 p.m. on May 6.

Local entries as well as units from Skyway and other neighboring communities will wend their way down a hill and through town to the community hail, where hot dogs, balloons, and other items will be on sale. Popcorn balls will be given to all children participating in the parade.

The recently-chosen queen, Darlene Jones, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Jones will ride in a pony cart drawn by a team of Shetland ponies. Her princess, Sandy DiMartino, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John DiMartino will also ride in a pony cart.

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Black Diamond annexation talks on again

Originally published in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, April 26, 1989

Homes and revenue for the City of Black Diamond could be on the way again, because the Black Diamond Lake annexation that was killed in September may see new life.

Majority property owner John Walker, on a recent visit from Florida, said he and the City of Black Diamond are in the “conversation stages” of a possible proposal.

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Famous resort near here was destroyed by fire yesterday

Originally published in the Maplevalley Messenger, April 26, 1923

Summer hotel is consumed by flames when plumber leaves lighted candle under the building

Lake Wilderness Lodge, the magnificent summer resort hotel near Maplevalley, was completely destroyed by fire yesterday evening. The blaze, which started about 5:30, is believed to have been caused by a plumber who was working under the building with a lighted candle.

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Spectacular fire destroys old golf course clubhouse

Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, April 25, 1979

This picture, taken during the fire which destroyed the old clubhouse at the Lake Wilderness Golf Course, shows firemen battling the blaze. The upper story has already burned down, but the two chimney stacks are still standing. Before it was over, the whole building, for all practical purposes, was completely destroyed, says Ray Colman, owner. (Photo courtesy Pat Simone.)

The old clubhouse at the Lake Wilderness Golf Course was destroyed in a spectacular fire on Sunday, April 8.

According to Ray Colman, owner of the well-known Maple Valley landmark, the fire started when two young boys set papers on fire inside the building. They were spotted leaving the building and were apprehended later when they returned to view the blaze.

The clubhouse dates back to 1929, Colman says. “It was where the Chamber of Commerce held their first meetings. The Lions Club also held their first meetings there, and for many years it was a social center for numerous other parties and groups in the area.”

The building was originally constructed by Kain Gaffney and Ed Long. They started out by serving chicken dinners there. Gaffney and Long at one time also owned the Lake Wilderness Golf Course and later Gaffney’s Resort on the lake. They were both well-known musicians in the area.

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Plans to reactivate Black Diamond Civic Club

Originally published in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, April 25, 1963

A meeting was held on April 15, at the Eagles Hall, for the purpose of furthering the plans for a Black Diamond community hall. Plans were made to reactivate the Black Diamond Civic Club, which is still registered as an incorporated organization. The proposed building would be available for all town activities.

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Diamond Briquets to save fruit crops

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, April 24, 1924

Recently officials of the Pacific Coast Coal Company and representatives of Yakima Valley fruit growers conducted tests to determine the effectiveness of preventing damage to blossoming trees by the installation of Diamond Briquet burners in the orchards. The result was most satisfactory.

At the right in the above cut is shown an orchard scene with a briquet burner in the foreground. To the lower left is a truck load of Diamond Briquets being delivered in the orchard. The man in the driver’s seat is T.M. Reeder of the Sales Department. In the oval, from left to right, is N.D. Moore, vice-president Pacific Coast Coal Co.; Arthur Karr, Yakima Valley orchardist and inventor of the briquet burner; A.F. Marion, chief engineer Pacific Coast Coal Co.; T.M. Reeder of the Sales Department, and Bruce Dower of the John Dower Lumber Co., Yakima dealer for the Pacific Coast Coal Co.

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Game broke up in a row at Black Diamond

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, April 24, 1906

Buckley second baseman accused of spiking three baserunners

BLACK DIAMOND, April 24—The ball game between Buckley and Black Diamond had a very unsatisfactory ending. In the last half of the eighth inning, with the score standing 8 to 7, in favor of the Black Diamonds, the Buckley second baseman was accused of purposely spiking three of the Black Diamond players.

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