Labor Day weekend—and Black Diamond foams over

Originally published in The Seattle Times, August 31, 1974

By John Hinterberger

For most of the nation, Labor Day is just another three-day weekend. Not for Black Diamond.

For the laborers, it is three days of quiet rest. Not Black Diamond’s.

For the nation’s students, it is the final free weekend, a prospect for sober reflection. Not in Black Diamond.

Black Diamond’s Labor Day is a two-day weekend—Sunday and Monday—there is neither time nor space for rest, and there isn’t a sober reflection in town.

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Union mines near Roslyn will reopen

Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 29, 1922

Peace pact ends five months’ strike; 2,500 workers go back under old conditions

Two-thousand five-hundred miners in the Roslyn-Cle Elum coal fields, on strike since April 1, will be called back to work today as the result of a peace agreement signed yesterday by representatives of the Washington Coal Operators’ Association and the United Mine Workers union. At the same time, John Ryczek, president of the association, speaking for the union mine operators, emphatically declared there will be no increase in coal prices this winter.

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One of Renton’s industries

Originally published in the Renton Bulletin, August 28, 1914

Last week the Pacific Coast Coal Company sent out one-thousand invitations for an excursion to their new briquette plant in North Renton. A special train of eleven coaches drawn by two locomotives was provided for the guests and left Seattle at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon with 600 people.

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City councilmen must return

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, August 29, 1905

Telegrams sent to Burnett at Vancouver, B.C., and Conway at Bozeman, Mont., ordering them to be at meeting

Nineteen improvement ordinances to be taken up at session on Thursday that of King Street among number

Telegrams were sent this morning to Councilmen James Conway, at Bozeman, Mont., and Charles Burnett, at Vancouver, B.C., instructing them to return at once to attend a special meeting of the city council on Thursday. The presence of all members of the council is imperative.

Nineteen “50 percent ordinances,” requiring the vote of all members for their passage, are to be disposed of at the Thursday meeting. These are ordinances providing street improvements which will require a greater assessment against abutting property than 25 percent of the assessed valuation.

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Honest sheriff uses people’s money and auto in his campaign

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, August 27, 1912

Robert Turner Hodge, who coyly admits he would be best gubernatorial bet, proves expensive luxury

By Edgar K. Thomas

Robert Turner Hodge, King County’s high and mighty sheriff, former Black Diamond miner, prize-fighter, and all-around “regular feller,” is now engaged in using the people’s time and the people’s money and the people’s automobile shaking hands with the people of the state of Washington. “Honest Bob” is trying to elect himself governor.

Not only is Black Diamond’s pride and joy appropriating these three things, which it may be casually mentioned do not belong to Black Diamond’s pride and joy, but the while he is assuring the “peepul” in his own elegant way that he is the best of the self-confessed candidates fitted to be governor, incidentally he permits his “great and noble” office to become completely demoralized.

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Black Diamond plans Labor Day festivities

Originally published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 23, 1962

By H.J. Glover

Judy Petchnick, Judy Harper, and Susan Thielkin—one will be Black Diamond’s queen, two her princesses.

BLACK DIAMOND. Aug. 22. — Black Diamond and neighboring communities prepared today to celebrate Labor Day, an annual area event for nearly 75 years.

This year’s two-day show will be held Sunday and Monday, September 2-3, with coronation of the queen at 1 p.m. opening day.

Candidates for Labor Day festival queen are Judy Petchnick, 16; Judy Harper, 17, and Susan Thielkin, 15.

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The roots of Lake Wilderness Arboretum

Originally published in Maple Valley Neighbors magazine, August 2022

By Susan Goodell
Arboretum director at Lake Wilderness Arboretum

Many people are surprised to learn that Lake Wilderness Arboretum has been around for over 50 years. The history of the area and that of the arboretum is an interesting story.

In the 1890s, one of the largest logging mills in King County was located at Lake Wilderness. In the early 1900s, a homesteader offered a few rental cabins on his lakeshore farm to fishermen and hunters.

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Black Diamond’s big event—it was successful from every angle!

Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, September 13, 1972

Evan Morris was recognized for his community endeavors by being awarded Man of the Year.

Black Diamond’s annual Labor Day celebrations were successful again this year no matter how measured: attendance was good, everyone had fun, and the books balance in the black!

Sunday was filled with such interesting events as the crowning of Queen Livia Palmer, Walkers’ Race to Lake 12, a bike race involving 52 participants, a frog jumping contest, a nail pounding contest for women, a talent show, and a softball game staged by Black Diamond merchants.

Both the adult and teenage dances were well attended. Over 300 young people danced to the music of the Vendettas band on the ballpark field Sunday evening.

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Geothermal-energy search planned near Black Diamond

Originally published in The Seattle Times, August 22, 1981

By Bob Lane
Times staff reporter

Burlington Northern and the Puget Sound Power & Light Co. are planning to drill deep holes in the Cascade foothills near Black Diamond to search for geothermal energy.

They hope to find underground reservoirs of superheated water that would produce steam capable of driving generators which would produce electricity for use by Puget Power’s customers.

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Big unions form Labor Day plans

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, August 21, 1914

Coal miners of state and Timberworkers’ International to exchange speakers in cooperative program

Organization of casual workers will be urged

J.G. Brown of Millmen to be Black Diamond orator and M.J. Flyzik of Mineworkers at Bellingham

By C.D. Stratton

In pursuance of a plan for cooperation in the task of organizing the casual laborers of the state, mapped out at the recent Seattle convention of the United Mine Workers of District No. 10, Labor Day celebrations in several Western Washington cities and towns this year will be marked by an interchange of orators between the union coal miners and the union timber workers.

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