Camp is proud of soccer football team

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, April 1, 1926

Black Diamond has always maintained a reputation for turning out championship teams in baseball, but in the season which just closed, the camp held the distinction of honoring two soccer football teams, both of whom made splendid records.

In the group shown above are gathered the following players: Front row, left to right, “Chick” Thompson, Chas. “Red” Towers, A. Maroni, R. Durnac, John Ogden; second row, Chas. Maroni, Jas. Strang, Vic Roberts; back row, P.J. Gallagher, J.T. Hollow, and “Boots” Pierotti.

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Master mechanic demonstrates new bearing

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, March 25, 1926

When the inventor of the Jones system of lubrication for mine car wheels recently visited Burnett, Master Mechanic A.L. McBlaine was able to show him just how the system worked on the cars used in the haulage. This picture shows McBlaine pointing out the features of the Jones bearing to the inventor.

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Black Diamond gets first bank in 6 years

Originally published in the South County Journal, February 21, 1997

By Mike Archbold
Journal Reporter

BLACK DIAMOND — This small but growing town near the Green River has a grocery, a pizza parlor, and even a video rental outlet.

And now after a six-year absence, Black Diamond finally is getting its own bank.

Mt. Rainier National Bank of Enumclaw expects to build a $700,000 branch on Third Avenue by late spring or early summer, according to bank officials. The 3,500-square-foot bank will be located near the entrance to Palmer Coking Coal.

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Mayor Botts featured speaker at Grange Hall

Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, February 20, 2007

The former railroad depot, built in 1886, in Black Diamond now houses the Historical Society Museum. Down Railroad Avenue the current book store is visible. It has also been King’s Tavern. — Photo by Barbara Nilson.

Featured speaker at the Maple Valley Reunion, Sunday, Feb. 25th, will be Mayor Howard Botts of Black Diamond. The 1 p.m. program at the Grange Hall on Highway 169 at 216th is sponsored by the Maple Valley Historical Society.

Mayor Botts, who was born and raised in Black Diamond, will relate the histories of the two towns and how they have been connected over the years by the highway, the railroad, once upon a time, as well as other similarities. He’ll also discuss, “what is coming down the road; hopefully, new homes and new businesses.”

He said, “It is always interesting to talk about my home town.” Botts has served as mayor for 24 years and before that served several terms on the City Council in the 1960s and then during the 1970s, he was a member of the Planning Community.

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Loading briquets for shipment

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, February 4, 1926

Every day from 450 to 500 tons of Diamond Briquets are loaded into railroad cars for shipment to almost every point where fuel is used between Canada and Mexico on the Pacific Coast. This scene shows how the briquets are lowered from the cooling conveyor into the cars. Thousands of tons of Diamond Briquets will soon be distributed throughout the orchards of Eastern Washington, where they will be burned to protect the fruit blossoms from the ravages of frost this spring.

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Salesmen inspect new mine

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, January 28, 1926

New Black Diamond Mine was visited by the representatives of the Sales Department as a part of the two-day program last week. In the mine the salesmen saw visual evidence of the company’s confidence in the future of the coal industry. The picture of the group was taken at the face of the gangway after they had walked in from the main entrance.

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At the Briquet Plant

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, January 14, 1926

This Link-Belt moveable crane is used at the Briquet Plant not only to load Diamond Briquets from the storage platform into the cars, but also to load coal from the storage piles into cars preparatory to sending it through the plant.

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