The English journalist, Malcom Muggeridge wryly observed that, “All new news is old news happening to new people.” News media stories about government boondoggles in fashionable energy ventures are nothing novel as illustrated by the story behind this March 18, 1944 photo from the Wilkeson Products coal mine. Four months after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the U.S. government-sponsored, Defense Plant Corporation began developing a new coal property near Wilkeson in east Pierce County. No expense was spared including the purchase of this hoist from the recently closed New Black Diamond mine near Renton. The pictured hoist-man was Owen Williams. The hoist operated like a giant fishing reel supporting a thick steel cable spun around a large spool used to pull loaded coal cars into and out of the mine.
The Defense Plant Corporation bought the best mining equipment, underground haulage, and surface preparation facilities that money could buy. The huge government spending spree included drilling the new Skookum slope through 910 feet of solid rock to the bottom of the mine. Another 4,000 feet of rock tunnel were driven crossways to access the Wilkeson No. 2, No. 3, and No. 7 coal seams. The Wilkeson Products mine eventually opened in 1943. Despite huge expenditures in plant and machinery, the mine lasted less than two years closing on Nov. 22, 1944. During that time, the mine produced 54,120 tons of coal, less than 1% of Washington State production during the war effort. This image number D17170-9 comes courtesy of the Richard Studios Collection, held at the Tacoma Public Library. Next week, more about the Skookum slope and a famous photo of one of Washington’s legendary coal miners, Robert Peloli.
