Underground coal mines required huge amounts of wood and timber to support the tunnels, gangways, and cross-cuts which honeycombed areas below the earth’s surface. Three-piece log sets were constructed at intervals of 8-10 feet and rough cut planks, called lagging, connected each set to provide coal miners with a solid roof over their heads. At some mines it was said there were more men working on the surface, cutting timber and the like, than worked underground. Interestingly, one of the largest yet unheralded coal mines in Washington State was located in Bellingham. Mining commenced in Bellingham in 1853 and continued for another 100 years until 1955 when that area’s last coal mine shut down. This May 1937 photo shows the Blue Mountain Logging Company crew and steam donkey, including a truck loaded with a one-log load. At the time logging was conducted in Acme, located about 13 miles east of Bellingham. It is unknown whether any of the wood products from this large load were destined for the Bellingham Coal Mine Company’s operations near downtown. This photo comes courtesy of JoAnne Matsumura, an Issaquah historian and research specialist.
