An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 333-335A portrait of Mr. Colman
appears between pages 332-333
	
	
	JAMES MURRAY COLMAN. -- To no one man is greater credit due for individual
effort in the development of Seattle than to James M. Colman, who, though in no
sense a pioneer of the town, brought to the pioneer settlement a business force
and enterprise which resulted in untold benefit to the little struggling
community. Mr. Colman was born in Dunfermline, Fifeshire, Scotland, June 17,
1832. After receiving a thorough technical education as machinist and engineer
he came to the United States in 1851. He was employed for short time at
Paterson, New Jersey, but the same year removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and
entered a large machine shop. His ability soon brought him marked recognition
and after six months he was made superintendent of the shop.
	In 1858 he married Miss Agnes, daughter of George H. Henderson, of Waukesha
county, and remained in Milwaukee up to 1861, when he learned of the undeveloped
resources and superior opportunities of the Pacific coast, and by water and the
isthmus of Panama he came to San Francisco. While there he fell in with the
agents of the Port Madison Mill, and by them was engaged as manager of the large
saw-mill at Port Madison, and at once came to Puget Sound and entered upon the
duties of his position. In the spring of 1804, Mr. Colman purchased of Renton
and Howard the old Port Orchard mill, and left Port Madison to take charge of
his own property. This mill was torn down and replaced by a more modern mill in
1868, and the latter was entirely destroyed by fire within the following year.
This disaster left him bankrupt and penniless, but his reputation as the best
machinist and millright on the Sound was thoroughly established and employment
was readily found. Hanson, Ackerman & Company, proprietors of the large sawmill
at old Tacoma were desirous of rebuilding upon a much larger scale and Mr.
Colman was promptly engaged at a liberal salary as superintendent of the work
and manager of their business. He constructed the largest and most conveniently
arranged and economically operated mill on the Sound. Thoroughly satisfied with
the work the company then engaged Mr. Colman as superintendent of the mill, and
he continued in that capacity until spring, 1872, when he removed to Seattle. He
then leased the old Yesler mill for Preston & McKennon of San Francisco for
three years and took charge of the mill for those gentlemen. From this date he
became a leading factor in the development of Seattle. Lumber was at that time
the leading industry of the Sound, although some coal was being shipped from
Bellingham Bay, though in limited quantities, as there were no railroads and no
direct steamship communications with San Francisco. Money was a scarce commodity
and commanded readily two and one-half per cent. per month. Seattle was a place
of about 1,000 inhabitants, with a smaller population than Olympia and less
business than either Steilacoom or Port Townsend. The only manufacturing
enterprise was the sawmill conducted by Mr. Colman, and the only commerce was
the interchange of a sack of flour and a side of bacon for a bushel or two of
potatoes raised among the stumps on White or Dwamish rivers. About this time
there was great enthusiasm manifest over the prospective terminus of the
Northern Pacific railroad being established at Seattle, but when the terminus
was fixed on Commencement bay and named Tacoma, the hopes for Seattle's becoming
a railroad town were dissipated, and for a time the most sanguine became
depressed. The reaction soon came, and it was resolved that, failing of help
from outside sources, the citizens would show what they could do for themselves.
A mass meeting was called and the Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad Company was
organized. Survey previously made was secured and stock was liberally subscribed
by the citizens. Owing to the scarcity of money, almost all this stock was paid
for in land at an appraised value. Two separate days were chosen, and all
able-bodied men in the town turned out with pick and shovel, while the ladies of
the town attended with an elaborate basket lunch for the laborers. In this
manner about three miles of road bed was made ready for the ties. In a short
time the enterprise languished for want of ready funds. The citizens having
failed to enlist capital in their little railroad enterprise, after having twice
sent representatives to the East for this purpose, Mr. Colman foresaw that the
completion of this road and the developing of the coal mines along the route
would save Seattle from settling down into a mere milling hamlet. He presented
to the business men of the city the following proposition: he would advance
$10,000 to the company if five other men, all of greater wealth than himself,
would advance an equal amount, and if the citizens would loan $30,000 on ten per
cent. bearing bonds, secured by the entire property of the road after the $60,00
had been expended upon it. Failing to accomplish his design by this liberal
proposition, he offered to advance $20,000 if the other parties would conjointly
advance $40,000. His last proposition was accepted, this being the spring of
1875, He had succeeded Preston & McKennon in the lease of the sawmill, and his
attention was demanded by his own private interests, but, at a personal
sacrifice, he consented to take charge of the affairs of the company and he
promptly inaugurated work in the construction of the road. The $30,000 of bonds
were never all sold, although Mr. Colman purchased some of them himself. Of the
$40,000 subscribed only $2,500 balance was ever paid in.
	The rest of the money for the completion of the road to Renton, distant
thirteen miles, was raised by Mr. Colman on personal security, and at that time
he was not a wealthy man. All he had was the earnings of the leased mills and
the savings of a few years, but he was possessed of a large credit through his
straightforward, honest methods of transacting his business. In his efforts to
secure a dollar's worth of work for every dollar paid omit, he became
time-keeper, book-keeper, superintendent of construction and master mechanic and
every item of expenditure was as carefully inspected as in the most economically
conducted private business. Duly arriving at Renton, Mr. Colman naturally
expected business from the Renton coal mines, but as the proprietors of the
mimes had secured control of the New Castle mines, which were more cheaply
worked, and had shut down at the Renton mines it then became necessary to
continue the railroad seven miles farther. This extension was made by Mr.
Colman, who used his own means and private credit exclusively for that purpose.
Both of these means of financial recourse he necessarily strained to the utmost,
but with the completion of the road, it immediately became a most valuable
property and was the means of insuring the constant working of the New Castle
mines, the reopening of the Renton mines and for a time the operating of the
mine at Talbot. For two and one-half years Mr. Colman remained in charge of the
railroad, working from twelve to twenty hours per day, filling positions, where,
under subsequent management five and six men were employed. In 1879 the railroad
and coal mine were sold to Mr. Villard, and upon the reorganization the name of
the corporation became the Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad Company. Mr. Colman
was retained as superintendent for two and one-half years, when he was compelled
by failing health to retire. This enterprise was the first great factor in
developing the resources of the country and was signally potent in the
upbuilding of Seattle.
	After his retirement Mr. Colman sought rest and recreation by travel in
Europe returning in 1884 he purchased some coal property on the line of the
Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad, and with John Collins of Seattle, and other
capitalists of San Francisco, organized the Cedar River Coal Company, which
opened and is successfully operating the mine. It is a noticeable fact that
since Mr. Colman settled in Seattle, every dollar he has made has been invested
in business enterprises which operated directly for the public good, such as
sawmills, foundries, machine shops, sailing vessels, steamboats, coal mines,
railroads, wharves, coal bunkers, and brick buildings of the most substantial
character. Among his early purchases of real-estate was the corner lot on
Commercial and Yesler avenues, and thereupon he erected the first brick building
ever built in Seattle for rent. This building was destroyed by fire in 1889, but
has been replaced by a large stone block, among the handsomest structures in the
city. His other noticeably large building covers the entire block between
Columbia and Marion streets, and from Front street to Railroad avenue. This
building, six stories high, was planned before the fire, and the corner stone
was laid while the block was covered with frame buildings; these were removed by
the fire of June, 1889, and the process of constructing his new building then
went rapidly forward; but foreseeing the probable objection to high office
blocks, he raised his structure but three stories above the street, leaving the
completion of the remaining three stories until there should be a manifest
demand for such accommodations. The wisdom of his decision to stop them has been
signally manifest judging from the many vacant offices in the higher buildings.
The action of the teredo upon piling along the water front induced Mr. Colman to
establish a plant for the treating of piles to a creasote process, whereby the
life of the pile was increased from a few months to an unknown number of years.
	This brief sketch would be incomplete without some slight reference to Mr.
Colman's domestic life. He has living two sons, L.J. and G.A. Colman; both rare
specimens of Christian gentlemen. Yachting is the favorite pastime of their
summer outings, and under their father's tuition both have become expert
mechanical engineers. With them pleasure is not a ruling passion, but both have
been reared to business habits, and are now the representatives of their father
in his many business enterprises, worthy scions of one who is the embodiment of
integrity and Christian virtues, and whose name will be engraved with honor upon
the historic pages of Seattle.
	
	
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer
	
	
	
	
* * * * 

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.