Fire

Occasionally, it is good to remember that we live in a part of the state known for fires.  They are not as common as they once where, still for all the trappings of suburbia this is fire country.   Fires were more common back in 1910's and 1920's, there were just more people tromping around the woods in those days and because of the use of steam to power donkeys and locomotives.  Kind of like having an open fire in your wooden building, its real easy for something bad to happen.  Something bad did happen back on this date in 1922.  A spark from a steam donkey started a fast moving blaze that burned half the town of Cedar Falls and knocked out power to Seattle for a time.

The fire moved quickly consuming all in it's path, the Milwaukee Road's Cedar Falls rail yard was hit, and once the power lines were knocked out, the rolling stock was destroyed, you see the Milwaukee Road was electrified though Cedar Falls.  Most the homes of the railroad men were also destroyed.  The towns folk took refuge in the railroad's power house and in the Masonry Dam on the Cedar River.  The city of Seattle, was faced with two big problems, first the town was theirs and second the water for the city came from the Cedar River at Cedar Falls.   This was a big problem because the pipeline that took the water to the city 30 miles away, was made of wood.  To save the pipeline and to slow the fire the city bore holes in the pipes every couple feet, to create a sprinkler effect.  It worked half the town was saved and the pipeline spared and within a couple days the fire had been controlled.  This was one of the worst fires in the first 40 years of statehood.  

Living not four miles from where this all took place, it is amazing, first because it is so rural and isolated at the time and second the threat is still very real, not this rainy spring, but some dry summer maybe.

Pictures of Cedar Falls and the Masonry Dam.

Dan  

Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day and here at America's Finest Blog, its time to thank those who have serviced and the families of those who have lost.  Funny I don't really remember Memorial Day as a big deal or patriotic holiday prior to 9/11.  That could be because I just wasn't playing attention.  I know there were parades and services at cemeteries and the like, but it really didn't push into everyday life.  Maybe it's because we have been at war, since 9/11 or maybe it is some grand conspiracy to create a society that demands a more militaristic nation or maybe it is that after 9/11 we all realized just how great this nation is and that we need to remember everyday those who sacrificed so much to give us our nation.  I'd like to think it is the later.

Dan

The Musical Family

Both Cicely and I come from musical families, my sister plays the guitar and piano and my mom and granddad also played the piano.  Cicely's Mom plays the accordion and her Dad plays just about everything else.  Yet until recently either of us played an instrument.  Now Cicely plays the banjo and I have taken up the lap steel guitar.  This has resulted in the boy wanting to play an instrument too.  Its a shame that we don't have a place for a piano, it appears that he would be a natural.  So tonight the family playing music. 

100 Years of the Milwaukee Road

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of transcontinental rail service on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, to and from Seattle, it is the 3rd and final transcontinental to link Seattle with the middle west.  It is also the only transcontinental to have pulled up its tracks.  The Milwaukee Road as previously noted was not exactly the best run outfit around, and in fact it was is almost inconceivable how bad it's decisions were in the 1970's.  100 years ago, nobody knew what was to come, so it must have been gratifying to the folks in Seattle, that they had three links to continent, indeed the railroads were king in those days. 

Never Eaten Here

I've past by this place about 500 times it seems, but I have never stopped to eat.  I did stop to snap a few photos though.  Apparently, the place has good food, or at least that's what the internet tells me.  This is on the old Sunset Highway just east of Cle Elum.

Well, The End Of The World Did Not Occur

To mostly nobodies surprise, the world did not end nor did 200 million people float into the sky like so many untethered balloons.  Mr. Camping seems rather shocked that this did not occur, which brings both pity and admiration.  Pity and admiration for basically the same thing, he seems to actually believe that May 21st was the end of days.  True devotion to a cause in this day in age is something we shouldn't take lightly.  Of course the fact he is still making predictions is rather annoying, I guess he feels the third time will be a charm.  It is also annoying that the media is interested at all in this guy, I mean really, isn't there more important events going on in the world, oh wait never mind.  My suggestion is that the next time the media needs to distract us, they should track down these metal cows and maybe with some CGI, show them grazing in a scrap yard or something.  Really it is just about as news worthy...    

Escape From Ritzville

So back on this date in 1980, thousands of motorists trapped in Ritzville by the ash from Mt. St. Helens, attempt to make a break for it, even though all roads in and out of town are closed to due to the drifting ash.  Nearly all are forced back to the town.  The question being, were those who attempted to leave better off than those that stayed and waited.  I'd say not, I mean really would you want to return to Ritzville.   

Eruption

So on this Mat 18th, I won't speak of the great eruption of 1980, but instead the eruptions of a 4 year old.  My boy is stubborn, like a mule, and lately it has been  a testing period to find how much a 4 year old can get away with.  All things pleasant, end in a tantrum, or start with a tantrum.  It is really not that much fun, but I am told I was the same way.  Oh well, this too shall pass.  Tonight's photo me not wanting to leave Woodland Park, apparently the family only stuck around long enough to take a photo.
Dan

Continuing With A Theme

I spent my weekend in Wenatchee, where it was warm and muggy, then wet and wetter.  I really enjoy Eastern Washington, but not so much in the rain, then again I don't really much like any place in the rain.  Never mind the weather, my trips to that town are becoming less and less necessary and within the next couple months will probably stop being made at all.  So last night as I went a burger joint I have been going to with my Dad since I was 6 or 7 years old, I noticed the old outdoor cooler, a hold over from the days when it was just a white washed burger stand.  I thought to myself how may more times might I go there, and see the faded word 'ice,' I realized that it will never be significant to my son, at least on my account, then I wondered what mundane objects will have meaning in his life.

Ice

Before May 1872, ice wasn't something you could get regularly in Seattle.  It's just another one of those things we take for granted in the 21st century.  Back in the 1870's ice was a seasonal thing, so if you wanted any during the warmer months you needed to go to the source.  Then came the Puget Sound Ice Company, they brought 300 tons of ice from Nevada to Seattle in May of 1872 and began selling it for 3 cents a pound, now cool beverages could actually be enjoyed cool.  Great excitement filled the land and soon ice cream was being sold to youngsters and to the young at heart, thrilling times indeed, well apparently not that thrilling, as when the ice ran out two years later, a second shipment did not come and the Puget Sound Ice Company closed its doors.  So here's to April of 1872 and picture of what a glass of ice water would look like.

The Dark and The Dust vs. Laptops and HR Guidelines

So today is the 119th anniversary of the worst coal mine disaster in the history of our fair state.  It occurred somewhere below Roslyn in the Northern Pacific Coal Company's Mine No. 1.  A blast occurred while attempting to connect the main airway to the lower levels of the mine.  The treat of explosion was ever present back in 1892, coal mines are naturally full of methane and of course dust, add a flame and you have yourself a mining disaster.  The disaster at mine #1 was either caused by a black powder explosion or by the flame of a miner's hat.  The state seemed to like blaming mine explosions on miner's hats, I've seen a couple reports of other explosions in which the state said the same thing.  It's interesting since, an explosion caused by a miner's hat, could be deemed employee negligence and therefore the mining company would be off the hook for reparations to the families of the dead. 
A different world back then, these days you don't hear of too many brainstorming disasters in which tens of lives are lost at Mircosoft.  It's also hard to fathom just how much disregard there was for the employee there was, where I work we once closed because the employee's complained it was too warm.  We owe much to those men lured by the pull of the deep dusty mines, as it was with their hard work and determination, that America was made great.

And whatever happened to Roslyn?  It grew up to be a yuppie hideaway and a television star.

Dan

It's Mother's Day Again

America's Finest Blog 555th post will be dedicated to Mom.  My Mother past away in June 2000, whenever I look at this particular photo is brings back so many memories.  Not because it is a particularly good photo, because it isn't, and it is not because it is a particularly flattering photo of my Mom, because it isn't, it's because of what it represents.  Mom spent half her waking hours sitting in that chair, drinking coffee and then iced tea, it's just where she always was, sitting there, when I got up in the morning or when I came home, she'd be sitting there.  It's funny how we become creatures of habit, it's just too comfortable to go to that same place over and over again.  So on this Mother's Day, picture of my Mom at her station, I am reminded yet again, what a wonder person she was and what a great mother I had.

To the Mom's of the world...

Happy Mother's Day
Dan

Better Late Than Never

Yesterday was my sister's birthday.  I should have mentioned it sooner, but oh well.  She is an inspiration to all that meet her and a truly remarkable human.  I am quite lucky to have her as my sister.  So tonight a picture her and her lovely family.

Happy Birthday!

It's Happened Again, What to Blog?

It's classic what to blog night, I have had a very busy week, in which I have accomplished very little.  I did go to a Mariners game with the family and the kid was on television, but I cannot, otherwise say anything really has happened.  But the good news is tomorrow is Thursday and that ain't bad.  Tonight,  a picture from Safeco Field.

Happy May Day or Elk Can Wait

Well, instead of marching with the proletariat today, I spent a great deal of time with my family.  It was really pleasant, I saw my Dad in the morning and then went home and grabbed the wife and kid and then we did all sorts of stuff, an all together nice day.  The weather was wonder as well, so this evening I set out to check out the elk, as has become my custom in the spring and summer, it was a nice end to great day.  I had every intention of blogging about elk tonight, but when I returned home I turned on the T.V. to see that bin Laben was dead.  Shocked, I was to say the least.  So tonight instead of elk, the twin towers, as seen from the Statue of Liberty, March 1991.  I didn't get to go to the twin towers in either of my visits to New York, and until 9/11/2001, I didn't really care because I could have always went the next time, well bin Laden ruined that for me and ruined America for a lot of other people.  So good riddance.