WATER AND COALING TOWER

ABOVE: Toppenish’s coal tower and behind is a water tower south of the depot.

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Water tower and section house in view of the depot in the distance. Not seen to the left is the “maintenance away vehicle building. Vehicles were brought out and set on the track as needed.

In 1957 the coal tower was sold for scrap to Monte Holms, author of “Once a Hobo”

coal dock scrapped 1957 Monte Holm collection from Dan Bolyard

Monte Holms owned a scrapyard in Moses Lake. His claim to fame is he once was a homeless hobo during the depression and rose up to be a businessman in the community. He purchased a working steam locomotive, passenger car, and caboose and parked it on a siding by his place of business. He ran his railroad on a Northern Pacific spur in the Moses Lake area. Those, including the webmaster, dearly miss him.