An aerial view of Philadelphia Quartz' plant on the Tacoma tideflats. Belgian silica sand and California soda ash were chemically combined to provide a product sold largely in Tacoma but marketed also in other Northwest cities. Silicate of soda, water-glass to farm households, was used in adhesives for the plywood industry and corrugated paper-board for the container industry.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma); Aerial photographs;