Close-up of floating log rafts in the City (now Thea Foss) Waterway. These logs were probably destined for pulp production. Washington was third in the nation at this time in pulp producing. The abundance of hemlock and accessibility of water transportation plus low utility rates made Tacoma a prime location for the manufacture of pulp and other lumber products. Photograph taken in March of 1937. TPL-3236; G36.1-080 (T.Times 1,5-articles on pulp)

Logs; City Waterway (Tacoma);

Logging equipment at a Peterman logging site, location at or near Morton, in June of 1936. Equipment is a "donkey" used to move logs. These early diesel yarders were designed to yard logs to a landing using a spar tree. The "donkeys" were mounted on sleds made out of two logs which allowed them to be moved on trucks or railcars. It was possible for them to pull themselves over rough grounds to where they needed to be set up. This diesel yarder is possibly one of the first "Berger" brand yarders with the first V8 Caterpillar engine power plant. TPL-9855; G75.1-046 (Additional information provided by a reader)

Lumber industry--1930-1940; Donkey engines; Peterman Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

St. Regis logging operations, location unknown, in May of 1936. A heavy duty truck with five coils of wire/chain/rope hanging on one side is mired off the dirt road. Many logs have already been downed and a "donkey" is billowing steam. G75.1-043

Lumber industry--1930-1940; St. Regis Paper Co.; Trucks--1930-1940; Logs; Donkey engines;

This is a view of St. Regis logging operations in May of 1936. The forest location was not given. Here a worker is driving an earthmover of some sort. He is possibly clearing the way for a makeshift road so that trucks could access the area.

Lumber industry--1930-1940; St. Regis Paper Co.; Machinery;

Two photographs were artfully combined in this March, 1936, work by photographer Marvin Boland. Large logs are pictured aboard an open railroad car on tracks while in the background are three unidentified men posed at the base of an enormous old-growth tree. TPL-2117; G75.1-081

Logs; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Trees;

Three unidentified men posed at a logging site in Mineral, Washington, on the first of March, 1936. The hillside beyond the men is strewn with fallen timber. The men are sitting and leaning against a much bigger log. G75.1-098

Lumber industry--Mineral; Logs; Woodcutting--Mineral;

It is hard to tell in this rather faded picture taken on a foggy day in October of 1930 but it appears that water is spurting from what may be the hold of a cargo ship. Three unidentified men are observing the scene. Photograph ordered by St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. G36.1-158

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Two unidentified men are looking down at stacks of lumber piled on St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. property in October of 1930. A large crane can be seen dimly in the background. G36.1-156

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

Nine unidentified men were photographed in front of the large St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. store on April 17, 1930. St. Paul & Tacoma, established in 1888, was one of Tacoma's pioneer industries. Its lumber concerns would provide employment for hundreds of local residents. It would merge with St. Regis Paper Co. in 1957.

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Gange Lumbar Company's crane at 3939 Ruston Way, Tacoma.

Industries; Gange Lumber Company; Lumber; Cranes; Ruston Way;

Aerial view of the Gange Lumber Company mill at 3939 Ruston Way, WA.

Industries; Gange Lumber Company; Aerial photographs; Lumber; Ruston Way

This photograph of trains of logs on and along Northern Pacific Railway tracks with Northern Pacific boxcars adjacent to the logs was taken in March of 1929. It was later used in a News Tribune article dated October 20, 1930 to help bolster Tacoma's claim to be "the lumber capital of the world." Great trains of logs like these were brought to Tacoma's mills for cutting into lumber before being sent out to the world. More than 80 Tacoma mills converted lumber into finished products. 21 local furniture-making factories used Tacoma lumber to built tables, chairs and all manner of wood products. Tacoma had led the nation in lumber production since 1905. TPL-1542; G44.1-114 (TNT 10-20-30, 4-B)

Logs; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Defiance Lumber Co. plant and stacks, as photographed on June 19, 1928, for a court case. Photograph also includes hill and tracks. The court case possibly involved a $10,000 claim in superior court whereby an individual charged that smoke and refuse from the lumber company's stacks was so heavy that it was a nuisance when the wind blew from the north or northeast. G36.1-117

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Defiance Lumber Co. facilities, including smokestack and railroad tracks, and neighboring hillside as viewed on June 19, 1928. This scene was photographed for a court case that may have involved pollution claims against the company. G36.1-056 (for another view of smokestack see Boland photograph B18783)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Interior of new St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. mill as viewed on June 15, 1928. This is believed to be the new sawmill used to cut hemlock logs built in the Tideflats north of E. 11th St., part of a joint venture between the Union Bag & Paper Corporation (N.Y.) and St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber. The mill, opening on June 18, 1928, was built on the site of the old Foundation shipyards. It contained modern new machinery including a new Yates planer, 72 x 14-inch edger, 48 x 16-inch Diamond gangsaw, 9-foot Diamond band saw, 7-foot resaw and two mechanical saw trimmers. In addition, the mill had a new hammerhead crane which was capable of lifting 7 1/2 tons. G36.1-150 (TNT 6-15-28, p. 10-article)

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On June 13, 1928, two unidentified workers posed with an acetylene torch at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new mill. The mill in question is believed to be the new sawmill for cutting hemlock logs built in the Tideflats on the site of the old Foundation shipyards near the Union Bag & Paper Corporation pulp mill still under construction. The sawmill would begin operations on June 18th. G35.1-082 (TNT 6-15-28, p. 10-article)

Welding--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Unidentified machinery at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new mill, as photographed on June 12, 1928. Established in 1888, the company would merge with St. Regis Paper in 1957.

Machinery; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Truss section manufactured by the Ernest Dolge, Inc., lumber company, shown at unidentified construction site in March of 1928. Ernest Dolge, Inc., had a national reputation for producing special "structual" grades of wood. This truss section was strongly bolted together. The Dolge firm was located on the Belt Line at approximately 1800 Taylor Way in the Tideflats, occupying 16 acres on the Hylebos Waterway. Their sawmill produced timbers for boats, beams, and even fire extension ladders that used Douglas fir. The Dolge mill cut 80,000 feet of timber daily and employed 55 men with a yearly payroll of nearly $100,000. G36.1-125 (TDL 4-10-28, Section 3, Industrial section, p. 1, 8-articles)

Ernest Dolge, Inc. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Trusses--Tacoma;

Log train headed for St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. yards in July of 1927. Mount Tacoma (Rainier) in background. Many trees near the tracks have already been topped.

Logs; Lumber industry--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Elevated 1927 view of what is believed to be the Tidewater Mill Co. facilities located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway at the end of 11th St. The Hylebos Creek Waterway drawbridge is up to permit ships to pass under. Multiple log dumps are located near the plant and readily accessible. The Tidewater Mill Co. was established in 1918 and had a capacity of 100,000 logs per day. Because it fronted 750 feet of deep water, several ships were able to load cargo at the same time. TPL-6476; G9.1-043

Tidewater Mill Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Logs;

This look at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s sprawling grounds was taken from the Puyallup Bridge on May 30, 1927. Col. Chauncey W. Griggs and associates had established one of Tacoma's first major sawmills located along Commencement Bay in 1888, one year before Washington became a state. Abundant sources of hemlock and Douglas firs were available for logging as St. Paul & Tacoma helped Tacoma become the "Lumber Capital of the World." One of the area's largest employers, St. Paul & Tacoma would eventually merge with St. Regis Paper Co. in 1957. (History of Pierce County, Vol. 1- pg. 10-11-article) TPL-3235; G36.1-134

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On March 15, 1927, an unidentified logging crew at Camp #1 was taking a lunch break next to giant logs stacked and ready to be transported. Some of the men found that a cut log makes a fairly comfortable perch. Metal lunch pails were scattered around the area and there were clumps of snow visible. TPL-2445; G75.1-102

Loggers; Logs; Lumber industry--1920-1930; Eating & drinking;

Pacific States Lumber Co. plant, Selleck, Washington. This elevated view of the large, sprawling facility was taken on October 4, 1926. Selleck was a mill town in southeast King County formed by the owners of the Pacific States Lumber Co. about 1908 and named after Frank Selleck. It grew into a bustling community of 900 people housed in company buildings and included a hospital, hotel, school, gathering hall and mill buildings. Pacific States Lumber Co. built the world's highest railroad trestle, 204 feet over the Cedar River. The plant, running with modernized equipment, built a good reputation and landed a contract with Tokyo to supply lumber to rebuild the city after the massive earthquake there of 1923. Many Japanese workers and their families were sent to Selleck as laborers and formed a cohesive community of their own. Pacific States Lumber declared bankruptcy in 1939 and the company town's population shrank until its present number of about 90. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. (Seattle Times, 7-31-07) G75.1-077

Pacific States Lumber Co. (Selleck); Lumber industry--1920-1930;

Close-up of burnt timber at the Mineral Lake Logging Co.'s Camp 17. Photographer Boland ventured out to the remote logging camp located in north central Lewis County on September 3, 1926, to document the damage that fire had caused to timberlands. Burned sections of cut timber are piled haphazardly on the ground, obscuring many tree stumps.

Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17; Fires; Tree stumps; Logs; Lumber industry--Washington--1920-1930;

This burned railroad bridge was located near Mineral Lake Logging Co.'s Camp 17 in 1926. The area had suffered fire damage which included part of this railroad bridge constructed out of logs. The bridge curved around a gulch.

Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17; Logging industry--Washington--1920-1930; Fires; Logs; Railroad bridges--Washington--1920-1930;

This is a view of the devastation caused by fire racing through timbered lands near the Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17 in Lewis County in late summer of 1926. Trees are tossed about like matchsticks and the railroad bridge pictured above may also have been damaged by flames.

Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17; Fires; Lumber industry--Washington--1920-1930;

This is part of the damage resulting from a fire near the Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17 in 1926. It looks like there was a significant loss of timber, including the blackened logs above. Not shown is a company railroad bridge made of logs which was partially destroyed in the fire.

Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17; Lumber industry--Washington--1920-1930; Logs; Fires;

Fire damage at Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17 as viewed on September 3, 1926. In the right foreground are scorched tree stumps. G75.1-086 (photograph is marked B15570; however, correct image # should be B15569, per photographer Boland's notes.)

Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17; Fires; Tree stumps; Logs; Lumber industry--Washington--1920-1930;

On July 26, 1926, the "Cacique," an oceangoing cargo ship was pictured at the Tidewater Mill Co. The ship is being loaded with lumber for export. The Tidewater Mill was located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, at the end of 11th St. Over 3/4 of its timber was destined for export. In the foreground can be seen several large logs being floated to the mill for processing. The Tidewater was only one of a few mills on the Pacific Coast able to process large logs. (TDL 12/22/1918, pg. B-8) G49.1-086

Tidewater Mill Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Henry McCleary Lumber Company crane isn McCleary, WA

Industries; Henry McCleary Lumber Company; Cranes; McCleary;