The tug, "Andrew Foss," flagship of the Foss Launch & Tug Company fleet, was undergoing painting and general repair for the summer season on April 27, 1924, along with the 57-foot purse seiner "Mercury of Tacoma." Both ships were on the ways at Western Boat Building. Henry Foss, son of Andrew and Thea Foss, is believed to be standing on the left below the tug's stern along with an unidentified man. Photograph ordered by Foss Launch & Tug Co. TPL-3681; G50.1-149 (TNT 4-26-24, p. 11-article only)

Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Fishing boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A new Dodge delivery truck from Griffith Motor Co. has been purchased by the Tacoma Fish & Packing Co. in March of 1924. The Dodge was selected for its fine qualities of appearance, dependability and economy. Tacoma Fish & Packing was located at 1107 Dock St. and were wholesale dealers in fresh, smoked and frozen fish. The occupant in the vehicle was not identified. Photograph ordered by Griffith Motor Co., Dodge dealership. G34.1-056 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-13-24, G-7)

Dodge trucks; Tacoma Fish & Packing Co. (Tacoma);

Raising of the "Rubaiyat." Part of the steamer "Rubaiyat" is visible on March 22, 1924, as she is slowly being raised from the deep waters of Commencement Bay. She had sunk after capsizing on September 29, 1923, on her way to Seattle. Initial attempts to haul her to the surface had failed. 8-10 feet of the stern became visible on Friday morning, March 21st. Hoses from a Foss Tug & Launch fireboat were used days earlier to undermine mud from beneath the hull so that heavy cables could be passed around to form a secure hold. Diver Walter McCray had removed most of the 20 tons of plaster from the "Rubaiyat" on March 17th. Plans were made to haul the ship to the beach on March 22nd and salvaged. The ship would then be floated to the Western Boat Building plant on the Wapato Waterway on March 25, 1924. None of the four bodies that went down with the ship in September were located and it was thought that they had been swept away by the tide after the sinking. G49.1-015 (TNT 3-18-24, p. 16-article; TNT 3-21-24, p. 21-article; TNT 3-24-24, p. 9-article; TDL 3-24-24, p. 1-article)

Hoisting machinery; Ships--Tacoma--1920-1930;

An unidentified woman is pictured on March 23, 1924, hopping from one Rickenbacker coupe to another. The coupes came with 4-wheel brakes, a relatively new idea. Photograph ordered by Sound Motor Co. G32.1-065

Rickenbacker automobile;

Powerful winch used by Foss Launch & Tug Co. to raise the sunken steamer, "Rubaiyat," in March of 1924. The ship had sunk the previous year as she headed for Seattle. Four people aboard the vessel drowned. The tug, "Andrew Foss," is in the background. The winch, from the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, had a six-foot in diameter drum with a two-inch steel cable. The winch enabled the hull, not seen since the September 30th sinking, to be visible . Four tugs towed the "Rubaiyat" toward the shore on March 12, 1924, and allowed her to rest just south of the Sperry Dock in about 60 feet of water. G50.1-147 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-30-23, p. 1-article on capsizing; TDL 3-13-24, p. 10)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Foss Launch crew involved in the raising of the sunken 80-ton steamer, "Rubaiyat," which had foundered on September 29, 1923. The 65-foot vessel had left Municipal Dock at 6 p.m. on her way to Seattle. She was heavily loaded with hundreds of cases of canned goods and capsized in Commencement Bay. Four persons died including one woman. The "Rubaiyat" sank within 30 seconds of capsizing and lay in 35 fathoms of water. Foss Launch immediately came to the rescue, putting five boats in the water, and reached the area at the same time as the lifeboat launched by the steamer "Fulton." Previous attempts in 1923 to raise the "Rubaiyat" had failed and the vessel was thought unsalvagable. The men pictured above on March 12, 1924, were successful in raising the ship from Commencement Bay's bottom: (L-R) Walter McCray, diver; H.F. (Fred) Berg of Foss Launch & Tug; Otto Kraus; William McDaniels; George Westerman, engineer; and O.F. Currey. McCray and Berg had obtained title to the hull since the sinking. G50.1-138 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-30-23, p. 1-article); TDL 3-13-24, p. 10)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma)--employees; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1920-1930; McCray, Walter; Berg, H.F.; Kraus, Otto; McDaniels, William; Westerman, George; Currey, O.F.;

Three F.S. Harmon Co. delivery trucks are on display in early February of 1924. Each has a different billboard on one side: Upholstered furniture deluxe, Day-An-Nite davenport and Blabon linoleums. The F.S. Harmon warehouse is visible in the rear. G66.2-130

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; F.S. Harmon Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

A Cleveland Six convertible, with its top down and groaning under the weight of 19 staff members of the Richardson Motor Company, made the rounds of downtown Tacoma in February of 1924, inviting residents to guess the weight of the load, exclusive of the car. The person with the closest guess would win $25.00. The vehicle and its enormous load are shown stopped in front of Clarke's Tire Service at 731 St. Helens Ave. , one of its stops up and down the hilly streets. Benjamin Bailey's entry came the closest to picking the actual combined weight of 3,234.5 pounds, missing it by only 3.5 pounds, and he was awarded the $25 prize. Names of the Richardson staff were listed in the February 10th edition of the Sunday Ledger. G32.1-112; TPL-3700 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-3-24, 2G; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-10-24, G-7-article)

Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Richardson Motor Co. (Tacoma)--employees; Clarke's Tire Service (Tacoma); Contests--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The ferry "City of Tacoma," which operated between Point Defiance and Gig Harbor, underwent a major remodel in January of 1924. The ferry was taken to Western Boat Building at 2505 East 11th to have 34 feet added to her length and her carrying capacity increased to 50 automobiles. She was opened up midship and the added length was inserted just aft of her engine room. The reconstruction job was estimated at $15,000 and the ferry out of service for 30 days. Photograph ordered by Western Boat Building. (TDL 1-16-24, p. 4, TNT 1-24-24, p. 24) G66.1-115

Boats--Tacoma; Ferries--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Legendary fighter pilot and race car driver, Eddie Rickenbacker, established his own automobile manufacturing company for a short time which produced coupes and sedans named after himself. To drum up publicity for his new car, three local women drivers were used to handle a seven-day continously run endurance marathon as pictured above in December of 1923. Margaret Hickey was the first driver when the endurance run began at 12:31 p.m. in front of City Hall on December 3, 1923. Irma Mottau and Helen Selden would take over at 4-hour intervals. The women did not break speed limits and were not limited to particular routes so drove from Des Moines to Olympia and points between in often rough weather. To ensure that the motor was not tampered with, and not turned off, Sheriff Tom Desmond and Police Captain Fred Gardner sealed the hood of the Rickenbacker coupe prior to the start of the run. The seal would not be broken until the end of the run, at 12:31 p.m. on December 10th. The three women, with Helen Selden as the finishing driver, were greeted at the finish line by over 500 people at the conclusion of the 2,642 mile marathon. A classic 4-passenger coupe like the above sold for $2325 at the time of the race. Local distributor of the Rickenbacker was the Sound Motor Co., Sixth & Tacoma, who sponsored the race. G11.1-006 (photograph is also labeled B9060) (TDL 12-11-23, p. 5)

Rickenbacker automobile; Signs (Notices);

Sheriff Tom Desmond and Police Captain Fred Gardner were photographed in early December, 1923, sealing the hood of a black Rickenbacker coupe with General Cords that bears the sign "Non-stop Endurance Run Car/Seven Day Continuous/Driven Only By Women/Rickenbacker of course." The seal on the hood would not be broken by the police officers until the end of the race at 12:31 p.m., 7 days later. The engine would run continuously. The Rickenbacker was named after war ace and racer, Eddie Rickenbacker. Three women, Margaret Hickey, Helen Selden and Irma Mottauare are seated in the car. All daughters of prominent Tacoma families, they would each take 4-hour driving shifts during the 7-day/168 hour endurance run. Women were chosen instead of more experienced male drivers to prove the Rickenbacker's reliability and ease of handling. TPL-180; G11.1-052 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 12-2-23, G-5, 8-G, 9-G-articles; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 12-9-23, G-3; TDL 12-11-23, p. 5-article)

Rickenbacker automobile; Signs (Notices); Desmond, Tom; Gardner, Fred; Hickey, Margaret; Selden, Helen; Mottau, Irma;

Model Bakery's motto was "Where Quality and Purity Counts." Their delivery truck and driver are pictured on a foggy November day in 1923. Model Bakery was located at the corner of So. 38th & Yakima Ave. It was owned by Gust and Thora Westerdale. Because the bakery had previously been pleased with other dependable Dodge commercial vehicles, they decided to purchase a new model due to its improved appearance, larger seats, and easier riding. TPL-951; G33.1-002 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-18-23, 8-G)

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dodge trucks; Model Bakery (Tacoma);

New Dodge on display. A shiny new Dodge touring car is parked outdoors on November 5, 1923, with a young man at the driver's seat and another man standing next to the front passenger's door. Photograph ordered by Griffith Motor Co., Dodge dealers.

Dodge automobile;

Model T Ford parked outside building believed to be located on Wheeler-Osgood Co. property, 1216 Saint Paul Ave., on October 30, 1923. The side of the car has been marred with letters either printed in the dust or scratched in the paint. G11.1-058

Ford automobile;

A sleek new closed car Studebaker is parked outside of Home Electric Co., 1321-23 A Street, on September 13, 1923. Standing next to the Big Six coupe is Edward L. Salmson, president of the firm. He had bought a car from B. H. Kennedy, local Studebaker distributor, twelve years before and has just purchased this 1924 model. The Big Six coupes (5-passenger) sold for $2550, per Mr. Kennedy's ad in the Tacoma Sunday Ledger of September 23rd. Photograph ordered by B.H. Kennedy. G11.1-018 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 9-23-23, G-5)

Studebaker automobile; Home Electric Co. (Tacoma); Salmson, Edward L.;

Three Nalley's delivery trucks are lined up outside the company plant on July 7, 1923. Two of the three drivers are visible behind the steering wheels. Nalley's trucks were decorated with the company's slogan, "If it's Nalley's it's Good." An uncropped version of this photograph ran in the Tacoma Sunday Ledger on July 15, 1923. Nalley's had added more Dodges to their fleet including a touring car and a panel business car (not pictured above) . They had accepted delivery from the Pierce County distributors of Dodge Bros. vehicles, Griffith Motor Co. Low upkeep expense and proven dependability were factors in choosing the Dodge Bros. brand. (print has been damaged) (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-15-23, 6-G)

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Nalleys, Inc. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Gas & Fuel Co. Two Tacoma Gas delivery trucks were photographed, possibly at the company's plant near 22nd and Dock St., in June of 1923. The Chevrolet trucks have advertising for "Smoothtop" gas stoves posted on the sides. Tacoma Gas & Fuel Co. had recently taken delivery of the two trucks from Wallace Chevrolet Co., local Chevrolet distributors. The company had used Chevrolet vehicles in the past and praised their economical features. G35.1-045 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-1-23, 4-G)

Tacoma Gas & Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Chevrolet trucks;

ca. 1923. A sturdy GMC truck served as the Yakima stage in 1923 with stops in Prosser and Toppenish. It was parked outside of a Tacoma Standard Oil Co. station at the time of this Boland photograph. A large multi-business billboard is in the background featuring a clothing store and the Washington Cycle & Supply Co. Photograph ordered by Pioneer Auto Works. G66.1-031

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Buses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Billboards--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is the stern and one of the huge propellers of the steamship "Alaska" on the day of her launching, April 19, 1923, at the Todd yards. The "Alaska" was built for passenger and freight trade between Puget Sound and Alaska and was the first combination passenger and freight vessel built at the Todd yards. At 364-feet long, she was designed for copper ore cargo and included passenger accommodations for 250 first class and 58 steerage. The "Alaska" was the 31st ship launched by Todd and successfully slid bow first down the ways. Miss Frances Nowell of Alaska served as sponsor. G37.1-111 (TDL 4-19-23, p. 1-article; TDL 4-20-23, p.1, p. 3)

Launchings--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Model Bakery truck on display. This Model Bakery delivery truck was parked outdoors on March 26, 1923. It had recently been purchased from Griffith Motor Co., the downtown Dodge dealership, and joined a fleet of Dodge Bros. cars operated by the bakery. Model Bakery was located at the corner of South 38th and Yakima Avenue and was owned and operated by Gus Westerdale. Their motto was "Where Quality and Purity Counts." TPL-3198; G33.1-003 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-22-23, C-5)

Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dodge trucks; Model Bakery (Tacoma);

A new Dodge sedan is parked on an unpaved road next to a wood framed home on March 26, 1923. Neither the man standing next to the vehicle nor the house, with partial address of 3718, was identified. Photograph ordered by Griffith Motor Co.

Dodge automobile; Houses--1920-1930;

An unidentified woman, foot on the running board, prepares to enter a closed coupe parked on the circular driveway outside Capt. Olaf Olson's home at 223 North Yakima Ave. on December 18, 1922. The brick Spanish-Colonial home, originally built for lumberman E.J. McNeeley in 1906, was designed by the Tuttle Brothers architectural firm. In the photograph's background are the Lewis & Clark Apartments, 717-719 North 3rd St. G11.1-040

Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Olson, Olaf--Homes & haunts; Lewis & Clark Apartments (Tacoma);

Stacks of lumber are being loaded onto the "Commercial Pathfinder" while docked at the Tidewater Mill on December 6, 1922. The mill was located on the east side of the Hylebos and most of its timber was exported. G49.1-201 (print has deteriorated)

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

Display of Maxwell automobiles. Hoisted on top of a small stage is a Maxwell touring car. The Maxwells were distributed in Southwest Washington by the American Automobile Co. The tops were removable if so desired and the new "California" or all weather top, dark maroon in color, was guaranteed to last the lifetime of the car. The Maxwell automobile also came in enclosed models. This display of automobiles may have been in preparation for the Wesern Washington Fair, October 2-9, where new 1923 cars would be exhibited at the Auto Show. G32.1-135 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-30-22, C-3-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger 4-23-22, C-5-article)

Maxwell automobile; Automobile shows;

Venus in dry dock. This boat, dubbed "Venus," was owned by Dr. S.L. Blair and built by Skansie Bros. of Gig Harbor. She was one of the newer boats owned by members of the Tacoma Yacht Club. Measuring 53-feet by 11-feet, she was powered by a 36 h.p. Enterprise engine with cruising speed of 8 mph. All controls were in the pilothouse. "Venus" contained the owner's state room, quarters for several guests including a galley and dining salon. Three other boats are afloat in the background including the "Prosperity" and the "Mary Ellen." G37.1-122 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-19-22, G-2-article on the "Venus" and alternate picture)

Yachts--Tacoma;

The Japanese freighter "Arabia Maru" moored at Milwaukee Dock on May 24, 1922. She would sail for Hong Kong the following day. Another vessel is pictured behind her which is also believed to be of Japanese origin. G49.1-092

Cargo ships--Japanese; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A driverless automobile is parked under towering trees with a sign advertising "The Lakes" on May 19, 1922. This is in reference to the Benbow Inn at The Lakes (Resort) located between Tacoma and Mount Rainier near Kapowsin. Cottages and a large inn were situated on the property along Lake Tanwax. They catered to families providing recreational activities and relaxation for all. This photograph was used in an article describing Benbow Inn which ran in the News Tribune a couple years later, on July 31, 1924. G38.1-057 (TNT 7-31-24, B-2)

Automobiles--Kapowsin; Trees--Kapowsin; Signs (Notices); Benbow Lakes Resort (Kapowsin);

The "Eastern Prince" docked in Tacoma in early April of 1922 at the Port of Tacoma. She would sail on April 6th for Hong Kong with 250-tons of spelter from British Columbia (originally via the steamer Eastholm). The "Eastern Prince" would also share a load of 4 million feet of lumber with the "Kaisho Maru." G49.1-083 (TDL 3-30-22, p. 9-article; TDL 4-6-22, p. 10-article)

Cargo ships--1920-1930;

The Wilson-Dawson-McFarland Co. Dodge van is parked outside of the two-story cottage at 514 North "G" St. on April 1, 1922. Four men, including the driver, solemnly gaze at the photographer. The painters have their ladders ready to possibly paint the cottage which was built circa 1890. Photograph ordered by the Griffith Motor Co. TPL-1842; BU10, 150; G37.1-098 (also the same as G28.1-172 and G66.2-121)

Dodge automobile; Houses--Tacoma--1920-1930; Painting--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Parked outside the City Pound's office at So. 27th & D on February 18, 1922, is a new 1922 Dodge closed-car sedan with Walter Havelock Campbell Griffith, president of Griffith Motor Co., standing nearby. A sign fastened to the rather decrepit building warns of a "vicious dog" inside. Mr. Griffith had graciously donated use of his Dodge cars for photographers and writers to use that month in documenting animal care in Tacoma, focusing on the Tacoma Humane Society, a Tacoma Community Chest agency. G10.1-064 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-26-22, 1-C)

Griffith, Walter Havelock Campbell; Dodge automobile; Tacoma City Pound (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;