Elmer J. Bergstrom is pictured standing next to his brand new special four-passenger Dodge coupe on May 13, 1924. The vehicle is parked on rough gravel on a site overlooking the Tacoma industrial Tideflats. Mr. Bergstrom, who resided at 424 South 38th St., had his new coupe delivered to him by Griffith Motor Co. It was his second Dodge Bros. car and much more luxurious than his first, a 1920 model. G11.1-062 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-8-24, 4-G)
Several barely visible small children, huddled in shrubbery, appeared fascinated by the upside down Joe Lyons Bus Company vehicle involved in an accident at 7:30 a.m. on July 21, 1924. The bus was bound from Dash Point to Tacoma, a scenic half-hour ride, when it plunged off the highway, overturned twice, and came to rest approximately 100 feet below the road. Four men were injured in the accident, none seriously. The bus made regular stops at several points of interest including the Milwaukee shops, the Todd Shipyards and Browns Point. (TNT 7-21-24, p. 1) G66.1-023
Several small boys and an an adult pause at the site of an early morning bus accident that occurred on July 21, 1924. A Joe Lyons Bus Co. vehicle had left the Dash Point Rd. at the scene above, flipping over twice, and landing upside down in woods about 100 feet below the road surface. The bus was making one of its usual runs from Dash Point to Tacoma where it let off workers at the Milwaukee Shops, Todd Shipyards and Port Commission docks as well as other points. Fortunately all injuries were relatively minor. G25.1-019
Two Whitworth Transfer & Storage Co. trucks are spilling over with bundles of used clothing collected during a one-day relief drive in July of 1924. Local residents were asked to contribute whatever clothing they could spare to send toward needy recipients in the "Near East." The clothing was then bagged in preparation for transport. Whitworth Transfer was one of many Tacoma firms who donated their services for the drive to collect clothing for Armenian refugees. A record shipment of 16,000 pounds was collected and departed on August 1, 1924, via the freighter Virginia V for Seattle where the clothing would be reloaded and shipped overseas on U.S. transports. The four workers next to the truck in the foreground were not identified. On the right of the photograph were William Worthington, in charge of relief efforts in Tacoma, and general manager of Whitworth Transfer, C. McA Logan. G66.2-117 (TDL 8-2-24, p. 4)
Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clothing relief--Tacoma; Worthington, William; Logan, C. McA;
An unidentified driver is at the wheel of the Brown & White Cab Co. taxi on September 5, 1924. According to the 1924 City Directory, the firm was located at 1013 Pacific Avenue and was owned and operated by E.J. Shaw and C.T. Taylor. G66.2-088
Three delivery trucks are parked along the side of the South Tacoma "Road" in March of 1920. Two of the three drivers stand near their vehicles while the third remains in the truck. The first truck in line, "No. 2," apparently has its route listed on the exterior of the truck, extending from Hoquiam to Seattle. The trucks may have been sold by the J.F. Hickey Motor Co. of Tacoma. G66.2-136
Charles Blancherie, manager of S.B.& H. Candy Co., poses with his new Scripps-Booth automobile outside the Seymour Conservatory in Wright Park on November 11, 1920. He had recently accepted delivery of the vehicle from Tacoma Motors Co. Mr. Blancherie was a very satisfied Scripps-Booth owner; this model was his third purchase. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-14-20, C-6) G11.1-044
Blancherie, Charles; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Seymour Conservatory (Tacoma); Wright Park (Tacoma);
In March of 1921, Herman "Burt" Pagel, a driver for the Betsy Ann Bakery, was photographed with one of the bakery's small fleet of delivery trucks. The Betsy Ann Bakery, then located at 2513-15 Sixth Avenue, was founded by Edward Hall, Edward Pickert and Napoleon Raquer in 1920. The company quickly outgrew its building and built a new bakery at 2805-07 Sixth Avenue which opened in 1922. Betsy Ann's was in business until 1933. Photograph ordered by the Griffith Motor Co. TPL-910; G33.1-001 (Additional identification provided by a reader)
Dodge trucks; Pagel, Herman; Betsy Ann Bakery (Tacoma);
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)
A long parade of Washington Co-operative Association trucks is making a turn onto what is believed to be the Western Washington Fairgrounds on September 22, 1927. Advertising on the vehicles state that the co-op sells food, and buys feed. G6.1-092
Trucks--1920-1930; Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association (Tacoma);
Fageol truck at Atlas Foundry. An unidentified driver sits behind the wheel of a Fageol Flyer truck on April 9, 1928 at the Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. plant, 3012 South Wilkeson St. in Tacoma. Fageol trucks were first manufactured in 1917 in Oakland, California. The models ranged from 1.5 tons to 10 tons. Fageol had recently opened a branch at 503 Puyallup Avenue to handle sales and service of their trucks. The Atlas Foundry truck shown above is believed to be a Fageol Flyer 6. It was light but built using heavy truck design. (TDL 4-17-1928, p. 5-full page ad, no photo)
Trucking of goods by highway was another method of shipping that became popular in the 1920's as roads and vehicles improved. Mack trucks, already known for their durability and reliability pre-and-post WWI, were used for quick delivery of freight. The company realized the demand for larger capacity and higher speed haulage and firms like the Olympia-Tacoma Auto Freight Co. were starting to use the sturdy Mack trucks for business. This Mack truck shown above on July 6, 1928, had an attached trailer, doubling the amount of goods that could be transported. For additional safety, both truck and trailer were equipped with Booster brakes to supplement regular braking equipment. G66.2-106B (www.macktrucks.com) (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-22-28, 4-G, alternate photograph & article)
Mack trucks; Olympia-Tacoma Auto Freight Co.; Shipping--1920-1930;
A City Fuel truck with a load of wood is third in line as this October 14, 1929, photograph was taken on an unidentified street. Sandwiched between the small City Fuel truck and a heavy-duty truck from the company is a large cement mixer. The mixer is on a trailer being hauled by the heavy-duty truck. Photograph ordered by City Fuel Co., 1947 Jefferson Ave. TPL-3669; G43.1-180
City Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1920-1930; Concrete mixers--Tacoma;
Seven Tacoma Inter-city Auto Freight Co. delivery trucks and their drivers lined up in downtown Tacoma in August of 1919. The company's motto was apparently "You Need It (Service) We Give It." The freight company's address was listed as 2312 A Street in the 1919 telephone book. In the background of this photograph are the F.S. Harmon furniture company and Hunt & Mottet hardware and sporting goods store. G66.2-131
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.;
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.
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;
Three Garford heavy duty trucks are parked outside of the A. Holroyd Co. facilities on 5047 South Washington in March of 1925. The first truck in line, WA plate #363140, has a large bell attached over the grill. A. (Arthur) Holroyd was a dealer in building materials including sand & gravel, black soil, filling gravel, cement and cement block, stucco, and lath and plaster. The firm was founded in 1906 by Mr. Holroyd. G66.2-104
Trucks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma); Building materials industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Well-known for its ability to haul heavy loads, a 5-ton White heavy duty truck carries equipment meant for installation at the $150,000 Cushman sub-station being constructed at 19th & Washington in late April of 1925. The large unit on the trailer was one of six 15-ton transformers to be installed. E.S. Frietch and William E. Becker, owners of two White trucks, were responsible for the hauling. The truck is parked with one man aboard and another kneeling nearby. Photograph ordered by the Hickey Motor Co., local distributors of White trucks. G43.1-044 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 12-7-24, 8-E-article on Cushman sub-station; TDL 5-4-25, p. 3-article on transformers; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-24-25, G-3)
13 National Park buses parked compactly inside Stadium Bowl in June of 1925, just in time for the 26th opening season of Mount Tacoma and Rainier National Park. Each vehicle had four rows of seats where passengers could get plenty of fresh air and unrestricted views of The Mountain. The park buses were equipped with General Tires. Photograph ordered by General Tires. TPL-6199; G70.1-130
A Tacoma bus, utilizing a Mack body, is parked near the North Star Mfg. Co., 2317-19 Pacific Ave., on August 13, 1926. A sign on the bus indicates that it travels to South Tacoma. Some of the windows are open on the steel bus; the driver does not appear to be present. Photograph ordered by Mack Truck. G66.1-028
Shown at the rear of their two-ton White truck with attached 800-gallon tank are Thompson Lubricating Co.'s owners, H.E. Thompson (left) and his father H.A. Thompson, on August 31, 1926. The delivery truck was built 18 months ago for the firm and purchased from the J.F. Hickey Motor Co., the second White owned by the Thompsons. The company used Red Hat Gasoline for its customers and a retouched photograph of this gasoline truck with heavy use of emblems was used for national advertising. In 1926, Thompson Lubricating had four service stations in Tacoma. G35.1-043 (T.Times, 9-4-26, p. 10)
ca. 1958. Two Cammarano brothers posed with two company drivers at 25th & "F" Sts. in this circa 1958 photograph. They are standing in front of one of two new Dodge trucks that carry Rainier Beer. From left to right are: James Cammarano, Victor Trowbridge, William Cammarano and Walter Farley. The Cammarano Bros. firm were local distributors of beer and carbonated beverages. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10419
ca. 1956. This Cammarano Brothers delivery truck hauling Rainier Beer and Pommerelle Wines was parked outside the K & K Auto Paint Shop, 1501 Market St., circa 1956. The new Dodge vehicle is painted a vibrant deep red. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) (no copy negative on file)
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Dodge trucks; Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma); Beer--Tacoma; K & K Auto Paint Shop (Tacoma);
ca. 1907. Dorcas Spalt rides through Wright Park in her 1906 Cadillac, driven by her son, Worthy Morris. Purported to be the first Cadillac in Tacoma. Man standing next to car was not identified except as a friend of Mr. Morris. (Original print owned by Allen Morris. No print copy on file.)
Cadillac automobile; Spalt, Dorcas; Morris, Worthy; Wright Park (Tacoma);
May, 1967, view of Airways Rent-A-Truck with lift at Titus-Will Ford building construction site, 3606 So.Sprague. This rented truck came equipped with a hoist capable of lifting heavy pallets or wrapped building materials. It appears that the wrapped packages, possibly roofing material, could therefore be moved onto rooftops with ease due to the truck's lifting capabilities. Titus-Will had opened a used car mall on So. Sprague north of the Tacoma Mall and west of I-5 the previous year. The construction pictured above was part of the new 10.5 acre Ford Center where new cars and a complete service department would be situated. Photograph ordered by First National Auto Leasing.
Trucks--Tacoma--1960-1970; Building construction--Tacoma--1960-1970; Titus-Will Ford (Tacoma); Lease & rental services--Tacoma;
Five men pose by three Northwest Gas Supply trucks carrying Doxol compressed gas on April 22, 1968. The trucks measure 65 feet in length and are 10 feet high. Signs on the tanks warn that the contents are flammable. They are parked outside Redi-Gas and Northwest Gas facilities at 14012 Pacific Ave. Photograph ordered by Transportation Equipment.
Trucks--Parkland; Northwest Gas Supply (Parkland); Redi-Gas Service (Parkland); Fuel trade--Parkland;
ca. 1969. 1969 Richards stock footage. The City of Tacoma celebrated its centennial in 1969. The Rucker Bros. provided the pulling power in this unidentified parade, possibly the Daffodil Festival parade, as their truck transported the Northern Pacific Railroad's Minnetonka locomotive down Pacific Avenue past admiring spectators clustered around Bill's Cafe. A cheery Brakeman Bill from KTNT-TV emerges waving from the cab of the engine. The Minnetonka, affectionately known as "Old Betsy," was the Northern Pacific's first locomotive. Built in 1870, the woodburning, saddle tank, balloon-stack Minnetonka was used in the early days of westward construction. The Minnetonka would also be an entry in the June 28, 1969, Centennial Parade. (TNT 3-9-69, A-16)
St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company chip storage plant as viewed on September 3, 1952. Kenworth truck with trailer and two more trailers at loading bays on ground level of building.
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;
