ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Alaska Pine also established a research center near its Vancouver, B.C. Marpole Sawmill division lumber operations. A laboratory chemist conducts a product control test on Rayflo-treated oil well drilling mud and records the results. The lab did quality control testing on cellulose products and research on new products. They also concentrated on wood products as distinct from cellulose. The purpose was to discover undeveloped product possibilities from mill residuals. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Alaska Pine also established a research center near its Vancouver, B.C. Marpole Sawmill division lumber operations. The cellulose solutions laboratory had a wide variety of equipment for preparing and testing cellulose derivatives. Its aim was to explore the characteristics and flow properties of various cellulose solutions. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. plywood mill in Olympia, ordered by the Condon Co. A hard hatted worker is mixing glue into the large pots. Separate pots probably held waterproof glue and standard glue. A system of pipes, hoses and valves connect the two vats with the large circumference pipe behind the worker that extends from the floor to out of picture range. The feeder pipe would take this glue and send it on to the glue machine. See D55572-35 for glue operations.
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Olympia); Lumber industry--Olympia--1950-1960; Plywood;
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. Semi-finished hemlock lumber waits on kiln-cars to roll into the dry kilns. Alaska Pine was a pioneer in kiln drying of hemlock and developing it as a commercial product. The company kiln-dries about 60% of its lumber output, including practically all of the hemlock products. Properly dried hemlock makes excellent construction lumber. This stimulated broader use of a timber still abundant in the fifties. The company was also promoting the use of cedar, particularly as siding. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. Logs are brought into the mill where they are barked and cut into 2 inch planks. A series of steps follows where they are edged, trimmed, sorted, kiln-dried and planed. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. Big logs are brought to the mill in large rafts towed from the company's logging operations hundreds of miles away. They are cut into 20 foot lengths in the water and pushed onto the loghaul, which carries them into the mill. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. A fork lift is being used to lift a large load of lumber. The Canadian mills produced a broad range of commercial lumber products in Douglas fir, balsam fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce and red cedar. They sold to markets in the United States, Canada and other countries under the brand "A Crown P. " (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited, a Canadian subsidiary of Rayonier Inc., was constructing a new plant at Vancouver B.C. for the production of Rayflo, a chemical used in oil well drilling, and its distribution to foreign markets. Rayflo was a new chemical developed from experimentation with the byproducts of cellulose production. It was produced from hemlock residuals obtained from the Marpole sawmill. It was used to control the chemical and physical properties of oil well drilling mud. Rayflo was the result of product development by Rayonier Inc. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Clear cuts can be seen throughout the forrest dotting the hills where the trees have been harvested. These areas would be replanted for future harvests. Rayonier had a Grays Harbor tree farm that totaled over 111,000 acres.
Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);
Logging near Mineral; ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A logging truck heavily loaded with huge tree trunks winds up a hill on a gravel road. Mist shrouds the clear cut area surrounding the road. Mineral is a small logging town on Mineral Lake fourteen miles north of Morton in north central Lewis County. During 1956, this private two lane road was built by St. Regis Paper Co. to replace a 12 mile logging railroad. Roads are now the main artery in the area that supplies the Tacoma mill. (1956 Annual Report, St. Regis Paper Co.) TPL-9428
Lumber industry--Mineral; Logs; Cutover lands--Mineral; Trucks; Woodcutters; Loggers--Mineral; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Firs; Forests--Mineral; Woodcutting--Mineral; St. Regis Paper Co. (Mineral);
Logging near Mineral; ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A hard hatted logger stares up at an old growth tree, possibly judging how best to cut it. This forested area is located at St. Regis Paper Company's Camp #2, near Mineral, Washington.
Lumber industry--Mineral; Logs; Woodcutters; Loggers--Mineral; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Firs; Forests--Mineral; Woodcutting--Mineral; St. Regis Paper Co. (Mineral);
The finishing room at Rayonier's Grays Harbor mill, for Malcolm McGhie. The pulp rolls have been sheeted on the cutter and counted out on the layboy. They are moving by automatic conveyer to the large hydraulic bailing presses where they will be compressed and wrapped for shipment. (1955 Annual Report, Rayonier, Inc.)
Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor); Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960;
Presentation of award to the president of U.S. Plywood, Tony Antoville (on right.) Photograph ordered by the DFPA. United States Plywood Corp. was one of the first companies to build after the industry was decontrolled. It opened a 36 million foot capacity plant at Mapleton, Oregon in 1948. By 1955, the firm controlled four plants with a total capacity of 342 million feet annually.
Plywood; Lumber industry--Seattle--1950-1960; United States Plywood Corp. (Seattle); Antoville, Tony;
Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A cabinet is viewed from above topped with an assortment of power tools, hand tools and plywood trim pieces. These are the materials and tools used in a woolworking display captured in this photographic series (D89928.) This cabinet would be perfect for the home handyman to store his tools and small materials or for the hardware store to shelve small items. The DFPA, located in the Fuller building in Tacoma, was constantly promoting its product and its myriad uses. The plywood industry exploded in the Northwest thanks to this dedicated self promotion.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Drills (Equipment); Hammers; Woodworking--Tacoma;
The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's (DFPA) annual meeting in 1955. The Golden Jubilee Convention was held in Portland, Oregon, celebrating 50 years of the plywood industry from its inception in 1905 to 1955. Over 12,000 plywood manufacturers and distributers attended the meeting. One of the highlights was the unveiling of the Plywood Memorial at the Forestry building in Portland. The Memorial was designed around the original sheet of plywood manufactured in 1905 for display at the Lewis and Clark International Exposition in Portland.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland; Plywood;
Interiors of new DFPA office in Fuller building. Originally the home of W.P. Fuller & Co., the building was leased by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association in 1953 and remodeled for their headquarters. Plywood, the building material made of sheets of veneer glued together in multi plys, was the favored building material of the construction industry. This was mostly due to the self promotion of the Association, which was supported by member mills. The Association also sponsored research at its lab at 1214 A St. and standardized plywood and graded it for quality. TPL-8397
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Workers are laying plywood in apparent preparation for testing by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association's laboratory in March, 1954. Nearly all sections of plywood have been fastened with only a few sheets left to attach. Plywood was constantly being tested to assure consumers and the industry that all standards were being met.
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Testing--Tacoma; Product inspection--Tacoma;
St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company milled lumber used by 20th Century Construction Company in building DeLong School. Worker placing lumber on top of wood beams. Early construction phase.
Twenty logging trucks, photograph ordered by International Harvester. The trucks are fueled by propane and owned by Cotten Brothers in Spanaway, Washington. International Harvester sold and serviced large trucks. Here the trucks are posed in front of a large propane tank.
Ordered by International Harvester, a single logging truck. The truck is fueled by propane and owned by Cotten Brothers in Spanaway, Washington. The truck is posed in front of a large propane tank labelled "Propane, the modern motor fuel." The back portion of the truck where the logs are usually loaded has been unhooked and now sits on the bed of the truck. International Harvester sold and serviced large commercial trucks.
Two employees of the U.S. Plywood Corporation examine sheets of plywood in their Seattle plant on January 6, 1956. They were manufacturers of the "Weldwood" brand of Douglas fir plywood. U.S. Plywood had two locations in Seattle including a lumber division on E. Marginal Way. It also had plants in Mapleton, Oregon, and a 60 million foot capacity mill in Anderson, California. By 1954, with the addition of Associated Plywood Mills' two holdings, U.S. Plywood was capable of 342 million feet annually. (Cour: Plywood Age, p. 158-59)
Plywood; Lumber industry--Seattle--1950-1960; United States Plywood Corp. (Seattle);
Ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association; plywood being used in the construction of a commercial "chicken house." Plywood is being attached to the exterior of the beams to form the curved roof of the chicken house. The entrance area and a ventilation window can be seen. This is the back of the house. This is possibly the Fife farm of the Guy Conine family. The family raised poultry in three chicken houses, one conventional and two of the quonset hut design. They raised Van Tress hybrid crosses, Washington Whites and Lancaster Whites. The laminated beam construction of the two quonset hut variety eliminated the need for posts for support. All feeding and watering was automatic. (TNT 10/28/1956, pg. B-6)
The busy mail room of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A large mailer is being prepared. Some women fold the materials to be mailed and others stuff the envelopes. One of the jobs of the association was the promotion of the plywood product and the industry itself. One of the association's main sources of self promotion was the U.S. mail and the company maintained a large mail room to meet its demands.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Correspondence;
Cheney Lumber Co.; packages of two by four "Cheney Studs" being readied for shipment in the railroad cars behind. Ben Cheney got his start in the lumber business in 1936 during the depression. By the late 1930's, he was supplying railroad ties nationally and internationally. Cheney was wholesaling the production of 140 portable mills throughout the northwest, selling their ties on a commission basis. As timber became more difficult to obtain cheaply, he became concerned over the side-cut slab wastage, often 2/3 of the log. He came up with the idea of supplying the housing market with standard 8 foot studding, the same length as railroad ties were cut. He even obtained a lower transportation cost from the Interstate Commerce Commission, making production even more economical. Cheney renamed the "shorts," as these 8 foot pieces had been called, "Cheney Studs." Studs became the standard in the building trade and Cheney is credited with standardizing the roof height in US residential construction. ("The Sou'wester" Volume xxxv, Number 3, Fall 2000)
Cheney Lumber Company's booth at the 1956 Greater Tacoma Home Show. A young Cheney Studs football player poses in uniform with one of the trophies. His uniform features the Cheney "stud" horse logo on the chest. "Studs" were what Cheney renamed the 8 foot 2 x 4 lumber "shorts" that revolutionized the building materials industry. On the back wall are photos of the young man's football team mates, as well as other Cheney teams. One sign points out that the amateur Cheney Studs baseball team was the national runnerup in the 1955 American Baseball Congress.
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Awards; Football players--Tacoma--1950-1960;
A model of one of Ben Cheney's lumberyards is displayed at the Cheney booth at the 1956 Greater Tacoma Home Show. Miniature stacks of Cheney "studs" dot the landscape. The Tacoma Home Show was held May 11-20, 1956 at the College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse. Over 100 local and national companies set up exhibit booths emphasizing products for the home. Cheney "studs" were 8 foot lengths of 2x4 timber that established the residential ceiling height in America.
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Greater Tacoma Home Show (Tacoma); Models;
By the mid-1950's more and more people were becoming accustomed to "do-it-yourselfing" and the Douglas Fir Plywood Association encouraged them to use plywood for their building projects. Stores were devoting space to handyman supplies; pictured in July, 1954, is an unidentified model with displays of new Douglas Fir Plywood Handy Panels. These panels, at 2 ft. by 4 ft., were smaller then full size plywood sheets. They were easy to handle, select and use. They were clearly marked for size, grade and price. Plans were available to build your own storage units or versatile chests and often the work could be completed within a weekend. Stores were eager to help the customer who wanted to save money by doing the work himself. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Handy Panels ad, Popular Science, December 1952, p. 248)
Plywood; Merchandise displays--1950-1960; Signs (Notices); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Do-it-yourself work--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Pencil behind his ear, a worker ponders the placement of a sheet of plywood on forms already in place. One large sheet is already been nailed on. The man needs to stand on a wooden plank to reach the forms as the building's foundation is already set and the ground excavated. Each plywood sheet is labeled "Plyscord" and stamped in numerous places informing buyers that this genuine fir plywood has undergone stringent testing for quality. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Building construction; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
A young model enjoys an appetizing snack as she lounges on an extended sofa in a September 13, 1954, photograph. The plates of food are placed on a four legged TV table whose ends are tilted upward. The TV table, made out of wood, was built at the right height for someone sitting in front of it or for use as a miniature coffee table. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Tables; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Architects in the firm of Jensen & Mills examine a small display of Douglas Fir Plywood Association promotional material in their Jones Building office on November 19, 1954. The plywood association always stressed the stringent quality controls utilized in approving plywood for numerous uses. The DFPA label on plywood meant that customers could count on the association standing behind its product. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960; Jensen & Mills (Tacoma);
