Douglas Fir Plywood Association, stages of plywood prefabricated panel manufacturing taken at Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Company. Men add another plywood cover to the side of the milled lumber frame interior of the prefabricated panel. The company's goal is to complete 1,000 panels per day, enough for 10 complete homes per day. (T.Times, 11/6/1946, p.7)
Plywood; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. (Tacoma);
An elevated view of the Defiance Mill saw line for I.W. Johnson Engineering. The gang type saw mill the Doud brothers built in 1929 was particularly adapted to sawing smaller logs. The gang mill cut with greater precision and left the lumber much smoother. A person who ran a gang saw was called a "gangster".
An elevated view of the Defiance Mill saw line for I.W. Johnson Engineering. I.W. Johnson Engineering Company had produced three 8 x 60 sawmill edgers this year and then had three sizes of edgers available: 4 x 24, 8 x 60, and 10 x 72 for distribution in California, Oregon and Washington. (T.Times, 10/2/1946, p.3)
The Defiance Mill saw line for I.W. Johnson Engineering. Definace mill was started by three brothers, the Doud Brothers, from Wisconsin in 1901 when they built a mill in Buckley, Washington. Four years later they moved to Tacoma - 22 acres on Ruston Way. In 1929 they built a gang type plant to cut 75,000 feet in 8 hours.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A young girl looks up at the enormous log section. The annual rings show the tree was 586 years old. It would have provided much good lumber even before Columbus landed in America. Long over-ripe, rot had begun to appear just inside the bark at the base of the trunk and much of the upper part was decayed. (T.Times, 10/16/1946, p.4; TNT 8/21/1946, pg. 1)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logs; Girls--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;
In this photograph from October 1946 for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association, a young woman on a step ladder, Shirley (Mrs. C.E.) Magarity, measures a large cross section of a log that is almost 13 feet in diameter. It used to stand outside the Northwest Door Company at 1203 East D St. when Herman E. Tenzler was president of the company. You can still see this section of a giant Douglas Fir standing by the entrance to the Lakewood Branch of the Pierce County Library system. It was moved there in 1965. (TNT 8/21/1946)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logs; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Measuring--Tacoma--1940-1950; Bathing suits; Magarity, Shirley; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Two women measure a 12 foot, 9 inch log section. This was the biggest cross section ever felled by man as of this date. It was cut in the prime forests southwest of Mount Rainier in the center of western Washington. This short butt section of the tremendous tree was on view at Northwest Door Company, a local plywood and door manufacturing firm in whose logging operations the tree was brought down. (T.Times, 10/16/1946, p.4, TNT 8/21/1946) TPL-7962
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logs; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Measuring--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;
For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. A large, radial-arm saw, upper center, cuts lumber to length. A narrow conveyor belt seen in the foreground moves lumber through the mill.
For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. Logs just delivered to the mill have already been cut into convenient lengths (usually 32 feet) for the machines that will have the next go at cutting the logs into lumber. (Fortune Magazine, April 1934)
An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. Large logs are stacked on the left while two men operate the "head-rig", one to the right and one in the center, background. The log is being broken down. Running the "head-rig" is a two person operation. The "sawyer", in the center right, stands beside the carriage on which the log is clamped and as the carriage swings the log into the teeth of the saw he signals, with hand signals, to the "setter", on the right, operating the carriage, where and how much to cut. For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. (Fortune Magazine, April 1934)
For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. Two men, difficult to discern from the large machinery, are in the upper left adjusting a log that is being broken down in the "head-rig". In the foreground rough cut lumber is being moved along by chains seen in open grooves in the surface of the platform. (Fortune Magazine, April 1934)
For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. The "head-rig" is seen in the upper, center right. On the far left a radial-arm saw can be seen cutting lumber to length.
For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. A log, with one side already sawed off having passed through the "head-rig" of the mill, has been rotated to slice off the opposite side. Once a log had been squared it was milled into lumber.
For I.W. Johnson Engineering Company. An interior view of a sawmill near Packwood, Washington. The "head-rig", where large logs are "squared" prior to being broken down into lumber, is seen on the right. Chain, similar to that used on bicycles, is being pulled by gears. Because it has teeth on the edges, the chain is able to move lumber through the mill. (Fortune Magazine, April 1934)
Douglas Fir Plywood Association. An exterior view of a building. Automobiles and a truck from the A.J. Johnson & Company are parked outside. The Tacoma skyline is in the distance.
Cascade Pole Co. manufactured poles and posts using Tacoma lumber. They manufactured their own creosote, and pressure creosoted their products for longer durability. Victor C. Monahan was President and J. R. McFarland was the Vice-President. Exterior view of Cascade Pole Co., a pole is being shaped using this machine.
Logs; Lumber--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery; Cascade Pole Co. (Tacoma);
Cascade Pole Co. manufactured poles and posts using Tacoma lumber. They manufactured their own creosote, and pressure creosoted their products for longer durability. Victor C. Monahan was President and J. R. McFarland was the Vice-President. Exterior view of Cascade Pole Co., logs are being brought into the plant by the railroad car.
ca. 1946. The unveiling of the giant cross section of a tree trunk at the Northwest Door Company. The Northwest Door Co. plywood and veneer plant was founded in 1935. In the summer of 1946, the company logged a gigantic old growth Douglas Fir on their logging property southwest of Mt. Rainier. The tree was almost 14 feet in diameter. A cross section of the trunk was removed and sent to the Tacoma plant for display. Here the section is covered by a curtain prior to its unveiling. The cross section of fir was moved in 1965 to the Lakewood branch of the Pierce County Library system. See image #3 for the unveiling.
Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;
ca. 1946. A section of Douglas Fir tree trunk almost 14 feet in diameter arrives at the Northwest Door Co. plywood plant. Anthony A. "Spike" Maras perches on top of the trunk, which is marked with a white 14 and sits on a logging truck. The "14" is the measurement of the diameter of the tree. On the ground, Fred R. Davis, left, and Percy J. Maras crane their necks to see the top of the trunk. The men are the owners of the Davis & Maras Co., which was hired by Northwest Door to fell the tree. The giant trunk will not be made into plywood, but will be put on display. (identification supplied by Anthony "Spike" Maras)
Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logging trucks--1940-1950; Maras, Anthony A.; Davis, Fred R.; Maras, Percy J.;
ca. 1946. A section of Douglas Fir tree trunk almost 14 feet in diameter arrives at the Northwest Door Co. plywood plant. Marilyn Maras (now Cade,) daughter of Anthony "Spike" Maras, peeks from the top of the trunk, showing by comparison the huge size of the log. The log was cut by the Davis & Maras Co. from the Northwest Door Co.'s logging lands southwest of Mt. Rainier. A section of the log remained on display at Northwest Door from 1946 - 1965, when it was moved to the Lakewood branch of the Pierce County library.
Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logging trucks--1940-1950; Maras, Marilyn;
ca. 1946. The unveiling of the giant cross section of a tree trunk at the Northwest Door Company. In the summer of 1946, Northwest Door Co. cut down this tremendous old growth Douglas Fir tree southwest of Mt. Rainier. They shipped a cross section of the stump to their Tacoma plant. The tree was almost 14 feet in diameter. The small signs on either side of the section of tree show what years each ring represents and events that occurred that year. A crowd turned out in the rain to watch the unveiling of the log. The cross section of fir was moved in 1965 to the Lakewood branch of the Pierce County Library system.
Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;
Cavanaugh Lumber was owned by Cecil Cavanaugh. In 1931 they had a fire that destroyed most of their plant and a significant amount of their stock. They were able to rebuild and expand their business. View of unidentified man from Cavanaugh Lumber unloading plywood using a tool that measures the width of plywood, from company truck, photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cavanaugh Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
In February of 1947, the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 South Union Avenue was being prepared for a boxing bout. Plywood flooring was placed over the Ice Palace's skating rink. A boxing ring and a heating system with 12 large blowers was brought in. The main event, organized by Raleigh Sliger, was between the Canadian welterweight Hal Robbins and Chuck "Kid" Brown from Klamath Falls, Oregon. View of plywood floor being placed over Tacoma Ice Palace's skating rink, photo ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (T. Times, 2/10/47, p. 10).
Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Floors--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Boxing--Tacoma;
Rucker Brothers trucking company was owned by Burrell and Murrell Rucker, they were located on 733 East 11th Street, on the same site as the St. Paul and Tacoma Retail Lumberyard. View of Rucker Brothers truck loaded with lumber, St. Paul and Tacoma Lumberyard in background. St. Paul and Tacoma lumber was shipped throughout Washington in Rucker trucks.
Lumberyards--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Shipping--Tacoma; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Rucker Brothers (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; International trucks;
Cheney Lumber Mills could be found throughout Washington, Oregon and California. The Tacoma plant had a sawmill, dry kiln, planning mill, log sorting area, storage facilities and loading areas. This plant employed approximately forty people. Exterior view of Cheney plant, laborers appear to be stacking and moving studs by using equipment.
Loading a shipment of lumber from Cheney Lumber Company was made easier by the Cheney's facilities and dock on Sitcum Waterway. Cranes could load directly from railroad cars that had tracks on the dock. TPL-5676
Cheney Lumber Co. was founded by Ben B. Cheney. Ben Cheney, although a well respected lumberman and a pioneer in his field, is also known for his interest in sports. The Cheney Stud teams participated in baseball, football, soccer and basketball. Ben Cheney was instrumental in bringing the Pacific Coast Baseball League to Tacoma and the Tacoma Cheney Stadium was named in his honor. A view of Cheney Lumber stacked on the dock ready for loading into a ship tied-up at the company dock.
The Cheney Stud brand carries a stud horse imprinted on the ends and faces of Cheney Studs, it quickly became recognized throughout the industry as a sign of top quality. The demand for eight foot Cheney Studs dramatically increased while the availability of suitable tie lumber for the portable mills and the market for railroad ties decreased. Exterior view of Cheney plant, Cheney Studs are stacked up, hoisting machinery is in center.
Cheney Lumber Co. was a modern stud mill, providing Tacoma and national industries with the building material most needed. Cheney had been at their current site since 1942, they were located on the west side of Port of Tacoma Road, north of East 11th Street. Exterior view of pier with studs, laborers and hoisting pulleys and equipment.
Loading a shipment of lumber from Cheney Lumber Company was made easier by the Cheney's facilities and dock on Sitcum Waterway. Cranes could load directly from railroad cars with tracks on the dock. TPL-5677
