On May 9, 1922, a steam cargo ship was pictured docked at the Tidewater Mill, where it was taking on a shipment of lumber. The Mill was located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, near the end of 11th St. It was opened in 1918 and had a capacity of 100,000 logs a day. The mill was built on wetlands which were filled for the construction of the mill. Its greatest advantage was its frontage on 750 feet of deep water, allowing the loading of several vessels at a time. (TDL 12/22/1918, Pg. B-8)
Small sheets of plywood are being loaded from an Olympia sawmill directly onto a Northern Pacific car by three men on June 12, 1924. These will be used by the Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-023
Plywood operations. Workers at this Olympia sawmill are pictured in June of 1924 during daily plywood operations. Sheets of plywood are being laid out; stacks of plywood are in the fore-and-background. Photograph ordered by Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-026
Five workers are pictured on June 12, 1924, in an Olympia mill loading sheets of plywood for the Pacific Mutual Door Co. The men wear gloves, overalls and the ever-present caps. G75.1-024
On June 12, 1924, two unidentified workers lean their hands against the enormous cut log which will soon be hoisted and processed. The log will be made into sheets of plywood to be used by the Pacific Mutual Door Co. This photograph, in addition to a number of plywood operations shots, was taken in Olympia on behalf of the company. G75.1-027
Linco Log & Lumber Co.; Yard engine. The versatility of the steam powered railroad was responsible for early advances in logging. By replacing animals as beasts of burden, they made it possible to harvest timber in the most inaccessible areas. During the 1920's, large scale locomotive operations flourished in the northwest. The system consisted of a main line with spurs, trackage that could be shifted constantly to follow the timber. With the aid of geared engines, such as the Shay locomotive, built from 1884-1945 by the Lima Locomotive Co., they could go into most mountainous areas despite the grade. The logs could then be "yarded," brought from the field into areas for shipment. (Labbe & Goe, Railroads in the Woods) G75.1-074; TPL-818
These plain, but functional, wooden cottages were built for loggers employed by the Linco Log & Lumber Co. The cottages, as seen in March of 1920, were planted in dirt and built tightly side-by-side. Railroad tracks ran directly in front of the houses. These homes are believed to have been located in the Lewis County logging camp owned by Gustaf Lindberg. Linco had an office in Morton and a sawmill in Lindberg, four miles northeast. The company employed 75 men. Gustaf Lindberg, a prominent Scandinavian businessman of Tacoma, had founded the town of Lindberg in 1911 as the company town for Linco. Originally named Coal Canyon, the town was destroyed by fire in 1918 and subsequently rebuilt and renamed for Mr. Lindberg. The town's population remained small and never exceeded 200. Gustaf Lindberg lost ownership of the town and it underwent several name changes. Only ruins of the mill, brick homes and company store remain. G69.1-151 (www.drizzle.com/~jtenlen/walewis/townsal.html)
This is a view of the Linco Log & Lumber Co. mill as seen in March of 1920. It was located in central Lewis County in the small logging community of Lindberg, just a few miles from Morton. Lindberg (formerly known as Coal Canyon) was founded by Tacoma businessman Gustaf Lindberg as the company town for Linco Log & Lumber. G36.1-081
West Fork Logging Co.; Spar Pole. One of the ways to get logs from a remote location to the railroad car was the use of "High Lead" logging. It involved a main cable passed from the engine drum of a "donkey" through a block at the top of a tall spar tree (or pole.) A spar was a 150 to over 200 foot tree with the branches trimmed away and the top lopped off by a "high climber." The cable, powered by the steam donkey, could then be used to pull the logs to the dump. West Fork Logging was located in Mineral in Lewis County and had an office in the Tacoma Building. L.T. Murray was the president and H.E. Post was the secretary. G75.1-091
West Fork Logging Co. (Mineral); Lumber industry--1920-1930;
In March of 1920, a steam donkey on a sled was photographed for the West Fork Logging Co. The donkey was used for pulling logs in from the woods. In its simplest form, a donkey was just a steam engine with a drum and a steel cable. The winch was used to pull in logs or load them. In this case, the boiler is mounted, along with the drums, on a sled to make the unit portable. The steam donkey replaced the logging horses and oxen with the power of steam. It was faster, cheaper and more reliable than animals. The West Fork Logging Co. was located in Mineral, about 14 miles north of Morton in Lewis County. It was owned and operated by L.T. Murray. G75.1-093; TPL-9856 (Labbe & Goe, Railroads in the Woods)
Side view of parked St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. No. 1 truck filled with stacks of what may be plywood. This April, 1920, photograph may have been taken at the company's downtown Tacoma yard. As noted through the doorless truck, there was no driver at the wheel. G36.1-160
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--1920-1930;
St. Paul & Tacoma lumber yard. This November, 1920, progress photograph shows a fuel conveyor belt being constructed 24 feet above the ground at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. Two 2 ton locomotive cranes are pictured lifting a 106 foot truss into place. The 641 foot long aerial belt will run from the mill to a point on the waterway directly across from the Consumers Central Heating Co. The conveyor belt will be used to transport the mill's waste wood, formed into logs. The fuel will be dumped on barges and carried across to the heating plant where it will be burned to supply heat to the city. The conveyor belt was all wood with the exception of the belt itself and the roller bearings. Parallel chord lattice was used for the entire length with the exception of street crossings where 106 foot span Belfast type lattice trusses were used. (TDL 1/9/1921, pg. 6) TPL-2047; G36.1-163
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Belts & belting (Equipment); Fuel trade--Tacoma--1920-1930;
An unidentified mill in Tacoma's Tideflats was photographed by Marvin Boland in March of 1921. No workers are in sight. Piles of lumber are stacked throughout the yard. G36.1-043
On September 2, 1921, a steam powered cargo ship from the Luckenbach Line was docked at the Tidewater Mill, 3901 E. 11th St. The Tidewater had been opened in 1918 and was capable of producing 100,000 board feet a day. The majority of its products were shipped for export. The mill was built with a frontage of 750 feet of deep water, allowing the company to load several vessels at a time. The Luckenbach Steamship Co., 1850-1974, was one of the longest-lived and most successful U.S. shipping companies. It was started in 1850 by Lewis Luckenbach and grew to be a major force in intercoastal trade. (TDL 12/22/1918, pg. B-8; www.nationalflaggen.de) G49.1-074
The Tidewater Mill, on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, was photographed on September 2, 1921 as the large steamship "Quinault" was being loaded with timber. The mill was built in 1918 on six acres of soggy land purchased from Gen. James Ashton. The land was filled in and the mill was built. It was one of only a handful on the Pacific Coast capable of producing the longest timbers. Tidewater could cut timbers up to 130 feet in length. The mill site's major advantage was 750 feet of deep water moorage, allowing the loading of several vessels at a time. (TDL 12/22/1918, pg. B-8) G49.1-071; TPL-9251
This elevated view of the Buffelen Lumber & Manufacturing Company, looking toward Tacoma across the Tideflats, was captured in November of 1921. The narrow bridge built on pilings is the old Hylebos Creek bridge. Located in the industrial Tideflats at Lincoln Ave. & Taylor Way, the sprawling Buffelen plant had been undergoing rapid expansion with the construction of a new warehouse in 1916 and a new power plant five years later. Other important improvements in 1921 included dry kilns and warehouses. Buffelen was organized in 1912 by John Buffelen primarily as a door manufacturer. In 1916 the company started to manufacture fir plywood. A small ad placed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger on 7-11-21 listed "fir doors, 3-ply panels, alder panels, sash, etc." as products manufactured by the firm which had offices in Minneapolis and Tacoma. (TDL- Ad 7-11-21, p. 7; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-1-22, B-5-article)
Elevated view of Tacoma's industrial tideflats as pictured on March 25, 1922. Visible are the sprawling St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. and the Washington Parlor Furniture Co. at far left and the Pacific Lumber & Millwork Co. in center. They were at the foot or end of the 11th St. Bridge (now Murray Morgan Bridge). TPL-5731; G91.-017
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Washington Parlor Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Pacific Lumber & Millwork Co. (Tacoma);
These massive logs are being transported on Northern Pacific flatcars to the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. yard on May 13, 1922. Railroad tracks intersect at this particular location. G44.1-103
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Logs; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad cars--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Sawmill operations. View of St. Paul & Tacoma's modern sawmill, recently placed in operation, as pictured on May 21, 1922. Machinery and tracks in foreground. The new mill was the latest of improvements enacted by the lumber firm. G36.1-034 (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Machinery;
Mill operations. Interior view of machinery and wood at St. Paul & Tacoma's new sawmill on May 21, 1922. Mill "C" started operation the following day. It was the latest of improvements done by the company. The new mill had a capacity of 200,000 feet of lumber every eight hours. It was electrically operated throughout and had all the latest safety devices. (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Sawmill operations. There are no walls in this part of St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new sawmill but an open beamed ceiling provides cover for the tracks below. This was Mill "C" which would start operating on May 22, 1922. St. Paul & Tacoma had spent much money in getting their plant in the best condition. The entire plant was modernized, Mills "A" and "B" electrically updated, and new docks and additional warehouses built. G36.1-035 (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);
Four delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention posed for photographer Marvin Boland on October 28, 1922. The men have removed their hats for this picture. The earlier conventions of the Pacific Logging Congress had a mixture of delegates representing management and workmen. All were interested in the latest logging techniques and equipment to further improve their industry. The 1922 convention saw representatives from all the Pacific Coast states and British Columbia in attendance at the four-day session in Tacoma. G75.1-135
At a time when timber was king, and logs of this size were not unusual, thirteen delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention were able to balance themselves on top of large cut logs in this late October of 1922 photograph - with room to spare. A special excursion train left Tacoma's Union Station on Saturday, October 28, 1922, for a day trip to the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin. There the many delegates viewed up-to-date methods of logging by high leads and lidgerwood skidders. The convention took place October 25-28, 1922, and attracted some 500 representatives of the logging industry. G75.1-138 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention posed outdoors on October 28, 1922. The first convention was held in 1909 in Seattle and continues to be held annually. Educational and informational presentations about the logging industry and exhibitions of the newest logging equipment and supplies were staples of the conventions. G75.1-134 (www.pacificloggingcongress.org/history)
These were some of the 500 delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention held in Tacoma from October 25-28, 1922. Everett Griggs, president of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., welcomed the delegates to Tacoma, the "Lumber Capital of America," in his October 25th address. The firm invited attendees to visit its lumber camp at Kapowsin on the final day of the convention where they are believed to be pictured above. There the group was able to observe the most up-to-date methods of logging by high leads and Lidgerwood skidders. L.T. ("Tom") Murray, founder of the West Fork Timber Co. of Tacoma, was president of the Congress and may have been included in the group congregated above. TPL-2043; G75.1-137 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Two men in heavy topcoats to ward off chilly weather stand next to a large cut log on October 28, 1922. On the end of the log are words welcoming delegates to the 13th Pacific Logging Congress. 500 representatives of the logging industry met in Tacoma from October 25 to the 28th . On the last day of the convention they journeyed to the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin where the above photograph is believed to have been taken. TPL-2118; G75.1-136 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention observe logging operations in October of 1922. A steam donkey next to a spar tree is assisting in the yarding procedures. The visiting lumbermen watched the modern methods of logging at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin. G75.1-092 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Poles are stacked and loaded onto railroad flatcars by the heavy crane nearby. This December, 1922, photograph was ordered by the Cascade Timber Co. G36.1-071 (print has deteriorated)
