ca. 1907. As early as 1907, Commercial Truck Company was in business in Tacoma, filling the need for moving and storage. A young man posed with a wagon used for transport, pulled by two horses, in front of the concrete building at 2302-12 East E St. that the company took over in October of 1907. The reinforced concrete warehouse was two stories, 75 x 140 feet and provided fireproof storage. It was built at a cost of $30,000. The Commercial Truck Co. was a forerunner of Tacoma's Star Moving Co. of today. (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell)

Commercial Truck Co. (Tacoma); Moving & storage trade--Tacoma--1900-1910; Storage facilities--Tacoma; Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1900-1910; Horse teams--Tacoma;

ca. 1907. Business offices of the Commercial Truck Co. According to the City Directory and newspaper accounts, from 1902-1907 the company maintained offices at 717-19 Broadway. The building has since been demolished. In 1907, the company moved into a fireproof concrete building at 2302-12 East E. By 1910, their office staff had moved into the Garretson-Woodruff-Pratt Building, at 1754 Pacific Ave., now part of the University of Washington campus. By 1913, the Commercial Truck Co. was the largest transfer & storage equipment company on the west coast. Its holdings consisted of the offices at 1754 Pacific, 1 concrete warehouse at 2302-12 East E and another brick warehouse, address unknown. In the photograph, an unidentified man stands in front of an open safe. (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell) TPL-9832

Commercial Truck Co. (Tacoma); Moving & storage trade--Tacoma--1900-1910;

ca. 1907. Copy of photograph of Rhodes Department Store, circa 1907. View of three story building by Ambrose J. Russell and Frederick Heath, Architects, 1903. Photograph was taken after repairs to building. Richards Studio copy made on 11-31-1937. (filed with Argentum)

Commercial buildings--Tacoma--1900-1910; Department stores--Tacoma--1900-1910; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma);

ca. 1907. Group portrait of the Tacoma Daily Ledger newspaper staff in front of their new offices in the Perkins Building circa 1907. These men were composing room employees, members of Typographical Union No. 170. S. A. "Sam" Perkins had just purchased the Ledger, adding it to his Perkins Press newspaper empire. At that time the Ledger was a morning and Sunday paper and the News, an afternoon paper. The Ledger merged into the Tacoma News Tribune in 1937. Harold S. Hagen, third from left in the middle row, was still working as a compositor at the Tacoma News Tribune in 1959, some 52 years after this photograph was taken. G40.1-115, G38.1-014 (Tacoma Labor Advocate, 9-4-1959, p. 11)

Newspaper industry--Tacoma--1900-1910; Typesetting--Tacoma; Printers; Labor unions--Tacoma; Hagen, Harold S.;

ca. 1907. This promotional illustration, circa 1907, advertised the Regents Park housing development which had already been subdivided into lots and was ready for sale. The firm of Bowes - Irwin Co., headed by Edward "Major" Bowes of Amateur Hour fame, was in charge. Regents Park was one of Tacoma's first suburbs, located west of the city, and was built on 200 acres of woodland. It had its own water system, sidewalks, sewers, and an artificial lake. Residents could hop onto a streetcar and get to work in downtown Tacoma in a mere 20 minutes. Regents Park would become the Town of Fircrest in 1925.

Real estate development--Fircrest; Regents Park (Fircrest); Maps; Advertising--Fircrest; Advertising--Regents Park;

ca. 1907. Glass lantern slide of Mounts Ellinor and Rose in the Olympic Mountains, circa 1907, by Asahel Curtis.

Olympic Mountains (Wash.); Mountains--Washington--1900-1910;

ca. 1907. This Asahel Curtis slide was believed to have been taken in November of 1907. It is a section of the Skokomish River located within the Olympic Mountains.

Skokomish River (Wash.); Olympic Mountains (Wash.);

ca. 1907. This is Peak 4 - Mount Seattle at head of the Elwha and Quinault in the Olympic Mountains. The view was taken by Asahel Curtis circa 1907.

Seattle, Mount (Wash.); Mountains--Washington--1900-1910;

ca. 1907. Horse and wagon teams in front of the new concrete storage warehouse at 2302-12 East E St., circa 1907. The two story warehouse was built at a cost of $30,000 for developer W.P. Reynolds. The building, designed by architect and structural engineer I. Jay Knapp, was 75 x 140 feet at the foundation and was fireproof. On its completion, the Commercial Truck Co. moved into the building. They were a moving and storage company. They were sold in 1929 to the group owning AA Star Transfer of Aberdeen and became Star Commercial Moving and Storage. In 1941, Star dropped their storage business and became solely a moving company. The building was taken over by Terminal Warehouses, Inc. (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell) TPL-9834

Commercial Truck Co. (Tacoma); Moving & storage trade--Tacoma--1900-1910; Storage facilities--Tacoma; Carts & wagons--Tacoma--1900-1910; Horse teams--Tacoma;

ca. 1907. Men and equipment of Fire Station No. 2, ca. 1907. The station was located at 2701 Tacoma Avenue So. and built in mid-1907. A 1889 Hayes 65' aerial was assigned to Truck Co. No. 2 along with a Continental 2nd size steam fire engine, 700 gpm, and a hose wagon No. 2, 1890 California apparatus. The fire station is still in use at the same location in 2004. It is on both the City and National Registries. Photograph from the collection of retired Tacoma Fire Department member, William Turner.

Tacoma Fire Department, Fire Station No. 2 (Tacoma); Fire stations--Tacoma; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma;

ca. 1907. Established by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1888 as Puget Sound University and reorganized in 1903 as the University of Puget Sound, the university opened its first permanent campus at 602 North Sprague Ave. that year. Noted architect George W. Bullard designed the buildings. In 1924 the university moved to its present location at 1500 North Warner and the buildings were demolished. Jason Lee Intermediate (now Middle School) was built on the site of the former campus. From 1914-1959 U.P.S. was known as the College of Puget Sound before resuming its current name.

University of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1900-1910; Universities & colleges--Tacoma--1900-1910;

ca. 1907. Copy of customer print. Composite picture where President Teddy Roosevelt has been inserted to stand next to Northwest pioneer Ezra Meeker before the old State Department's "War and Navy" building in Washington D.C., upon the conclusion of Meeker's reenactment of his 1852 journey via covered wagon on the Oregon Trial. Signs decorating the old prairie schooner indicate that Meeker had left Puyallup on January 29, 1906, and arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 5, 1907, a distance of 2,610 miles. Accompanied by his faithful dog "Jim," Edward Songer and Mr. and Mrs. Herman Goble, the 76-year-old Meeker and his yoke of oxen and wagon were a throwback to the days of westward expansion. Mr. and Mrs. Goble are believed to be included in the above photograph. Meeker sought preservation of the Oregon Trail route as an important part of our nation's history. He stopped at many towns along the way to raise money for memorials to the Trail and even received a special permit to drive his team down New York City's famous Broadway. Meeker did meet up with President Roosevelt after he decided to continue his journey to Washington D.C., arriving there on November 29, 1907. The president was interested in preserving the Trail and eventually Congress would appropriate $50,000 to mark the trail. Photograph ordered by the Washington State Historical Society. (en.wikipedia.org, NWR clipping file, TDL 1-31-06, p. 12)

Meeker, Ezra, 1830-1928; Covered wagons--Washington D.C.; Cattle--Washington D.C.; Pioneers; Westward movement; Roosevelt, Theodore; Presidents; Dogs;

ca. 1907. Mt. Olympus from Elwha Pass - Dodwell-Rixon Pass, circa 1907.

Olympus, Mount (Wash.);

ca. 1907. This view of Mt. Rainier from the west, focusing on three peaks, was taken by Asahel Curtis, probably on July 1, 1907.

Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

ca. 1907. Belle Sharpe (left) and Lillian McPherson stand in front of the Elite Cafe in this circa 1907 photograph. The Elite Cafe was at 2405 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. The proprietors of the cafe were C.W. Sharpe and Collin McPherson. From the collection of Beverly Knoll.

Elite Cafe (Tacoma); Cafes--Tacoma--1900-1910; Sharpe, Belle; McPherson, Lillian; Women--Tacoma--1900-1910;

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);

ca. 1907. A long row of Augustine & Kyer store horse-drawn delivery wagons is pictured outside the massive Italianate-style Coleman building in Seattle circa 1907. Augustine & Kyer were wholesale and retail grocers who also manufacturered chocolates. They shared the Coleman building with the Hudson's Bay Fur Co., Wells Fargo & Co., Morey-Merriam, and Men's Shoe Store. The real estate firm of McGraw, Kittinger and Case and Empire Lines were on the second floor. The Coleman building was located at the corner of 1st Avenue and Marion. Augustine & Kyer maintained a store in Seattle until at least through 1951. They sold their candy manufacturing and sales business to Horace William Heath. Stains on the sepia copy were on the original photograph. Date of original print is not known; copy was made on September 30, 1958. Copy of customer print, ordered by Bud Merrill of Seattle.

Augustine & Kyer (Seattle); Carts & wagons--Seattle; Horses--Seattle; Facades--Seattle; Coleman Building (Seattle);

ca. 1907. This view of the west side of the 5200 block of South Tacoma Way dates from about 1907. The Red Front Saloon stands on the extreme left with large signs that advertise full measures sold of Old Taylor, Sunny Brook, King Kentucky and Old Crow, all at reasonable prices. Furnished rooms and lodging could also be obtained upstairs at the Red Front. Other nearby businesses included a tobacco shop, the Mechanics Exchange, the brick Peter Leonard Block building and a rooming house. This block would later be the approximate site of Steve's Gay '90s Restaurant. The bar from the Red Front Saloon was relocated to Steve's. (Photograph ordered by Steve's.) TPL-4762, TPL-5709.

Red Front Saloon (Tacoma); Bars--Tacoma--1900-1910; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1900-1910; Signs (Notices);

ca. 1907. Engine & Truck Co. No. 2. This sepia photograph is dated approximately 1907. The men of Engine & Truck Co. No. 2 stand proudly with their new Continental steam fire engine, 2nd size, 700 gpm. 1907 also saw Truck Co. No. 2 obtain the 1889 Hayes 65' aerial formerly belonging to Truck Co. No. 1, who had purchased a 75' Seagrave aerial. The firefighting apparatus was still pulled by sturdy horses. Engine Co. No. 2 and Truck Co. No. 2 were in new quarters that year with a station built at 2701 Tacoma Avenue South. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 42)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Horses--Tacoma;

ca. 1907. View of Mt. Queets in the Olympic Mountains, taken about September of 1907. Its elevation is 6476 feet.

Queets, Mount (Wash.);

ca. 1907. Mount Olympus in the Olympic National Park as photographed by Asahel Curtis in the spring of 1907. This photograph was probably taken by Curtis during the preparatory trip up the Elwha River before the 1907 Mountaineers Outing. This photograph was used by Curtis in several articles including one published in the November 1909 Mountaineer.

Olympus, Mount (Wash.); Mountains--Washington--1900-1910; Olympic National Park (Wash.)

A large crowd gathered to witness firefighters attempting to put out the flames that engulfed the top floor of the Davis Smith & Co. building at 1754 Pacific Avenue on February 24, 1908. The early morning fire caused $47,000 damage to the building and its contents. The fire was apparently caused by the accidental crossing of electric wires on the five-story brick building's top floor. Lt. George Hill, Engine Co. No. 4, was killed falling from a ladder from the fifth floor. In addition, five other firefighters were injured and six employees suffered burns. Engine Co. No. 5's hose wagon overturned on the way to the fire; injured firefighters righted the wagon and continued to the fire to render assistance. (100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 44-45)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Fire fighting--Tacoma;

There was a massive turnout in downtown Tacoma on February 27, 1908 to honor Tacoma fireman Lt. George M. Hill. Lt. Hill of Engine Co. No. 4, was killed when he fell from the fifth floor of the burning Davis Smith & Co. building on February 24, 1908. 5,000-10,000 sorrowful city residents paid tribute to the fallen firefighter as they banked both sides of St. Helens Avenue and extended along Pacific Avenue. Hose wagon No. 4 which had transported Lt. Hill to the fire carried his remains to the Tacoma cemetery. The same span of bay geldings was used in the funeral cortege, their brass trappings hidden by a netting of black to match the draped wagon. A platoon of patrolmen, an 18-piece band, visiting fire chiefs, representatives of the fire department, and a guard of Spanish-American war veterans marched in the procession. (TDL 2-28-08)

Funeral processions--Tacoma; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Tacoma; Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Spectators--Tacoma;

Cascading waterfall, probably on Mount Baker, as pictured on June 15, 1908 by Asahel Curtis. One hiker is silhouetted against the snow observing the power of the falling water.

Baker, Mount (Wash.); Waterfalls;

Three men unfurl a United States flag on the peak of Mount Baker in June of 1908. This photograph was taken during the preparatory trip to Mt. Baker by Asahel Curtis before the 1908 Mountaineers Outing of that summer.

Baker, Mount (Wash.); Mount Baker National Forest (Wash.); Mountains; Snow & ice climbing; Mountaineering--Washington--1900-1910; Mountains--Washington--1900-1910; Flags--United States;

Two mountaineers sit at a safe distance from a deep crevasse on Mt. Baker. Photographed by Asahel Curtis on June 15, 1908.

Baker, Mount (Wash.); Mountains--Washington--1900-1910;

Bear Creek - Mt. Baker. Bear Creek is in the Mount Baker National Forest south of Mount Baker in northern Skagit County. Bear Creek feeds into Lake Shannon just past the Bear Creek Powerhouse. This photograph was taken by Asahel Curtis on June 15, 1908.

Mount Baker National Forest (Wash.); Bear Creek (Wash.); Streams--Skagit County;

Mt. Baker from Baker Lake. This photograph of Mt. Baker was taken by Asahel Curtis in June of 1908 shortly before the Second Mountaineers Outing. Baker Lake is to the east of Mount Baker in Whatcom County. It is almost directly south of Mt. Shuksan.

Mount Baker National Forest (Wash.); Baker Lake (Wash.); Lakes; Mountains--Washington--1900-1910; Baker, Mount (Wash.)