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;
The USS Omaha at anchor in Commencement Bay at the end of July, 1924. The Omaha had streamed into the Bay on Monday, July 28th, for a week's stay. The 550-foot "scout cruiser" was accompanied by a squadron of six destroyers. She was the first of a ten-ship class of 7050-ton light cruisers. Omaha was built by Todd Dry Dock of Tacoma and launched on December 14, 1920. She would spend the next 17 years after her commissioning in 1923 serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic areas and would take an active role during WWII. G71.1-026 (www.history.navy.mil; TNT 7-24-24, p. 1-article)
Aboard the "City of Steilacoom" ferry. This is believed to be the car holding area of the new ferry as pictured above on July 21, 1924. She had a 30-car capacity. The "City of Steilacoom" was designed to replace the present ferry operating between Long Branch and Steilacoom. She was 110-feet long with a 34-foot beam and could travel at 14 mph. G66.1-095 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 4-13-24, A-11-article)
Rickenbackers on display. On September 12, 1924, a fleet of five Rickenbacker automobiles are photographed lined up alongside an unidentified street. Their drivers are casually posed next to them. Each vehicle has a "Defender" sign on the front windshield. September 12th was declared "Defenders' Day, " a legal holiday, by Governor Louis F. Hart. The date had been set aside nationally for citizens' response to national defense. 6000 people would march and otherwise take part in a parade from Pacific Avenue to Stadium Bowl. Photograph ordered by Sound Motor Co., Tacoma Rickenbacker dealership. TPL-8092; G11.1-045 (TNT 8-27-24, p. 1-article; TDL 9-4-24, p. 1-article; TNT 9-12-24, p. 3; TDL 9-13-24, p.1-article)
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
A long line of cars and one bike are parked along the tracks in August of 1924 while their owners are inside the ballpark enjoying a City League baseball game. City League teams played at both Athletic Park and Lincoln Bowl and games drew large, interested crowds. This view is possibly of area outside Athletic Park. G11.1-048
The Bienville at finishing dock of Todd Drydock. Once completed, she will have two stacks - one is in position now. The SS Bienville was launched at Todd Drydock & Construction (Shipyards) in Tacoma on July 16, 1924, less than five months after her keel was laid. She was built for the Atlantic Steamship lines of Southern Pacific. The combination freight and passenger vessel, 445 feet in length, had accommodations for 236 first class passengers and 110 third class passengers. The ship was sponsored by Dorothy Maxson, daughter of Capt. and Mrs. C.P. Maxson; Maxson was the commodore of Southern Pacific lines and would be the ship's master. The Bienville was expected to be delivered to Southern Pacific's New York location on December 7, 1924. She was the 38th big ship built in Todd yards since the shipyard's 1917 establishment. During the war era of 1917-20, Todd built 32 steel freight vessels for the U.S. Shipping Board. (TNT 7-16-24, p. 1; TNT 9-18-24, p. 5) G50.1-090
The "Hakutatsu Maru" is pictured taking on a shipment of lumber at the Port of Tacoma on November 13, 1924, before heading back to Japan. Much of Washington's lumber was destined for the Far East. The "Hakutatsu Maru," under the command of Capt. M. Iriyh, had arrived at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. dock on the morning of November 12th. Some 200,000 feet of lumber was loaded onto the ship before she moved to the Port of Tacoma piers that afternoon to complete loading. G49.1-173 (TNT 11-12-24, p. 20-article)
On November 16, 1924, C.P. (Clarence) Johnson is partially hidden by the shining new Dodge Bros. business coupe he recently purchased from Griffith Motor Co., Dodge Bros. dealership in Tacoma. The vehicle, with Mrs. Johnson at the wheel, is parked outside their home at 4606 South Park Ave. Mr. Johnson is a painting foreman at Todd Shipyards. This is the second Dodge Bros. car the couple has owned. Photograph ordered by Griffith Motor Co. G11.1-134 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-23-24, 6-G)
Freighter "Hyades" at Pratt Dock on February 19, 1920. White sacks are on small hand-drawn carts for either loading or unloading onto the ship. A cluster of men stay with their cargo. The "Hyades" was operated by Matson Navigation Co. and took on over 2000 tons of general freight for Hawaii. She would sail for the Islands on or about February 25th. G49.1-199 (TNT 2-18-20, p. 13-article)
Drifted snow flour is being transported onto the steel steamship "Edmore" from the Sperry Flour Co. facility on March 13, 1920. 400 tons of flour would join the previously loaded cargo of copper ingots from the smelter. The "Edmore" was the first of the Oriental liners to call at Tacoma under a new schedule by the Pacific Steamship Co. She had sustained damage to her structure due to heavy seas on her voyage to the Puget Sound region. Sperry Flour had completed a big grain elevator project less than two years before in time for the tremendous trade expansion that would occur. The Tacoma Daily Ledger would report on March 22, 1920, that "Flour (was the) Greatest Tacoma Industry." Three export flouring mills on the waterfront, including Sperry, had their warehouses filled with 200,000 barrels of flour. Three shifts had run both night and day since August of 1919 with combined daily capacity exceeding 10,000 barrels. Flour operations at Sperry (by then a division of General Mills) would cease in 1965. TPL-904 G34.1-127; BU-13919 (TNT 3-12-20, p. 2-article; TDL 3-22-20, p. 7-article)
On March 5, 1920, Dorothy (Mrs. Allen B.) Conrad and small son, Allen B., Jr., were prepared to take a spin in their new Stephens Six, purchased recently from the R.L. Stephens Motor Co. Mrs. Conrad, with fur stole, is seated behind the wheel of the roadster. The little boy is standing on the car's running board next to the open passenger door. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad were proprietors of the Blue Bird Electric Shop and resided at 3112 N. 17th St. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-21-20, C-4) G11.1-022
Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930; Conrad, Dorothy; Conrad, Allen B.; Families--Tacoma--1920-1930;
In March of 1920, a row of stevedores pushing dollies piled with sacks of flour, could be seen heading for the Japan-built freighter "Eastern Knight." A passenger on the ship's gangplank stops to gaze at the picturesque sight. The "Eastern Knight" had docked at the Puget Sound Flouring Mills on Saturday, February 28th, and would be departing for the East Coast when fully loaded with 10,000-tons of flour. The Puget Sound Flouring Mills, at what is now 3 Schuster Parkway, was absorbed by the Sperry Flour Company in 1922. Photograph ordered by the Puget Sound Flouring Mills Co. G34.1-103 (TNT 3-1-20, p. 13-article; TNT 3-4-20, p. 6-article)
The freighter "Haxtum" in town to take on a shipment of grain in June of 1920. She is pictured above at the Milwaukee elevator. The ship was expected to take a cargo of 3000 long tons of grain to Europe. Photograph ordered by Fisher Flouring Mills. G49.1-068 (TNT 6-7-20, p. 7-article)
City of Tacoma Light Department's "Trouble Car" parked outside Griffith Motor Co., 728 Broadway, in early August of 1920. Griffith Motors was a Dodge dealership. The newly purchased Dodge automobile would probably be used to transport utility workers to locations experiencing problems. It was one of many Dodges placed in public service. TPL-6701; G43.1-028 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 8-22-20, C-8)
Dodge automobile; Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma); Tacoma City Light (Tacoma);
Sacks of flour will shortly be loaded onto the freighter, "Haxtum," in June of 1920. The flour was from the Fisher Flouring Mills, one of several flour mills in Tacoma at that time. The "Haxtum" was expected to take a cargo of 3000 long tons of grain to Europe with her first stop in Liverpool. She was built in Oakland with 9400 dead weight tonnage. G49.1-195 (TNT 6-7-20, p. 7-article)
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
The ship "Liberator" is berthed at Terminal Dock while taking on cargo in June of 1921. Stadium High School, Stadium Bowl and the Washington State Historical Society building overlook the bay and the ship. The steamer had arrived from New York via ports on June 11th with a shipment of general cargo. The 6,027-ton ship sailed on June 13th for New York with a shipment of flour from Puget Sound Mills. TPL-6468; G49.1-064 (TDL 6-7-21, p. 7-article; TDL 6-10-21, p. 7-article)
Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma); Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma);
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 large shipment of timber is waiting to be loaded onto the Japanese ship, the "Genoa Maru," in mid-June of 1921. The St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., one of the largest mills in the area, had been shipping lumber, especially Douglas fir, overseas for years. The vessel was also to take on 750,000 feet of timber from the Puget Sound Lumber Co. The "Genoa Maru" had arrived on June 11th and was berthed at the St. Paul docks. The larger pieces of timber, consisting of 32 x 32" sq. and 40' long sections, were designated for the Japanese government and secured from Puget Sound Lumber. Two cranes were necessary to complete the loading. St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber's part of the cargo consisted of 1 million feet of lumber. Photograph ordered by the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. G49.1-087 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-12-21, B-8-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-3-21, B-10-article)
Four Mack trucks form a small convoy as they transport small tanks in May of 1921. Several soldiers are atop of the parked vehicles. The men, trucks and tanks were probably photographed at Camp Lewis. The Tacoma Sunday Ledger had reported on February 27, 1921, that one of the newest arrivals at Camp Lewis was the Fourth Company of Tanks, consisting of 25 tanks, 25 Bull Dog Mack trucks and 88 men and officers. The trucks were all 5-ton Macks which were used to transport the 6-ton American Renault-make tanks on long journeys and in actual warfare, would carry them to the frontline. All privates in the Fourth Company of Tanks were either machinists or automobile mechanics and would be fully capable of keeping the Mack trucks in top shape. TPL-2507; G69.1-153 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 2-27-21, C-1-article)
A "Modern Method" crane No. 40 is pictured on September 8, 1921, on the wide dock at the Port of Tacoma. It was manufactured by Colby Steel & Engineering Co. The legs of the crane were tall enough that a freight train could easily pass through. At the dock is the cargo ship, "West Jappa," out of Seattle. G49.1-203;
Hoisting machinery; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930; Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);
Solta The small fishing boat, the "Solta," cruises through the serene waters of Puget Sound in June of 1921. The unidentified man pictured above may be her skipper. The "Solta" was built by Visko Lisicich and was the first of three boats built by him. The others were the "Planet" and the "Helen L." The "Solta" was named after the island of Solta where Mr. Lisicich was born and raised. She was believed to have been built in Dockton on Vashon Island. In addition, the "Helen L." was named after Mr. Lisicich's daughter, Helen Lisicich Kokich. TPL-452; G34.1-083 (Additional information provided by a family member)
Several rowboats from the Antlers Lodge are moored on placid Lake Cushman in June of 1921. This is the original Lake Cushman prior to its expansion in 1925. The Antlers Lodge was a hunting lodge located on the shores of Lake Cushman which had catered to wealthy patrons. They had flocked to relax at the pristine lake which was fed by the icy waters of the Skokomish River. Fishing tackle and rowboats were supplied by the Antlers Lodge so that visitors could try their luck at the trout-filled lake. By 1921 the lodge had seen its heyday pass and in 1925 it would be deliberately set ablaze as part of the planned clearing of Cushman Basin. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 6-19-21, C-1-article on Lake Cushman)
A veteran of the road, F.A. Read, is pictured in the "Official Car" of the Automobile Club of Western Washington. It was fortunate for him that on this rainy day in June of 1921 his 490 Chevrolet roadster with special built body came equipped with a hardtop. Automobile tires were much narrower then, as viewed above, and he prudently carried a spare which was mounted outside the driver's side. Mr. Read, an employee of the Automobile Club of Western Washington, spent most of his time mapping new roads which involved much travel. He appreciated his Chevrolet for its low operating cost and ability to roam where other vehicles may have had difficulty. G11.1-050 (T.Times 7-2-21, p. 10)
Parked outside Griffith Motor Co. on August 16, 1921, is a Dodge Bros. automobile with oversized Federal brand evaporated milk can on display. The Federal Condensed Milk Co. advertised that their milk was safe for all to drink with the slogan "It's Pure That's Sure." W.J. Clifford, advertising manager for the milk company, has his hand on the steering wheel while peering out the glassless window frame. Mr. Clifford has had his Dodge for two years and indicates that he finds the vehicle most satisfactory and well suited for his travels through Washington, Oregon and Idaho. G6.1-075; TPL-912 (T.Times 8-27-21, p. 7)
Griffith Motor Co. (Tacoma); Dodge automobile; Advertising--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clifford, W.J.;
The steamer "Santa Inez" at Tidewater Mill. On August 21, 1921, the "Santa Inez" was docked at the Tidewater Mill, 3901 E. 11th St., located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway. She was being loaded with timber, probably similar to the logs floating in the photograph's foreground. An additional stop for the ship was the St. Paul dock for more lumber loading. The "Santa Inez" sailed for San Pedro on August 24th. G49.1-079 (TDL 8-23-21, p. 7-article)
The vessel "Alvarado" (in foreground) is berthed at the Osgood & Wheeler dock on January 25, 1922. She was in Tacoma to load lumber for her return trip to San Pedro. The "Alvarado" was just one of 20 deep-sea vessels were lined up at Tacoma wharves on January 25th. That particular week Tacoma led all coast ports in tonnage with 124,410. G49.1-070 (TDL 1-26-22, p. 1-article; TNT 2-2-22, p. 1-article)
