This aerial view of Tacoma shows the American Smelting & Refining Company's (ASARCO) smoke stack, plant and the surrounding area as it looked in July of 1953. The ASARCO smoke stack was a dominant feature in the Tacoma skyline from its construction in 1917 to its implosion in 1993. The plant stood near Point Defiance. Here large vessels can be seen pulled up to the dock to be loaded with metals to be shipped throughout the world. To the left can be seen part of the marina of the Tacoma Yacht Club and to the lower right, the city of Ruston. TPL-8483

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1950-1960; Copper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel, steel in railroad boxcars being loaded onto Foss tugs. The current service extends to Ward Cove, 8 miles north of Ketchikan, and site of the $47,000,000 construction project by Ketchikan Pulp & Paper Co. The eight 53 ft. cars, containing steel primarily, will be emptied at Ward Cove and returned to Tacoma. The Foss 250 can carry twenty 40 foot cars on her four sets of tracks and bulk tanks have been built in the barge hull to carry 1,000 tons of caustic soda north for paper plant production. The one way trip to Ward Cove takes 3 1/2 - 4 days. (TNT 7/5/1953, pg. B-3)

Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle); Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel, steel in railroad boxcars being loaded onto Foss tugs for shipment to Alaska. This is the first shipment in a service announced jointly by Alaska Governor B. Frank Heintzleman and Henry Foss, president of Foss tugs. Foss will load railroad cars aboard the Foss 250, a car barge with transportation service to Alaska, at the Milwaukee Railroad's dock on the Milwaukee waterway. This marks the first time that railroad cars will come out of Alaska after discharging their cargo. The car barge will be towed by the tug Justine Foss. In the future, the car barges will leave every 8-10 days. (TNT 7/5/1953, pg. B-3)

Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle); Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Close-up view on August 23, 1938, of Star Iron & Steel Company bridge constructed in five short days for damaged Whidbey Island-Mukilteo ferry landing. The 30,000 pound, 64-foot long steel structure balances on a special Becholdt-made trailer. (T. Times, 8/23/38, p.3).

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Cooney Transfer & Storage Co. (Tacoma); Bridges--Whidbey Island; Trailers; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Star Iron & Steel Company bridge fabricated in five days for Whidbey Island-Mukilteo ferry landing. On August 23, 1938, the Cooney Transfer & Storage Company transported the 30,000 pound, 64 foot-long steel bridge on a Becholdt trailer. The original wooden ferry landing structure was ripped out by the ferry a week ago. Within five days, the plans were drawn for the steel replacement, the steel was fabricated and two coats of paint were applied. (T. Times, 8/23/1938, p.3).

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Cooney Transfer & Storage Co. (Tacoma); Bridges--Whidbey Island; Trailers; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Star Iron & Steel Company bridge fabricated in five days for Whidbey Island-Mukilteo ferry landing. Becholdt trailer pulled by Cooney Transfer & Storage Company truck on August 23, 1938, transports the 30,000 pound, 64-foot long steel bridge. (T. Times, 8/23/1938, p.3).

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Cooney Transfer & Storage Co. (Tacoma); Bridges--Whidbey Island; Trailers; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

When the wooden Whidbey Island - Mukilteo ferry landing was damaged by a ferry in August of 1938, the Puget Sound Navigation Company contacted the Star Iron & Steel Company in Tacoma. Within five days, plans were drawn and a steel replacement was built and ready for installation. The Cooney Transfer & Storage Company transported the finished 30,000 pound, 64 foot-long structure on an extra long Becholdt trailer. (T. Times, 8/23/1938, p. 3).

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Cooney Transfer & Storage Co. (Tacoma); Bridges--Whidbey Island; Trailers; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The American Smelting and Refining Co. had celebrated its 50th anniversary as a business in 1949. It was one of the largest employers in Tacoma with well over a thousand employees. As its name indicates, it was primarily involved in the smelting of ore and refining of copper. View of storage tanks at smelter, with truck parked alongside fence. Photograph ordered by David Somerville.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1950-1960; Copper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Industrial facilities; Storage tanks--Tacoma;

The Tacoma Smelter, American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO), held a dinner party for their "Old Timers" in April of 1952. View of six men and one woman at banquet table.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel had several facilities in the Seattle area in the 1950's. Two workers coordinate their movements as they work in unison in the prefabrication plant in September, 1951. They appear to be working with a pulley. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp., San Francisco office.

Factories; Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle);

An employee of Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation's Seattle plant has his hands on the large valve of a machine in a photograph taken in September, 1951. Another employee in checkered jacket stands by finished steel products. Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel had several facilities in the Seattle area including a rolling mill, nut and bolt department, tank farm and mill depot. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp., San Francisco.

Factories; Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle);

Sparks fly as an employee of Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel apparently is drilling a piece of steel in September, 1951. He is wearing safety goggles, a cap to protect his hair, and protective coverings over his shoes. Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corporation had several facilities in Seattle, including a prefabrication plant, rolling mill, a mill depot, and bolt and nut department. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (San Francisco).

Factories; Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle);

Two employees of Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel's Seattle plant are shown at work on September 26, 1951. One man grips a piece of steel with his gloved hand while the other worker seems to be in the process of riveting. According to the 1951 Seattle City Directory, Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel had several facilities in the Seattle area including a Rolling Mill and office at 4001 28th Ave. S.W., a Bolt and Nut dept. at 3800 Iowa Ave., a Tank Farm at 3301 26th Ave. S.W., and a Mill Depot at 3845 26th Ave S.W. Photograph ordered by Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (San Francisco).

Factories; Steel industry; Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. (Seattle);

Labor problems at American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO) led to a walkout by workers on November 3, 1950. The refinery workers felt overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated by management at the plant. Although the workers returned to work on Monday the 6th, there were new walkouts two days later and, on November 8th, management shut down the plant. The strike and lockout lasted until November 27th. The union voted 950 to 250 to accept a pay increase of 15 cents per hour and management began calling back workers. Ordered by the Tribune, Larry Shanklin. (TNT, 11/27/1950) TPL-7908

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1950-1960; Labor unrest--Tacoma--1950-1960; Strikes--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Some of the 185 members of the Tacoma Smelter's 25 Year Club attending the first meeting, a dinner at the Towers restaurant on 4/10/1950. The new organization included both active employees and retirees who had been with the firm for 25 years or more.

Tacoma Smelter (Tacoma);

Ten unidentified employees of ASARCO who attended the first meeting of the Tacoma Smelter's 25 Year Club held at the Towers, 6805 6th Ave. on April 10, 1950. The club originated with 185-207 members, all active or retired employees of the Smelter with 25 or more years of service with the company. The chairmanship was passed down at the first meeting from Earl Marble, the manager of the plant who was instrumental in setting up the group, to retired plant manager Eugene A. White..

Tacoma Smelter (Tacoma);

The first meeting of the Tacoma Smelter's 25 Year Club at the Towers. During the meeting, Chairman Earl Marble, Manager of the plant, who was instrumental in forming the club turned over its chairmanship to Eugene A. White, retired manager of the Smelter. All Club members had 25 plus years of service with the plant.

Tacoma Smelter (Tacoma);

ca. 1950. The ASARCO stack dominated the Tacoma sky line from its elevated position near Point Defiance along the Tacoma waterfront from 1917 until it was demolished January 17, 1993. It was the largest smokestack in the world when it was built at 571 feet. It was shortened to 562 feet during repairs in 1937. TPL-6600

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Smelters--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma;

Interior at plant, Permanente Metals, Ted Schmidt. Interior view of the pot room, laborers are pouring the molten aluminum into a mold to form pigs. Pigs will weigh between fifty and one thousand pounds. The pigs are cooled, stacked on pallets and transported to the rolling mill at Trentwood, located near Spokane, Washington. The pigs from the Mead and Tacoma plant are later re-melted in furnaces where other metallic elements are added to form standard alloys (PMC Annual Report, 1947-1948).

Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Aluminum; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees;

Crust breaking machine at Permanente, Bill Gorman. Workmen are using a new machine to break the crust that developed on the molten aluminum in the reduction pots at the Permanente aluminum plant. This had been a manual process before development of the specialized machine.

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Laborers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery;

Crust breaking machine at Permanente, Bill Gorman. A specialized machine has been manufactured to perform the work that had previously been done manually. A crust would form at the openings to the reduction pots where alumina was melted into raw pig aluminum. The plant had two potlines containing 240 reduction pots producing 41 million pounds of alumium per year. (Permanente Metals Corp. 1947-1948 Annual Report)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma); Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery;

American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO) was celebrating 50 years of business with an open-house. ASARCO was proud of their continuous modernization of their facilities, and the local Tacoma plant had recently undergone modifications and was about to expand their production of products. View of people who attended ASARCO's open house (T.N.T., 4/3/49, p. A-15 & 4/5/49, p. 1).

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Smelters--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; Copper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Anniversaries;

ASARCO was one of the largest industries in Tacoma, with over 1,304 employees and a payroll of over $345,000. Last year the company smelted over 383,129 tons of ore and 106,870 tons of copper were refined. The company was a long and interesting history of ownerships, mergers and stockholders; including a time when the Guggenheim's were in control of the business. View of "Safety First" display during ASARCO's open house (T.N.T., 4/3/49, p. A-15 & 4/5/49, p. 1).

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Safety equipment; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Copper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Anniversaries;

American Smelter and Refining Company (ASARCO) was celebrating 50 years of business with an open-house. ASARCO was founded in 1899 in New Jersey, by Henry H. Rogers and associates. The original smelter at this local site was founded by five Tacoma businessmen, the company merged with ASARCO in 1905. View of ten unidentified ASARCO employees standing in front of a welcome sign (T.N.T., 4/3/49, p. A-15 & 4/5/49, p. 1).

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Copper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Anniversaries;

Since September 1948, ASARCO has had 30,318 stockholders, with no one person owning as much as 3% of the company, making it one of the largest companies in the United States to be owned by the public. Six ASARCO employees, including Gustav Nordberg (third from right) are pictured at the company's 50-year celebration. Mr. Nordberg would pass away less than a year after this April, 1949, photograph was taken. He died on February 1, 1950. He lived on 49th & Frace, close to the smelter, and walked to work nearly every day. (T.N.T., 4/3/49, p. A-15 & 4/5/49, p. 1). (Additional identification & information provided by a reader)

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Copper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Anniversaries; Nordberg, Gustav;

Upwards of 7,000 people from throughout the Puget Sound region visited the ASARCO smelter on April 4, 1949 when the American Smelting & Refining Co. held an open house to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The smelter in Tacoma was actually over 50 years old at the time, having been started in 1890 by W. R. Rust. The celebration marked the anniversary of ASARCO which was founded in 1899 and bought the Tacoma smelter in 1905. (T.N.T., 4/3/49, p. A-15 & 4/5/49, p. 1).

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Celebrations--Tacoma; Smelters--Tacoma; Spectators--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma)--Anniversaries; Smokestacks--Tacoma;

Publicity for Permanente News and Times Industrial Page, Permanente Metals, Bill Gorman. Two workmen move alumina into the reduction pots before closing the corrugated cover. Permanente produced more aluminum at this time than was produced by the entire industry in 1937, the third largest producer of aluminum in the nation. The average age of their employees was 35 years. The daily uses of aluminum were multiplying as manufacturers became acquainted with its lightness, strength, corrosion resistance, formability and appearance. (T.Times, 2/25/1949, p.36)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Laborers--Tacoma--1940-1950;

There's nothing wrong with this chest, it's been x-rayed says Dave Schrader to Bill Courtney, employees at Permanente Metals Corp. As part of a U.S. Public Health Service campaign, all the employees at the Kaiser Aluminum plant in Tacoma received chest x-rays in 1949. In February of 1949, Permanente employed over 3,600 men in their three Washington plants with a combined payroll exceeding $12 million. (Publicity for Permanente News, and Times Industrial Page, Permanente Metals, Bill Gorman) (T.Times, 2/25/1949, p.37) TPL-3686

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Schrader, David A.; Courtney, William E.; Radiography; Health care--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Publicity for Permanente News and Times Industrial Page, Permanente Metals, Bill Gorman. One of the employees at Permanente Metals Corporation leans back with his feet up on a pull-out board on a desk to review a worksheet. Clip-boards, a calendar and a map hang on the wall behind him. He is wearing work boots and a hat while relaxing into this review.

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Laborers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Desks; Boots;

Her hair in disarray, a harried phone operator at Permanente Metals listens to one of many calls to the big plant at 3400 Taylor Way on February 9, 1949. Permanente, producers of Kaiser Aluminum, ran round-the-clock operations to keep up with the heavy demand by industry and the military for aluminum. Opened in Tacoma in 1947 as one of three big plants in Washington State, the company was the third largest producer of aluminum in the nation, exceeding over 20% of national production. (T.Times 2-25-49, p. 36-article)

Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Telephone operators--Tacoma--1940-1950;