ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A man maneuvers a large piece of International machinery used to move logs. The machinery is operating in a clear cut and has a trailer arrangement on the back for moving logs and an attachment on the front for pushing the logs. Photographs taken on the timber lands belonging to Rayonier, Inc. Rayonier had a Grays Harbor tree farm totaling over 111,000 acres that had been harvested over 30 years prior and was producing a new crop of timber for the corporate giant.
Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);
ca. 1956. Port Alice, British Columbia; aerial of timber. Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited operated a chemical cellulose mill at Port Alice, surrounded by fast growing forests logged under a management license from the province. Port Alice lies on Quatsino Sound, an arm of the sea on the western side of Vancouver Island, B.C. The forests are mostly hemlock and offer an abundant supply of raw materials. Nearby Victoria Lake supplies water, the area has its own lime rock quarry and a deep water port for overseas shipping. For all these reasons, Alaska Pine chose to expand and develop this mill further in 1956, upping its capacity to 125, 000 tons of chemical cellulose a year; an investment of $14,000,000. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Port Alice B.C.);
ca. 1956. Port McNeil, logging. This appears to be company owned row housing or bunk houses built for the loggers working at the Port McNeil location. The small houses are all identical and two raised wooden sidewalks lie between the two rows of houses. Several men are sitting or lounging on the sidewalks. Housing arrangements like this were provided for the over 2,000 Canadian loggers.
ca. 1956. Port McNeil, aerial, logging. The logging camp sits on the shore surrounded by old growth forests. A dock extends out into the water and rafts of logs lie in the water. Established in 1953, Alaska Pine's logging camp at Mahatta River, on Vancouver Island, is one of three modern logging communities that provide wood for the Port Alice, B.C., chemical cellulose mill. Logs are rafted to the mill, entirely within the protected waters of Quatsino Sound. Non pulp species are barged to the Vancouver area sawmills. (1957 Annual Report, Rayonier Inc.)
ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. The sign identifies this as an experimental forest established in 1948 by the U.S. Forest Service cooperating with the St. Regis Paper Co. Trees were now being viewed as a renewable resource. They were being raised to support the pulp, paper and wood chemical industry. In the meantime, old growth forests were clear cut to supply timber for commercial purposes.
Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, sawmill plant at New Westminster, B.C. During 1956, Alaska Pine set up a new high speed production line, part of which is shown here, for processing western red cedar bevelled siding. The sawmills at the Marpole and New Westminster Divisions produced a variety of products for wholesale markets in the United States and Canada. The products included hemlock and Douglas fir two-inch dimension lumber, sheathing and boards, cedar siding and shingles and industrial grades for such uses as garage doors, ladders and millwork. Alaska Pine was a leading promoter of the use of cedar, especially as siding. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. This is the new plant being constructed in Vancouver, B.C. at the Marpole Sawmill Division of Alaska Pine for the production of the chemical rayflo. Alaska Pine was the Canadian subsidiary of Rayonier Inc. Rayflo was produced from hemlock residuals obtained from the Marpole mill. The chemical was a dispersant that could be added to oil well drilling mud to control its viscosity and chemical properties. Rayflo was one of a new breed of "silvichemicals" being developed from the byproducts of cellulose manufacture by Rayonier. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited, a Canadian subsidiary of Rayonier Inc., was constructing a new plant at Vancouver B.C. for the production of Rayflo, a chemical used in oil well drilling, and its distribution to foreign markets. Rayflo was a new chemical developed from experimentation with the byproducts of cellulose production. It was produced from hemlock residuals obtained from the Marpole sawmill. It was used to control the chemical and physical properties of oil well drilling mud. Rayflo was the result of product development by Rayonier Inc. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Rayflo was a chemical used in the oil industry. When added to oil well drilling mud, it made it possible to control the chemical and physical properties of the mud. Although developed only a few years earlier, rayflo was in demand. The new factory was being built by Alaska Pine, the Canadian Subsidiary of Rayonier, for production of the new chemical. It was previously produced in Grays Harbor, Wa. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Two hard hatted workers from Rayonier Inc. stand in an old growth forest. This photograph really shows the size of these enormous trees, the loggers appear tiny next to them. This stand of hemlock is approximately 80 years old. The trees are 110 - 125 feet high and average 24 inches in diameter. This track was recently thinned to promote growth of the best trees. Rayonier and its Canadian subsidiary Alaska Pine produced chemical cellulose, pulp, paper and lumber. They were also experimenting in developing new products called "silvichemicals" from the by products of cellulose manufacture. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);
ca. 1956. Portrait of a timber worker in a hard hat bearing the green cross safety logo. Photograph was taken on Rayonier Grays Harbor timber lands and ordered by Malcolm McGhie. Timber and forests fueled the economy of the Olympic Peninsula.
Lumber industry--Grays Harbor--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Rayonier, Inc. (Grays Harbor);
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, sawmill plant at New Westminster, B.C. During 1956, Alaska Pine set up a new high speed production line, part of which is shown here, for processing western red cedar bevelled siding. The sawmills at the Marpole and New Westminster Divisions produced a variety of products for wholesale markets in the United States and Canada. The products included hemlock and Douglas fir two-inch dimension lumber, sheathing and boards, cedar siding and shingles and industrial grades for such uses as garage doors, ladders and millwork. Alaska Pine was a leading promoter of the use of cedar, especially as siding. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. Semi-finished hemlock lumber waits on kiln-cars to roll into the dry kilns. Alaska Pine was a pioneer in kiln drying of hemlock and developing it as a commercial product. The company kiln-dries about 60% of its lumber output, including practically all of the hemlock products. Properly dried hemlock makes excellent construction lumber. This stimulated broader use of a timber still abundant in the fifties. The company was also promoting the use of cedar, particularly as siding. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Marpole Division sawmill plant, Vancouver B.C. Big logs are brought to the mill in large rafts towed from the company's logging operations hundreds of miles away. They are cut into 20 foot lengths in the water and pushed onto the loghaul, which carries them into the mill. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Alaska Pine, Rayflo plant at Marpole. Two men stand on the scaffolding erected around the tank being constructed for Alaska Pine's new plant in Vancouver, B.C. The plant will produce rayflo, a chemical manufactured from Hemlock byproducts and used in the production of oil well drilling mud. Alaska Pine was the subsidiary of Rayonier Inc. and one of the largest timber concerns on the west coast. (Rayonier's annual report for 1956)
Lumber industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Trees; Logs; Chemical industry--British Columbia--1950-1960; Alaska Pine & Cellulose Limited (Vancouver B.C.);
ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A log train chugs along on the Rayonier owned main line railroad in Washington. The locomotive is one of two new diesel-electric locomotives put in service in 1956, replacing steam. While the two main lines were being improved, spur railroad tracks were being replaced by company owned truck roads. By May of 1957, the conversion to truck logging would be complete. (Rayonier annual report for 1956)
ca. 1956. Timber industry scenes from Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula, ordered by Malcolm McGhie. A locomotive owned by Rayonier Inc. hauls logs across a railroad trestle; carrying them to a mill or paper plant for processing. In 1956, Rayonier was replacing the spur railroad lines with private truck roads that led to two company owned main logging railroads. Funds were spent to improve the main tracks, trestles and replace the steam locomotives with new diesel-electric ones. By May 1957, it was projected that the conversion to truck logging would be complete. This shows a Rayonier Baldwin diesel putting a logging train across the Hoko River Bridge on the Olympic Peninsula. (Rayonier annual report for 1956)
A peeler block appears to be emerging from this machine; it has apparently been barked. A technician, on an slightly elevated platform, monitors the proceedings in front of his control panel. He has his hand on a lever. Photograph ordered by Merchandising Factors, Seattle.
The hands of a craftsman, possibly Panther Woodworking owner George Panther, carefully screw on a small piece of wood to a long rod in a May 3, 1957, photograph. The rod is being held steady between the fingers of one hand while the other hand is simultaneously using the screwdriver. Other screws and rubber rings are close by on the table. Photograph ordered by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Panther Woodworking (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma--1950-1960; Screws;
A gully is carved out of the North Bend countryside and filled nearly to capacity with timber in an August 12, 1957, photograph. Two men can barely be spotted surveying the logs. The massive logs appear to be piled several times the height of the men. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
Piles of logs are scattered around a logging camp at the foothills of a forest near North Bend. Moving and lifting equipment are motionless in this August 12, 1957, photograph. The tall pole with intricate wiring spraying from its top is used to lift and maneuver logs. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
Additional view of men surveying mass of logs. Two men in hard hats examine the enormous amount of harvested timber on August 12, 1957. These logs were cut from forests near North Bend. The logs are of varying sizes; all dwarf the men. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
A Pettibone Cary-Lift does its job effectively in grabbing and carrying individual logs to be stacked in piles. These large logs were harvested from forests near North Bend. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie.
A series of photographs were taken on January 8, 1958, of workers at the Weber Lumber Co., 1744 N. 30th St. They appear to be nailing together box beams. Stacks of plywood are in the background. Weber Lumber is absent in the 1958 City Directory; at its site remained the Timber Fabrication Co. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Weber Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Only a craftman's hands can be seen carefully using a Skilsaw on plywood boards at Weber Lumber Co. Bits of wood shavings are scattered close by. The portable table saw cuts the plywood into the desired length. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Saws; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Weber Lumber Co., on January 8, 1958, was the site of a series of photographs taken on behalf of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association on the usage of plywood for a variety of products. Here an employee appears to be measuring a long sheet of plywood against a box beam. The sheet of plywood may have eventually covered the open box beam. These box beams may have been especially constructed to be used at the South Tacoma Airport.
Plywood; Weber Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
View of new hangar at South Tacoma Airport on January 10, 1958, shows how plywood was heavily utilized. The narrow, slightly bent pieces of plywood above the plywood forms are box beams. They were probably put together at Weber Lumber Co. a few days before. These are believed to be some of the ten new "T" hangars built by C.E. Munson, contractor. Planes would be hangared five to a side. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 2-2-58, A-14)
Plywood; Hangars--Tacoma; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
Box beams are being erected in the new hangar at South Tacoma Airport on January 10, 1958. These plywood products were probably constructed at Weber Lumber Co. A small lifting machine has hoisted a box beam while three workers maneuver it into place. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Plywood; Hoisting machinery; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);
An employee of Puget Sound Plywood is measuring an exceptionally large log on a log deck at the company's East "F" St. plant on February 20, 1958. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Puget Sound Plywood, Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cooperatives--Tacoma;
It appears that a giant log is carefully being barked by hand in a February 20, 1958, photograph. The Puget Sound Plywood employee is apparently using a long tool to lift the exposed layer. It is possible that this peeler will be used in the production of plywood. In that case, after barking, the peeler will be rotated in a lathe, removing strips of veneer. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.
Puget Sound Plywood, Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cooperatives--Tacoma;
