Fife School as viewed in June of 1936. TPL-7107 This building was constructed in 1930 to serve as the high school in the Fife S.D. The "new" high school was completed in 1950. This building in this photo became the junior high and served as such until Surprise Lake Middle School opened in the fall of 1971. This structure now houses the high school's administrative offices. This photo is looking towards the northwest. This would have been the back section of the early high school and junior high school. Visible is the old boiler room chimney which notably swayed in the earthquake of April 1965. This building was renovated, and this back section now contains the main entrance to the administrative offices for the high school.
An enormous log is being hoisted onto a heavy duty truck using a "spreader bar" (at left) in this June, 1936, photograph. It will be taken to Tacoma to be processed for Peterman Manufacturing Co. This view is of one of Peterman's old White trucks unloading its load at the railhead in Morton. Al Peterman had purchased several old Whites, then completely rebuilt and heavily modified them to be used in his logging operations at Morton. In 1933-34 Mr. Peterman had purchaed 11 sections (7040 acres) from the Northern Pacific Railroad and began logging in late 1934 to provide materials for his Tacoma door plant. Logging operations were finished in Morton in 1940 after 190 million feet of timber were logged. G75.1-056 (Additional information provided by a reader)
One-lane road, curving by forested land. Photograph requested by Peterman Logging (Manufacturing Co.) in June of 1936. Hillside on the right has been decimated of trees. This is a view of Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s main truck road just down the ravine below the trestle in Boland B25874. According to a reader, Mr. Peterman kept his roads in excellent shape to make it easier and faster for his logging trucks. It is said that his trucks could do 50 mph coming down off the hill into Morton which was unheard of at that time. G75.1-064
Spar tree used in Peterman Logging operations in June of 1936. This tall straight tree has had its limbs chopped off and has been topped. It would be used to support cables that would drag the felled timber to where trucks could transport it to mills. Spar trees have since been supplemented by portable steel towers. This view was taken of one of Peterman's landings on top of Peterman Hill near Morton. Next to the spar tree is an 11 x 13 steam yarder ("donkey") yarding logs. Nearby are some of the trucks waiting to be loaded and then transporting logs down the hill to the railhead at Morton. According to a reader, the road to Tacoma was not good enough to transport the logs via trucks in a safe and timely manner, hence the use of rail. G75.1-057 (Additional information provided by a reader)
Peterman Logging operations near Morton in June of 1936. This may be a "skid road," where heavy logs are partially sunken so that felled timber can be dragged over them to a skidway or landing. According to a reader, this is a view of one of Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s truck roads about a mile past the trestle (shown in Boland B25874) to the south of the beaver pond area. The assorted logs in the foreground were part of a bridge under construction. Because the ground was very swampy, the brush was cut down and laid crossways in the roadbed and gravel dumped on top. The road is still there decades later. G75.1-051 (Additional information provided by a reader)
Peterman Logging operations at or near Morton, June of 1936. According to a reader, this photograph shows a "Triple Drum" yarder in action. Unlike earlier models, this vehicle was mobile with tracklaying capability. The caterpillar mounted set of drums could easily maneuver over rough terrain to yard logs out of a ravine or canyon. The logs could then be either yarded with a crawler tractor or directly loaded onto trucks. TPL-9854; G75.1-044 (Additional information provided by a reader)
One-lane road curving slightly through stand of trees not far from the start of Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s main truck road going up to the top of Peterman Hill, south of Morton. According to a reader, Mr. Peterman used a contract rock crusher to crush rock and a full time roadgrader to make an all-weather road at a time when most logging roads were planked or just mud. Al Peterman had bought 11 sections (or 7040 acres) from the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1933-34. He began logging in late 1934 to supply his Tacoma door plant. The area had originally been called Cotter's Rock after a pioneer homesteader but became known as Peterman Hill. His logging operations ceased in Morton in 1940 but not before logging 190 million feet of timber. Photograph ordered by Peterman Logging (Manufacturing Co.) in June of 1936. G75.1-065; G74.1-111 (Additional information provided by a reader)
Peterman logging operations on top of Peterman Hill south of Morton. View of Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s truck road trestle. A section of forest has been partially cleared in this June, 1936, photograph. Tree stumps remaining seem to indicate that the trees were mostly young trees and not old growth timber although the short log in the foreground was Douglas Fir old growth. Peterman's Tacoma door and veneer plants utilized the Douglas Fir for its products. According to one reader, this area is now called the "beaver pond." There was no pond there at the time of this photograph but over time the beavers took advantage of the pilings of the trestle and built a large dam around them. The trestle is no longer there. G75.1.052
Interior of Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s Morton large truck shop with dirt floor. This open-beamed garage was photographed on June 5, 1936, as part of a series of daily operations for the company. An exterior view of the building is located at Boland B25884. Mr. Al Peterman had purchaed a fleet of fifteen old White trucks from the Shell Oil Co. and completely rebuilt them in his Tacoma shop. They were converted into 6 wheelers with air brakes and bigger engines. The Morton shop then made more modifications as they were put through the hauling operations. Mr. Peterman maintained a staff of skilled mechanics in the Morton shop to work on these trucks. G48.1-018 (Additional information provided by a reader)
June, 1936, view of exterior of large wood framed building which was the Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s Morton truck shop. The interior of the shop is shown in Boland B25883. According to a reader, the building was located in old town Morton in what is now Backstrom Park. This ground was later given to the town of Morton to be used as a city park by Gust Backstrom who was Al Peterman's old logging foreman. The site was that of the Peterman company's railhead where logs were unloaded from trucks and reloaded onto Milwaukee railcars to be transported to Tacoma. Part of Peterman Hill is shown in the background to the south of the shop building. Mr. Peterman logged over 7000 acres in the Morton area in the period of six years, from 1934-1940, to supply his Tacoma operations. G48.1-016 (Additional information provided by a reader)
Two trucks appear to have already been filled with crushed rock and a third one awaits as this June, 1936, photograph for Peterman Logging (Manufacturing) Co. was taken on top of Peterman Hill south of Morton. The bunker(s) and crusher site was not far up the hill on Peterman's main haul road. Mr. Peterman contracted out the crushing and the bunkers were later moved farther back to the east end of the operation. Al Peterman was farsighted enough to realize that a well maintained, smooth truck road would be easier on his trucks and they would be able to travel faster down from his logging operations to the reload area. This was at a time when the majority of logging roads were rough with just planks or mere mud. Mr. Peterman even employed a full time roadgrader operator. G75.1-048 (Additional information provided by a reader)
Daily logging operations of the Peterman Logging (Manufacturing) Co. as seen through a series of photographs taken on June 5, 1936, at or near Morton. A spar tree, rigged with guy lines and blocks, leans precariously while yarding logs. According to a reader, this is a view of Peterman Manufacturing Co.'s railhead reload in old town Morton. The truck is being prepared to be unloaded by the Tacoma Iron Works 9 x 10 yarder ("donkey") to the right in the photograph. The "donkey" was used to also load the Milwaukee railcars standing on the siding running from the right side of the photograph's foreground to the left rear. The main spar tree is barely visible on the extreme left with the "tail" tree to the right just on the far side of the siding. The "tail" tree is bent over so that the spreader bar will be over the center of the railcar as the loading is done. This will make it easier to center the logs on the car. Included in the photograph's background is a bark conveyor. The Model T at extreme right belonged to the "donkey's" operator. G75.1-058 (Information provided by a reader)
Peterman Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--1930-1940; Logs; Ford automobile;
Logging equipment at a Peterman logging site, location at or near Morton, in June of 1936. Equipment is a "donkey" used to move logs. These early diesel yarders were designed to yard logs to a landing using a spar tree. The "donkeys" were mounted on sleds made out of two logs which allowed them to be moved on trucks or railcars. It was possible for them to pull themselves over rough grounds to where they needed to be set up. This diesel yarder is possibly one of the first "Berger" brand yarders with the first V8 Caterpillar engine power plant. TPL-9855; G75.1-046 (Additional information provided by a reader)
Uncle Aron Shifrin, left, and his nephew Abe Shifrin posed next to a pyramid of canned peaches in their grocery store in West Bremerton at 329 Cambrian Ave, the Pierce Grocery. The pair came to America from Europe with a dream of owning their own shop. That dream became a reality 18 years prior to this picture when they opened their first grocery in Wickersham, Wa. The pair believed that the key to success in the grocery business was remembering the preferences of their customers. (Bremerton Sun 6/18/1936, pg. 1)
In June of 1936, Norman E. Whiteman, left, and Detmer H. Ketler, two Tacoma fire fighters from the Tacoma Avenue station, modeled and demonstrated fire equipment from the 1880s for the Tacoma Times. Whiteman wears the belt and hat of the "Alert" Hose Co. #2, a volunteer organization established in 1885. He is holding the hose belonging to the first two wheel hose cart owned by "New Tacoma." Ketler is garbed as one of "Our Boys," another volunteer firefighting unit from the 1880's. He shouts orders through the old chief's silver plated trumpet. (T Times 6/18/1936, pg. 1)
Fire fighters--Tacoma--1890-1900; Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Whiteman, N.E.; Ketler, D.H.; Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1890-1900;
Lloyd E. "Connie" Ireland receives the first registered letter containing adjusted compensation bonds and treasury checks from Tacoma Postmaster George P. Fishburne (seated.) The total monetary package for the area exceeds 2 million dollars and will be distributed among 3500 World War I veterans in the Tacoma area. The average amount received will be $490. Ireland is surrounded by representatives of various veterans' organizations (see image #2 for names.) Nationally, the program will distribute 1,900 million in bonds and 700 million in treasury checks. (T. Times 6/15/1936, pg. 1)
Ireland, Lloyd E.; Fishburne, George P.; Postmasters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Veterans' organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Veterans' benefits; World War, 1914-1918--Veterans--Tacoma;
Lloyd E. "Connie" Ireland receives the first adjusted compensation bond for veterans in Tacoma; delivered June 15, 1936 in the morning. The registered letter is delivered by Tacoma Postmaster George P. Fishburne. Ireland and Fishburne are surrounded by representatives of various veterans organizations. Pictured are, left to right, R.A. Hedberg, commander Tacoma Post #138 American Legion; Tom Morgan, commander Wild West Post #91 Veterans of Foreign Wars; Herschel Courtway, Wild West Post; Postmaster Fishburne; Roy Craig, U.S.S. Tacoma Post 2329 V.F.W.; A.C. Bryan, commander Elias J. Messinger Post 1428 V.F.W.; Ireland, past commander Tacoma chapter Disabled American Veterans; and Clyde Payne, Edward B. Rhodes Post #2 American Legion. (T. Times 6/15/1936, pg. 1)
Ireland, Lloyd E.; Fishburne, George P.; Postmasters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Veterans' organizations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Veterans' benefits; World War, 1914-1918--Veterans--Tacoma;
As part of the Fire College held in Tacoma June 17-20, 1936, a three hour fire fighting demonstration was held at the Stadium Bowl on June 19th. The finale was the setting fire of a 1 1/2 story structure. The fire was allowed to engulf the building; the Tacoma Fire Department then extinguished the flame. Here one man stands on a ladder at the second story window holding a can of gasoline; another man poses inside the window. They are getting the building ready to be sent up in flames.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Ladders; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
The Spokane Washington Fire Department demonstrates the use of ladders during the Firefighting demonstration on June 19, 1936 that capped off the first ever Northwest Fire College. Paid and volunteer fire departments from Washington, Montana, Idaho and British Columbia met in Tacoma June 17-20, 1936 to share fire fighting techniques and information.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Ladders; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
The Firefighters' Convention was held June 17-20, 1936 in Tacoma. The highlight was a nighttime firefighting demonstration at Stadium Bowl on June 19th. An audience of 25,000 crowded into the Bowl to watch the 3 hour free show, which included a display of 50 years of fire fighting equipment. An early fire fighting vehicle and current fire engine are parked on the field. A large crowd of spectators pack the concrete bleachers. Stadium High School and other buildings in background. (T. Times 6/18/1936, pg. 1)
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
Firefighter's Convention demonstration of fire fighting techniques held June 19, 1936 at the Stadium Bowl. The three hour show went on into the evening. In this night scene, you can see the five story sample structure used by the Tacoma Fire Department to demonstrate techniques on tall buildings. A 1 1/2 story house was hauled onto the field and burned as a demonstration. Pictured are structures, fire trucks, ambulance, medical personnel and firefighters in mock demonstrations. (T. Times 6/18/1936, pg. 1; 6/19/1936, pg. 1)
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
The highlight of the June 17-20, 1936, Firefighters College was the three hour demonstration at the Stadium Bowl. A 1 1/2 story house was hauled out to the field and torched so that Tacoma firefighters could extinguish the blaze. A shiver went through the crowd as the fire raced through the building, almost getting away from the firemen. (T. Times 6/19/1936, pg. 1)
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
Six unidentified firemen from the combined Fire Departments of Puyallup and Auburn performed a life line drill at the firefighting demonstration held at the Stadium Bowl on June 19, 1936. The dramatic "rescue" from a specially built five story structure was one of the highlights of the three hour public performance of firefighting techniques presented during the First Northwest Fire College held from June 17-20. In this photograph the upper men are hooked to the life line and are sliding downward while holding the other men in a hand to hand grip. The audience for the presentation was estimated at 25,000.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
Tacoma Fire Department Truck Company 2 performs a life saving drill in this photograph taken during the 3 hour firefighting demonstration at the Stadium Bowl on June 19, 1936. The demonstration was held for the public to enjoy the daring exploits of the Northwest firefighters at the conclusion of the Fire College held in Tacoma June 17-20. In this photograph, ladders are being used to access the interior of this mock up five story building. A dummy is being lowered on a platform; the platform is attached to and controlled by the aerial ladder on the fire truck.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
As a part of the firefighting technique demonstration at the Stadium Bowl on June 19, 1936, the combined fire departments of Puyallup and Auburn performed a drill with Pompier Ladders. The scaling ladders were invented in the late 1800s when tenements bloomed to house incoming immigrants. The tenement buildings were so tall that they were beyond the reach of conventional ladder companies. The Pompier Ladder was invented to save lives in these cases. It had a saw tooth hook on one end and rungs on the long end. The hook part was plunged through a window and hooked onto the sill. The firefighter could then climb up and into the window and the procedure could be repeated to access even higher windows.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Ladders; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
Providing a little comic relief at the June 19th, 1936 Firefighting demonstration at the Stadium Bowl was the Skagit County fire department with their "day in the life of a fire fighter." In this photograph, the fire alarm siren has just sounded and the firemen rise from their bunks in their mock up station, preparing to respond to the call.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
At 6:30 p.m. on June 19, 1936, Tacoma Fire Truck Companies 1 & 2 staged a spectacular life line drill at 9th & Commerce to the delight and awe of spectators. It was all part of the first ever Northwest Fire College, held in Tacoma June 17-20, 1936. The two big trucks hoisted their 75 foot ladders overhead in an inverted "V" with life lines running on both sides for the fire fighters to run up, slide down and rescue victims. This photograph shows six firemen standing on a ladder truck marked T.F.D. No. 1. The firefighters are wearing white uniforms with wide canvas belts around their waists. Downtown crowds observe the training activity. (T. Times 6/16/1936, pg. 1)
Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ladders;
The highlight of the June 1936 Firefighters College was the 3 hour free show at the Stadium Bowl June 19th. 25,000 spectators crowded onto the concrete benches to watch fire departments, such as the Spokane department pictured here, perform drills. The Spokane Fire Department is demonstrating the use of ladders.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Ladders; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
On June 17-20, 1936, Tacoma hosted Northwest Firefighters at the first ever Fire College. The highlight for the public was the activities of June 19th. The evening began with an aerial truck drill on Broadway, followed by a parade from Broadway to the Stadium Bowl and a free three hour demonstration of fire fighting techniques. The audience was estimated to be 25,000. (T. Times 6/18/1936, pg. 1)
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
In June of 1936, Tacoma hosted the Northwest Firemen's Convention. The highlight was the evening demonstration June 19th of firefighting techniques at the Stadium Bowl. In this photograph an early fire hose truck is being prepared for action. A photographer adjusts a movie camera in the foreground, ready to capture the action. The three hour free show had thrills galore as Northwest firefighters showed off their most death defying techniques.
Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Fire fighters--1930-1940; Fire fighting--1930-1940; Fire engines & equipment--1930-1940; Northwest Fire College (Tacoma);
