Two circular slices of logs placed on the small porch above welcomed delegates to the Pacific Logging Congress Convention on October 28, 1922. The tiny log cabin itself was built using white fir in 1889. 500 delegates from all Pacific Coast states and British Columbia had convened at the Tacoma Hotel in late October of 1922 for the 13th annual gathering of lumbermen. On the last day of the meeting they traveled to the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp in Kapowsin where the above photograph was believed to have been taken. G75.1-141 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Scores of delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention piled aboard a Northern Pacific Railroad flatcar on October 28, 1922. Railings prevent the passengers from unexpectedly exiting the freight car; indeed, the motto "Safety First," as painted on the railing, seems to be well heeded. They were visiting the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin that day to view modern techniques of logging. G75.1-140 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
A group of seven, including one woman, posed before the "welcome" log at the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention on October 28, 1922. Each year representatives of logging concerns would meet to discuss important issues affecting their industry. The 1922 convention was headquartered in Tacoma where one of the topics of discussion was the use of slack line cable systems in bringing logs out. This photograph is believed to have been taken at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin where delegates visited on a special day trip the last day of the convention. G75.1-139 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Sawmill operations. View of St. Paul & Tacoma's modern sawmill, recently placed in operation, as pictured on May 21, 1922. Machinery and tracks in foreground. The new mill was the latest of improvements enacted by the lumber firm. G36.1-034 (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Machinery;
Mill operations. Interior view of machinery and wood at St. Paul & Tacoma's new sawmill on May 21, 1922. Mill "C" started operation the following day. It was the latest of improvements done by the company. The new mill had a capacity of 200,000 feet of lumber every eight hours. It was electrically operated throughout and had all the latest safety devices. (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Machinery; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Sawmill operations. There are no walls in this part of St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new sawmill but an open beamed ceiling provides cover for the tracks below. This was Mill "C" which would start operating on May 22, 1922. St. Paul & Tacoma had spent much money in getting their plant in the best condition. The entire plant was modernized, Mills "A" and "B" electrically updated, and new docks and additional warehouses built. G36.1-035 (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);
These massive logs are being transported on Northern Pacific flatcars to the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. yard on May 13, 1922. Railroad tracks intersect at this particular location. G44.1-103
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Logs; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad cars--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;
On May 9, 1922, a steam cargo ship was pictured docked at the Tidewater Mill, where it was taking on a shipment of lumber. The Mill was located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, near the end of 11th St. It was opened in 1918 and had a capacity of 100,000 logs a day. The mill was built on wetlands which were filled for the construction of the mill. Its greatest advantage was its frontage on 750 feet of deep water, allowing the loading of several vessels at a time. (TDL 12/22/1918, Pg. B-8)
Elevated view of Tacoma's industrial tideflats as pictured on March 25, 1922. Visible are the sprawling St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. and the Washington Parlor Furniture Co. at far left and the Pacific Lumber & Millwork Co. in center. They were at the foot or end of the 11th St. Bridge (now Murray Morgan Bridge). TPL-5731; G91.-017
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Washington Parlor Furniture Co. (Tacoma); Pacific Lumber & Millwork Co. (Tacoma);
Construction on the new John Dower Lumber Company headquarters building at 733 East 11th Street began in late November, 1921. The company held an open house for the general public on March 11, 1922. The building, designed by Bullard & Mason, was one of the most unique lumber offices in the country. The finish on the exterior was designed to resemble a log house; the interior was finished in selected native woods, stained and varnished to bring out their natural colors. In 1922 the John Dower Lumber Company was one of the largest retail lumber companies in the United States. The St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company purchased the Dower yard and headquarters building in 1942. BU-11057
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; John Dower Lumber Company (Tacoma); Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;
This elevated view of the Buffelen Lumber & Manufacturing Company, looking toward Tacoma across the Tideflats, was captured in November of 1921. The narrow bridge built on pilings is the old Hylebos Creek bridge. Located in the industrial Tideflats at Lincoln Ave. & Taylor Way, the sprawling Buffelen plant had been undergoing rapid expansion with the construction of a new warehouse in 1916 and a new power plant five years later. Other important improvements in 1921 included dry kilns and warehouses. Buffelen was organized in 1912 by John Buffelen primarily as a door manufacturer. In 1916 the company started to manufacture fir plywood. A small ad placed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger on 7-11-21 listed "fir doors, 3-ply panels, alder panels, sash, etc." as products manufactured by the firm which had offices in Minneapolis and Tacoma. (TDL- Ad 7-11-21, p. 7; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-1-22, B-5-article)
On September 2, 1921, a steam powered cargo ship from the Luckenbach Line was docked at the Tidewater Mill, 3901 E. 11th St. The Tidewater had been opened in 1918 and was capable of producing 100,000 board feet a day. The majority of its products were shipped for export. The mill was built with a frontage of 750 feet of deep water, allowing the company to load several vessels at a time. The Luckenbach Steamship Co., 1850-1974, was one of the longest-lived and most successful U.S. shipping companies. It was started in 1850 by Lewis Luckenbach and grew to be a major force in intercoastal trade. (TDL 12/22/1918, pg. B-8; www.nationalflaggen.de) G49.1-074
The Tidewater Mill, on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, was photographed on September 2, 1921 as the large steamship "Quinault" was being loaded with timber. The mill was built in 1918 on six acres of soggy land purchased from Gen. James Ashton. The land was filled in and the mill was built. It was one of only a handful on the Pacific Coast capable of producing the longest timbers. Tidewater could cut timbers up to 130 feet in length. The mill site's major advantage was 750 feet of deep water moorage, allowing the loading of several vessels at a time. (TDL 12/22/1918, pg. B-8) G49.1-071; TPL-9251
An unidentified mill in Tacoma's Tideflats was photographed by Marvin Boland in March of 1921. No workers are in sight. Piles of lumber are stacked throughout the yard. G36.1-043
St. Paul & Tacoma lumber yard. This November, 1920, progress photograph shows a fuel conveyor belt being constructed 24 feet above the ground at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. Two 2 ton locomotive cranes are pictured lifting a 106 foot truss into place. The 641 foot long aerial belt will run from the mill to a point on the waterway directly across from the Consumers Central Heating Co. The conveyor belt will be used to transport the mill's waste wood, formed into logs. The fuel will be dumped on barges and carried across to the heating plant where it will be burned to supply heat to the city. The conveyor belt was all wood with the exception of the belt itself and the roller bearings. Parallel chord lattice was used for the entire length with the exception of street crossings where 106 foot span Belfast type lattice trusses were used. (TDL 1/9/1921, pg. 6) TPL-2047; G36.1-163
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Belts & belting (Equipment); Fuel trade--Tacoma--1920-1930;
Side view of parked St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. No. 1 truck filled with stacks of what may be plywood. This April, 1920, photograph may have been taken at the company's downtown Tacoma yard. As noted through the doorless truck, there was no driver at the wheel. G36.1-160
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--1920-1930;
Linco Log & Lumber Co.; Yard engine. The versatility of the steam powered railroad was responsible for early advances in logging. By replacing animals as beasts of burden, they made it possible to harvest timber in the most inaccessible areas. During the 1920's, large scale locomotive operations flourished in the northwest. The system consisted of a main line with spurs, trackage that could be shifted constantly to follow the timber. With the aid of geared engines, such as the Shay locomotive, built from 1884-1945 by the Lima Locomotive Co., they could go into most mountainous areas despite the grade. The logs could then be "yarded," brought from the field into areas for shipment. (Labbe & Goe, Railroads in the Woods) G75.1-074; TPL-818
These plain, but functional, wooden cottages were built for loggers employed by the Linco Log & Lumber Co. The cottages, as seen in March of 1920, were planted in dirt and built tightly side-by-side. Railroad tracks ran directly in front of the houses. These homes are believed to have been located in the Lewis County logging camp owned by Gustaf Lindberg. Linco had an office in Morton and a sawmill in Lindberg, four miles northeast. The company employed 75 men. Gustaf Lindberg, a prominent Scandinavian businessman of Tacoma, had founded the town of Lindberg in 1911 as the company town for Linco. Originally named Coal Canyon, the town was destroyed by fire in 1918 and subsequently rebuilt and renamed for Mr. Lindberg. The town's population remained small and never exceeded 200. Gustaf Lindberg lost ownership of the town and it underwent several name changes. Only ruins of the mill, brick homes and company store remain. G69.1-151 (www.drizzle.com/~jtenlen/walewis/townsal.html)
This is a view of the Linco Log & Lumber Co. mill as seen in March of 1920. It was located in central Lewis County in the small logging community of Lindberg, just a few miles from Morton. Lindberg (formerly known as Coal Canyon) was founded by Tacoma businessman Gustaf Lindberg as the company town for Linco Log & Lumber. G36.1-081
West Fork Logging Co.; Spar Pole. One of the ways to get logs from a remote location to the railroad car was the use of "High Lead" logging. It involved a main cable passed from the engine drum of a "donkey" through a block at the top of a tall spar tree (or pole.) A spar was a 150 to over 200 foot tree with the branches trimmed away and the top lopped off by a "high climber." The cable, powered by the steam donkey, could then be used to pull the logs to the dump. West Fork Logging was located in Mineral in Lewis County and had an office in the Tacoma Building. L.T. Murray was the president and H.E. Post was the secretary. G75.1-091
West Fork Logging Co. (Mineral); Lumber industry--1920-1930;
In March of 1920, a steam donkey on a sled was photographed for the West Fork Logging Co. The donkey was used for pulling logs in from the woods. In its simplest form, a donkey was just a steam engine with a drum and a steel cable. The winch was used to pull in logs or load them. In this case, the boiler is mounted, along with the drums, on a sled to make the unit portable. The steam donkey replaced the logging horses and oxen with the power of steam. It was faster, cheaper and more reliable than animals. The West Fork Logging Co. was located in Mineral, about 14 miles north of Morton in Lewis County. It was owned and operated by L.T. Murray. G75.1-093; TPL-9856 (Labbe & Goe, Railroads in the Woods)
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. yard as photographed on November 24, 1919. As reported in the August 22, 1919, Tacoma Times newspaper, St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber was spending nearly $500,000 in improvements to its sawmill on the Tideflats. An aerial tramway was constructed to carry lumber from dry kilns to other parts of the plant. This would facilitate handling of lumber in the mill. The company was established in 1888 and provided steady employment for many residents for decades. It would merge with St. Regis Paper Co. in 1957. G36.1-083 (T.Times 8-22-1919, p. 12-article)
St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1910-1920;
Extended view of St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. planing mill and "monorail" as pictured in November of 1919. This may be the aerial tramway constructed to transport lumber from dry kilns to various other parts of the plant, replacing the old horse-and-truck system. St. Paul & Tacoma were putting in improvements to their sawmill on the Tideflats totaling nearly half-a-million dollars. Two new dry kilns were being built as well as an aerial tramway. The improvements were expected to reduce the cost of plant operation. St. Paul & Tacoma employed about 800 men at the time including a considerable night shift. G36.1-155 (T.Times 8-22-19, p. 12-article; TDL 7-19-20, p. 6-article)
Lumber industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);
An early logging truck, used by Wilson Logging Co. to bring in logs, was photographed in August of 1919. The early motor trucks offered an economical alternative to railway logging. Despite the cost of constructing roads, the trucks were a cheaper, faster and more practical way to move the logs. They were a common sight by the 1920s. They usually were underpowered, had an open cab and hard rubber tires, but they could go places that locomotives could not. There was a C.C. (Chan) Wilson Lumber Co. located in Hudson, just west of Rainier, Oregon. G75.1-032 (website for the Museum at Campbell River www.crmuseum.ca\exhibits)
Although motorized logging trucks were becoming more common in the lumber industry, horses were still being used in August of 1919. A pair of horses are pictured above at an unidentified sawmill waiting patiently as planks are being loaded onto an open cart. Photograph ordered by the Wilson Logging Co. TPL-6636 G36.1-052
Side view of logging equipment on wheels belonging to the Wilson Logging Co. Photograph taken at unidentified location on August 23, 1919. TPL-9852 ; G36.1-032
In August of 1919, a steam donkey mounted on a sled was photographed loaded on a truck for ease in transport to a logging site. Only the sled itself, built from huge logs, is clearly visible. The cable and winch on the donkey could be used to help load and unload it from the truck. This photograph was ordered by the Wilson Logging Co. There was a C.C. (Chan) Wilson Lumber Co. located in Hudson, just west of Rainier, Oregon. G75.1-082
ca. 1918. The Puget Mill Company Hall in Port Gamble, circa 1918. The Company Hall was built in 1907 and designed by the Seattle architecture firm of Bebb and Mendel. It was located across Rainier Ave. from the General Store. The hall was intended to serve as a location for meetings, athletic events, socials and worship. The first floor contained offices for the doctor and dentist, a barber shop, telegraph office and Post Office. The second floor served as a meeting room, theater, movie house and dance hall. The building is still in use as a Post Office and rents office space. (Historylink.org) Boland #P-4
Lumber industry--Port Gamble; Puget Mill Co. (Port Gamble); Post offices--Port Gamble; Community centers--Port Gamble;
