Hull #213 was under construction at Martinolich Shipbuilding in February of 1936. The firm was well known for their building of purse seiners. A big fishing fleet of at least 12 purse seiners was under contract in Tacoma's three yards and six more were expected to be started by the end of January, 1936. The Martinolich-Cosulich plant had recently been erected at the south end of City Waterway and had four contracts for fishing craft. G37.1-149 (TNT 1-18-36, p. 1-article)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Martinolich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Three unidentified men posed at a logging site in Mineral, Washington, on the first of March, 1936. The hillside beyond the men is strewn with fallen timber. The men are sitting and leaning against a much bigger log. G75.1-098

Lumber industry--Mineral; Logs; Woodcutting--Mineral;

Two photographs were artfully combined in this March, 1936, work by photographer Marvin Boland. Large logs are pictured aboard an open railroad car on tracks while in the background are three unidentified men posed at the base of an enormous old-growth tree. TPL-2117; G75.1-081

Logs; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Trees;

This is a view of St. Regis logging operations in May of 1936. The forest location was not given. Here a worker is driving an earthmover of some sort. He is possibly clearing the way for a makeshift road so that trucks could access the area.

Lumber industry--1930-1940; St. Regis Paper Co.; Machinery;

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)

Lumber industry--1930-1940; Donkey engines; Peterman Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

View across railroad tracks of the Northern Pacific Railway locomotive #4007 as seen on January 4, 1932. #4007 is pulling a long line of cars. Four unidentified men, including the driver, are present. TPL-2383; G44.1-104

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Pipes and equipment at Hooker Electrochemical Co. as photographed on September 24, 1931. Hooker's large plant in Tacoma was built in 1928 and celebrated its grand opening in February of 1929. Chemicals manufactured by Hooker aided the area's pulp and paper industry. G33.1-163

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Equipment;

Various types of equipment located at Hooker Electrochemical's plant were photographed on September 24, 1931. The chemical producing company was located at 605 Alexander Avenue and would celebrate over 50 years in business here in Tacoma. After several name changes, it would close down about 2002. G33.1-164

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Equipment;

It is hard to tell in this rather faded picture taken on a foggy day in October of 1930 but it appears that water is spurting from what may be the hold of a cargo ship. Three unidentified men are observing the scene. Photograph ordered by St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. G36.1-158

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Two unidentified men are looking down at stacks of lumber piled on St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. property in October of 1930. A large crane can be seen dimly in the background. G36.1-156

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

Members of the Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association are aboard a small Great Northern locomotive which is pulling three boxcars presumably packed with eggs for the 1930 Western Washington Fair. G74.1-034

Railroad locomotives; Railroad freight cars; Washington Co-op Egg & Poultry Association (Tacoma);

Nine unidentified men were photographed in front of the large St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. store on April 17, 1930. St. Paul & Tacoma, established in 1888, was one of Tacoma's pioneer industries. Its lumber concerns would provide employment for hundreds of local residents. It would merge with St. Regis Paper Co. in 1957.

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Hooker Electrochemical Co. tank car on the tracks as viewed on June 24, 1930. The large chemical plant opened in February of 1929, provided employment for many of Tacoma's workers, partnered with the pulp and paper industry, and maintained a viable presence locally until its closure in 2002. TL-6605; G33.1-166

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Three unidentified Medosweet employees are pictured on March 25, 1930, in the bottling section of the large plant located at South 25th & Pacific Avenue. Bottles are in the process of being filled with pure, fresh milk. Milk travels from the pasteurization plant to the bottling machines where the bottles are filled and capped without being touched by human hands. 35 trucks will deliver over 20,000 bottles of milk, cream and buttermilk to Tacoma homes daily. Medosweet Dairies prided itself in guaranteeing the highest quality of milk, cream, ice cream, buttermilk and cottage cheese by upholding and improving sanitary standards. G6.1-072 (TDL 4-29-30, p. 8; TDL 4-29-30, p. 5, section 3-Ad )

Medosweet Dairies, Inc. (Tacoma); Dairy products industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Conveying systems--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bottles; Milk;

This was the Olympia plant of Washington Veneer Co., as pictured in April of 1925. The plywood company was less than a year old at the time, having been incorporated in June of 1924. It was located on land leased from the Port of Olympia, about 3/4th of a mile from Olympia's business center, and conveniently located near water and rail transportation. Already on site was a sawmill and retail lumber yard, both to be operated for many years by Washington Veneer. Plywood production began in February of 1925 at a rate of 65,000 feet daily. Among other innovations, manager Ed Westman installed the first belt-free lathe on the Pacific Coast. Marketing of Washington Veneer's panel production was handled primarily through the Wheeler-Osgood Company of Tacoma. A second plywood plant, called Capitol Plywood Co., was built about 1/4th mile from the site of the original plant in 1929. Washington Veneer was acquired several times and finally closed down in the late 1960s. (www.apawood.org) G73.1-011

Washington Veneer Co. (Olympia); Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;

In August of 1927, this photograph was taken for a brochure advertising the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad locomotive class EP3, the largest and most powerful electric powered locomotive. The women leaning out of the windows wearing corsages were beauties from the Broadway Theater Review on loan to the railroad for the photograph. The automobile was a new Chrysler Imperial 80 sedan loaned by the American Automobile Association to transport the girls. The new Olympian was the most modern and luxurious transcontinental transportation around. It ran on roller bearings, eliminating lurching jerks on stopping and starting. The Milwaukee Road electrified transcontinental railroad ran from Tacoma & Seattle to Chicago, over 660 miles and across four mountain ranges. TPL-1359; G44.1-092 (TDL 8/7/1927, pg. G-5 alternate picture) (photocopy made for American Automobile on 10-8-27)

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad cars--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Chrysler automobile; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

In November of 1926, the workmen at Skansie Shipbuilding Company posed with the two ferries that they were building in their ways in Gig Harbor. The smaller ferry boat at the left, the "City of Steilacoom", was nearing completion. The larger boat was being built for the Tacoma-Gig Harbor run and would carry up to 75 cars. A larger ways had been built to accommodate the increased size of the ferry. It was scheduled to be launched between February 15 and March 15 and to be completed by April 15. The "City of Steilacoom" was the 12th boat finished by Skansie's since the first of the year. In 1926, the Skansie yard employed 36 workmen. (TNT 11/19/1926, pg. 10) BU 13893, Boland # B15944;

Ferries--1920-1930; Skansies Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Boat & ship industry--Gig Harbor;

Interior of a Northern Pacific Railway Co. car as viewed on December 5, 1929. The doors are partially open. The railroad car had at least two windows. G44.1-112

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad cars--1920-1930;

Hooker locomotive. A Hooker Electrochemical Co. locomotive pulling four storage tanks paused on tracks on October 14, 1929. Hooker opened in February of 1929 and aided the Northwest pulp and paper industry by producing chemicals necessary for operations. It became one of the area's largest chemicals companies and underwent several name changes until closure in the early 2000's. TPL-6604; G44.1-058

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad locomotives--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This photograph of trains of logs on and along Northern Pacific Railway tracks with Northern Pacific boxcars adjacent to the logs was taken in March of 1929. It was later used in a News Tribune article dated October 20, 1930 to help bolster Tacoma's claim to be "the lumber capital of the world." Great trains of logs like these were brought to Tacoma's mills for cutting into lumber before being sent out to the world. More than 80 Tacoma mills converted lumber into finished products. 21 local furniture-making factories used Tacoma lumber to built tables, chairs and all manner of wood products. Tacoma had led the nation in lumber production since 1905. TPL-1542; G44.1-114 (TNT 10-20-30, 4-B)

Logs; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Interior of new St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. mill as viewed on June 15, 1928. This is believed to be the new sawmill used to cut hemlock logs built in the Tideflats north of E. 11th St., part of a joint venture between the Union Bag & Paper Corporation (N.Y.) and St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber. The mill, opening on June 18, 1928, was built on the site of the old Foundation shipyards. It contained modern new machinery including a new Yates planer, 72 x 14-inch edger, 48 x 16-inch Diamond gangsaw, 9-foot Diamond band saw, 7-foot resaw and two mechanical saw trimmers. In addition, the mill had a new hammerhead crane which was capable of lifting 7 1/2 tons. G36.1-150 (TNT 6-15-28, p. 10-article)

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Defiance Lumber Co. plant and stacks, as photographed on June 19, 1928, for a court case. Photograph also includes hill and tracks. The court case possibly involved a $10,000 claim in superior court whereby an individual charged that smoke and refuse from the lumber company's stacks was so heavy that it was a nuisance when the wind blew from the north or northeast. G36.1-117

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Defiance Lumber Co. facilities, including smokestack and railroad tracks, and neighboring hillside as viewed on June 19, 1928. This scene was photographed for a court case that may have involved pollution claims against the company. G36.1-056 (for another view of smokestack see Boland photograph B18783)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On June 13, 1928, two unidentified workers posed with an acetylene torch at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new mill. The mill in question is believed to be the new sawmill for cutting hemlock logs built in the Tideflats on the site of the old Foundation shipyards near the Union Bag & Paper Corporation pulp mill still under construction. The sawmill would begin operations on June 18th. G35.1-082 (TNT 6-15-28, p. 10-article)

Welding--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Unidentified machinery at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new mill, as photographed on June 12, 1928. Established in 1888, the company would merge with St. Regis Paper in 1957.

Machinery; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Two employees, believed to be Bert Sweeting and Robert Stone, of the (then) Royal Ice Cream Co. are pictured in the company's laboratory on April 18, 1928. Mr. Sweeting, head bacteriologist, is peering into a microscope while his assistant, Mr. Stone, is examining the contents of a tube. The ice cream company had moved into new quarters at 2413-21 Pacific Avenue just six months before. It had announced plans to merge with the Producers Dairy in March of 1928 and would operate under the new name of Medosweet Dairies, the name chosen in a contest won by 9-year-old Jack Richards. Medosweet had installed this laboratory, the first in Tacoma of its kind, to guarantee the highest quality of its ice cream, milk, cream, buttermilk and cottage cheese. The laboratory would use the most modern equipment to assure purity and meet exacting standards. (TDL 3-22-28, p. 3-ad; TNT 4-15-28, p. 14-ad; TNT 5-1-28, p. 2-article on lab; TNT 6-4-28, p. 5-article) G34.1-144

Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co. (Tacoma); Laboratories--Tacoma--1920-1930; Dairy products industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Medosweet Dairies, Inc. (Tacoma)--Employees;

Truss section manufactured by the Ernest Dolge, Inc., lumber company, shown at unidentified construction site in March of 1928. Ernest Dolge, Inc., had a national reputation for producing special "structual" grades of wood. This truss section was strongly bolted together. The Dolge firm was located on the Belt Line at approximately 1800 Taylor Way in the Tideflats, occupying 16 acres on the Hylebos Waterway. Their sawmill produced timbers for boats, beams, and even fire extension ladders that used Douglas fir. The Dolge mill cut 80,000 feet of timber daily and employed 55 men with a yearly payroll of nearly $100,000. G36.1-125 (TDL 4-10-28, Section 3, Industrial section, p. 1, 8-articles)

Ernest Dolge, Inc. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Trusses--Tacoma;

Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, Engine #10250. The electric bipolar Class EP2 locomotives, manufactured by Alco-GE, were put in service from Othello to Tacoma in 1920. They performed beyond all expectations, with great economy and low maintenance, surviving until they were scrapped in the 1960s. TPL-2377; G44.1-087

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Railroad cars--Tacoma; Railroads--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

Log train headed for St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. yards in July of 1927. Mount Tacoma (Rainier) in background. Many trees near the tracks have already been topped.

Logs; Lumber industry--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Elevated 1927 view of what is believed to be the Tidewater Mill Co. facilities located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway at the end of 11th St. The Hylebos Creek Waterway drawbridge is up to permit ships to pass under. Multiple log dumps are located near the plant and readily accessible. The Tidewater Mill Co. was established in 1918 and had a capacity of 100,000 logs per day. Because it fronted 750 feet of deep water, several ships were able to load cargo at the same time. TPL-6476; G9.1-043

Tidewater Mill Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Logs;