Sepia forensic photograph from the Sheriff's Department of gun used by George W. Ross near Steilacoom on July 7, 1936. The new Army .38 special Colt automatic was found in the grass less than forty feet from the body of George W. Ross, 35, bookkeeper from Tacoma. Investigators believe that Mr. Ross could have shot himself above the temple and crawled several feet away from the gun before expiring. He may have carried the gun wrapped as an ordinary package as green and white wrapping paper and a small box were found at the scene close to the gun. Mr. Ross had purchased the gun less than a month before. (T.Times 7-8-36, p. 1)

Forensic photographs; Handguns; Firearms; Boxes; Ross, George W.--Associated objects;

ca. 1933. First shipment of legal booze in Tacoma ca. 1933. View of two men holding pints of Old Taylor. The 21st Amendment, ratified in 1933, repealed the 18th Amendment which had prohibited the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States. Cases of 100 proof whiskey are piled up at the loading dock of Tacoma Drug Co. Writing on the cases indicate that the American Medicinal Spirits Co., successors to E.H. Taylor Jr. & Sons, had bottled pints of whiskey, apparently Old Taylor, and made before the start of Prohibition, to be used for medicinal use only. Doctors during Prohibition were the only ones that could write prescriptions for liquor to be used as medicine. Healthy people were not able to purchase liquor legally. Now that Prohibition was over, drugstores were not the only ones who could sell liquor.

Whiskey; Boxes;

Tacoma Escalade at 1129 Broadway. Drizzle failed to shoo away the hundreds of spectators who had gathered on February 27, 1961, at the dedication of the new 100-foot, $205,000 escalade, or "moving sidewalk," next to the Giant 88 store in downtown Tacoma. They all wanted a chance to hop a ride onto the ramp that was built between Broadway and Commerce at 12th St. on the site of the former Blue Mouse Theater. This escalade was the first of four ramps designed to make climbing the steep hills of the downtown area a little easier for its pedestrians. It differed from a store escalator as there were no steps on the ribbed rubber surface but did have a moving handrail. The second escalade was scheduled to open in the near future between Pacific and Commerce about 10th St. A bond issue passed in 1958 had set aside $875,000 for moving sidewalks. TPL-6161 (TNT 2-27-1961, p. 1-article)

Belts & belting (Equipment); Pedestrians--Tacoma; Crowds--Tacoma--1960-1970; Giant 88 (Tacoma);

Mayor Ben Hanson on Tacoma Escalade at 1129 Broadway. The mayor and several city councilpersons including Mrs. Ellen Price (at his side), W.G. "Gerry" Bott and deputy mayor James Porter (behind them) were photographed in February, 1961, at the new 100-foot escalade that was built between Broadway and Commerce at 12th St. The $205,000 escalade was the first of four ramps planned for local pedestrians. Unlike store escalators, the "rubber belt" had no steps but did have a moving handrail. Its speed was about 120-feet a minute, a little slower than the average walking pace. This escalade, designed by local architects Lea, Pearson & Richards and built by the Jardeen Bros. Co., was meant to make downtown's steep hills a bit easier for pedestrians. There would be a week-long trial run before it was shut down for ten days for final tweaking. Mayor Hanson was reportedly not in town at the time of the February 27, 1961 escalade dedication so deputy mayor James Porter did the honors of snipping the three-inch white ribbon officially opening the escalade. This picture was probably taken either days before or after the actual dedication. (TNT 2-27-1961, p. 1-article; TNT 2-26-1961, A-1-article)

Belts & belting (Equipment); Pedestrians--Tacoma; Hanson, Ben; Mayors--Tacoma--1960-1970; Municipal officials--Tacoma--1960-1970; Price, Ellen; Bott, Gerry; Porter, James;

ca. 1950. Tacoma Fire Department Truck Co. #3. Four unidentified firemen handle cleaning duties with their 65' aerial in this circa 1950 photograph. Truck Co. #13 would move into Station No. 13 in 1959. TAC 086

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fire stations--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1890. Engine house # 9, Earl G. Jones pictured. Team of horses and other firemen included in this circa 1910 photograph. TPL-2759, TPL-8438 (Original print TPL-1082)

Jones, Earl G.; Fire fighters--Tacoma--1910-1920; Fire stations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Horses--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1911. In 1911, Truck Co. No. 1 received a Seagrave tractor for aerial; their old tractor was given to Truck Co. No. 2. View of Truck Co. No. 2 firefighters with No. I's truck, pulled by three horses, taken the same year. According to the Tacoma Times, this was Tacoma's first modern ladder truck. At the tiller is L.S. Finney with Harry White driving. Standing next to the driver's seat is Charles W. Nichols. Standing on the ground, left to right, are: S.F. Buck, William F. Bing, A.L. Hooten, Edward Evans. TPL-709. (Talbot: 100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 52; T. Times 6/18/1936, pg.1)

Tacoma Fire Department (Tacoma); Fire engines & equipment--Tacoma; Horses--Tacoma;

At around 9 a.m. on Saturday February 23, 1924, an explosion in the Stone-Fisher Co. machine shop or garage at 1115-17 Market Street sparked one of the largest fires that Tacoma had seen in years. Traffic was blocked and electric power was shut off as all of Tacoma's fire companies were called to battle the 3 alarm blaze. The five story brick building was occupied by the Greystone Hotel and a garage, machine shop and warehouse used by owner Stone-Fisher Co. The building was gutted, sustaining over $150,000 in damage and leaving the 60 guests at the hotel homeless. (TNT 2/23/1924, pg. 1) TPL-5510, BU-12618;

Greystone Hotel (Tacoma); Stone-Fisher Co. (Tacoma); Fires--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1890. Tacoma Hotel overlooking Puget Sound TPL-2833, BU-11914

ca. 1916. Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway, Oregon, circa 1916 as photographed by Portland photographers Arthur B. Cross and Edward L. Dimmitt. The men teamed up to form the firm of "Cross & Dimmitt" in 1916. They sold real photo post cards of Portland, Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood off the running boards of their Model T at Crown Point as the Columbia River Highway was under construction. This view of the cascading 611-foot tall Multnomah Falls was one of theirs. Multnomah Falls, about a 30 minute drive east of Portland, remains a spectacular sight year round as it does not dry up during the late summer months. (www.pdxhistory.com/html/post_card_history-article; www.oregon.com/attractions-article)

Waterfalls; Multnomah Falls (Oregon); Scenic overlooks;

ca. 1934. This is part of the lobby of the grand Tacoma Hotel circa 1934. The spacious foyer had several chairs and benches resting against the enormous pillars for guests taking their ease. Of note are the fancy "sea horses" at tops of the pillars and a large clock attached to the ceiling beams. A portion of a dining area is visible further down the lobby. The Tacoma Hotel was reduced to ruins by a massive fire on October 17, 1935. TPL-219

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Lobbies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Clocks & watches;

ca. 1934. Two couples enjoy a tender dance within the Tacoma Hotel while a young lady provides the music on a piano in this circa 1934 photograph. Others enjoy dining at small tables placed nearby. The Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma's showpiece, opened in August of 1884 and underwent several renovations before being destroyed by fire in October of 1935. TPL-346

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Dancers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pianos;

ca. 1936. An unidentified grocer sets up a Roman Meal pie crust display circa 1936. The pie crust, called "Speed-I-Mix," was made by Tacoma's Roman Meal Co. Cases of the product are located next to loaves of Kream Krust wheat bread and shelves of assorted jams and condiments. The Roman Meal Co. had been founded by Dr. Robert Jackson who developed a healthy cereal using whole grain wheat, rye, bran and flaxseed based on the dietary habits of Roman legionnaires. Dr. Jackson sold his company to baker William Matthaei in 1927; Mr. Matthaei then went on to develop a new bread called Roman Meal and assorted other products. (History of Pierce County, Washington, Vol. 3, p. 347-article on company)

Grocery stores--1930-1940; Roman Meal Co. (Tacoma); Baked products;

ca. 1942. Gravel pit operations conducted by Woodworth & Co. circa 1942. The location of the gravel pit was not given but may have been the large one above the Hylebos Waterway. Woodworth & Co. was a family-run business, established in 1921 as Albertson, Cornell Brothers & Walsh, a merger of three companies involved in building, dredging and road paving. It became Woodworth & Co. in 1940 as Harold Woodworth, originally paving manager, became president. The firm worked on the Narrows Bridge (both "Galloping Gertie" and the second bridge), barracks and road building at Fort Lewis, runway construction at Moses Lake Air Base, I-5 for the federal highway system, and many other projects. Woodworth & Co. is still in business and has diversified further into all phases of the heavy construction industry. (www.djc.com/special/century/wood)

Holes; Woodworth & Co. (Tacoma); Construction industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A small band gathers in an employee room at the Brown & Haley factory. The date on the calendar is June of 1920. The women are garbed in the spotless white gowns and caps of factory workers. Two of the men are obviously laborers and one wears a shirt and tie. The music on the piano includes "Little Jo" and "Sweet Siamese." A bare lightbulb hangs from a wire behind the piano. The band is comprised of a guitar, mandolin, piano, trumpet and another guitar or banjo.

Oriole Chocolates (Tacoma); Candy--Tacoma; Chocolate industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Brown & Haley (Tacoma);

ca. 1920. At the time of this picture in 1920, Tacoma had four flour mills, Tacoma Grain Company (pictured), Sperry, Puget Sound Flouring Mills and Albers Brothers Company. Together the mills created the largest flour production west of Minneapolis and Kansas City. The Tacoma Grain Co., producer of Pyramid Flour, was built in 1890 by the Northern Pacific Elevator Co. at what is now 7 Schuster Parkway. Its main feature was the 210 foot smoke stack (left of buildings.) It became the Centennial Flouring Mills in 1934. A fire destroyed the mill in January of 1947, and although the company tried to rebuild for a few years, the buildings were razed in 1950. (TDL 12/27/1920, pg. 6) BU- 13987

Tacoma Grain Co. (Tacoma); Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1910. In this photograph that dates from around 1910, workers at the Atlas Foundry pause in the process of building a form, probably a mold or "pattern," to pose for the camera. Atlas was the first foundry built in Tacoma; it began in 1899 as a manufacturer of iron castings. The company incorporated in 1903. Through the years, they added steel and brass to their list of moldable metals. By 1946, they offered the only complete foundry service in the Northwest. Utilizing their over 50,000 wooden patterns, they could make castings varying in size from 2 oz to 16 tons. TPL-9515

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1910-1920;

ca. 1925. H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc., motion picture set of "Hearts and Fists, " ca. 1925. Unidentified woman standing on planked sidewalk outside of "Slim's Nugget Bar;" a shoemaker's shop is further in the background. Set was still under construction as the log exteriors are basically false fronts. The Weaver Corporation's first film was "Hearts and Fists," set in Washington's lumber camps. The stars of the film actually arrived on May 9, 1925, with filming to begin on May 11th. Marguerite de la Motte, previously seen in "Pagan God," played the lead female role. The male cast included her husband John Bowers, Dan Mason, Jack Curtis and Alan Hale, Sr. Mr. Hale would return to the Tacoma area in 1940 with the premiere of "Tugboat Annie Sails Again" with remarks about his previous experience in filming in this area. Many of the outdoor scenes were filmed around the Kapowsin area and others in the Clear Fir Lumber Co. mill at Day Island. The film would play for a week at the Rialto in January, 1926, drawing exceptionally large audiences. At that time, a moviegoer could attend a weekday matinee for 35 cents, a evening showing for 50 cents with children's prices holding steady at 10 cents. (TDL 5-10-25, p.1, 5-12-25, p. 3)

Motion picture studios--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma);

The stars of the future Weaver Productions, Inc. motion picture "Totem Pole Beggar" arrived at Tacoma's Union Depot on March 5, 1926. The movie was scheduled to begin filming at the H.C. Weaver studio near Titlow Beach on March 8. H.C. Weaver, studio head, is in the back row, third from the right. In the back row are George F. Whitcomb, Louis von Weithoff, Tom Santschi, Weaver, director W.S. Van Dyke and Peter L. Shamray. In the front row are Mrs. Peter L. Shamray, Mrs. H.C. Weaver, Mrs. Llewellyn Jones, Dorothy Jones, Anne Cornwall, Wanda Hawley, Violet Palmer and actor Gareth Hughes, in knickers and argyle socks. Dorothy Jones and her mother, Mrs. Llewellyn Jones, were prominent Tacomans involved in the theater. Most of the women are wearing full length fur or fur trimmed coats. "Totem Pole Beggar," whose title was later changed to "Eyes of the Totem," was the second film made by the recently opened H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. motion picture studio. Filmed partially in the Narada Falls area, the drama opened at the Broadway Theatre on June 10, 1927. (TDL 3-6-26, p. , TNT 3-6-26, p. 1)

Weaver, H.C.; Actors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Actresses; Hughes, Gareth; Santschi, Tom; Shamray, Peter L.; George F. Whitcomb; Palmer, Violet; Jones, Dorothy; Van Dyke, W.S.; Hawley, Wanda; Cornwall, Anne; H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma);

Cameras focus on a passerby placing money in a beggarwoman's, played by Wanda Hawley, tin cup as the motion picture "Totem Pole Beggar" is filmed on busy A Street in downtown Tacoma in March of 1926. The Mason Hotel and signage is to the left of the begging woman seated on the bench; it was built as part of the Mason Block in 1887. A loaded newspaper cart is parked outside of the hotel. "Totem Pole Beggar" was the second motion picture filmed by the H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc., which was based near Titlow Beach. The film, directed by W.S. Van Dyke, had its name changed to "Eyes of the Totem" in April, 1926. It would open at the Broadway Theatre on June 10, 1927.

Actors--Tacoma--1920-1930; Actresses; Beggars--Tacoma; Tin cups; Motion pictures; Mason Hotel (Tacoma); Signs (Notices); H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma);

It cost a whopping $151.68 in postage but the H.C. Weaver Productions' first film, "Hearts and Fists" arrived in the nick of time on January 2, 1926, for its scheduled world premiere at the Rialto Theater. Moore Amusement Co. head Henry T. Moore, left, owner of the Rialto, and Postmaster Clyde J. Backus are shown holding the wooden box, sent airmail from New York, which contained the reels of film. Note the sender neglected to list the Rialto's street address on the box but it was delivered anyway, five minutes before the premiere. The 40 lb. box took 72 hours and 42 minutes to travel from New York to Tacoma. (TNT 1/4/1926, pg. 8)

Boxes; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1920-1930; H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma); Moore, Henry T.; Backus, Clyde J.;

ca. 1889. Tacoma smelter BU-13875

This disturbing photograph of a gathering of the Ku Klux Klan in South Tacoma was taken in April of 1924. The klan members had gathered behind the Piper Funeral Home at 5436 South Puget Sound Avenue for the funeral of a Tacoma resident. The klansman at the front center (fifth from the right) is holding a small "fiery cross" which was used during the funeral ceremony. When published in the News Tribune in 1924 this photograph was attributed to C. Tucker of South Tacoma.(TNT 4/26/1924, pg. 3) TPL-5452

Ku Klux Klan (Tacoma); Racism--Tacoma--1920-1930; White supremacy movements--1920-1930;

Mrs. Joyce Ferguson, an employee at the Tacoma Public Library, was photographed in August of 1947 sitting behind the wheel of the library's new Plymouth wood panel station wagon. The new vehicle was purchased to be used to transport books and other library materials from one branch library to another. The library director, Aubrey F. Andrews, stated that any book in the library could be requested at any branch or station. If the book was not available at the local library, it would be secured and routed as soon as possible. The station wagon would also be used, as time permitted, to supply small collections of books to groups holding meetings or exhibits. (TNT 8-16-47, p. 2) TPL-217, TPL-9820

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma)--Employees; Ferguson, Joyce; Plymouth automobile;

ca. 1951. Buildings on 11th St. across from future Tacoma Public Library circa 1951. These structures would eventually vanish, making way for the new County-City Building. In the foreground are three dump trucks and an earthmover that were photographed on the excavation site for the new Tacoma Public Library, 1102 Tacoma Ave. So. After many decades and much discussion, the Main Library was expanding from the original Carnegie Library to a more spacious, accommodating building. Groundbreaking had occurred in March of 1951 and the library would be completed and finally dedicated in November of 1952. BU-11779

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Excavation--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1951. Excavation work started soon after the late March, 1951, groundbreaking for the new Tacoma Public Library located at 1102 Tacoma Ave. So. Trucks are pictured above removing dirt and debris from the site. The original Main Library is directly next to the excavation site. It would be used for meetings and storage after the new library was completed in 1952 and not reopened for general library use until 1978.

Tacoma Public Library (Tacoma); Public libraries--Tacoma--1950-1960; Excavation--Tacoma--1950-1960; Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Martin Luther King Memorial March. On April 7, 1968 Tacoma motorcycle police, their vehicles parked in the middle of Tacoma Avenue South, stood and listened to speakers outside the County-City Building speak passionately about the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday April 7th was a national day of mourning for Dr. King who had been shot just three days before. Over a thousand people, many bearing signs, had marched from St. John Baptist Church to the County-City Building, blocks away, in a show of unity and great sadness. TAC 377.3

Commemorations--Tacoma--1960-1970; Crowds--Tacoma--1960-1970; County-City Building (Tacoma); Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Motorcycles--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Harry Kahne dazzled crowds gathered about the Broadway Theater as he hung by his heels suspended from the theater's roof on November 1, 1930. They watched with astonishment as Mr. Kahne wrote upside the latest news in legible cursive script on the large Ledger blackboard several feet above ground. Mr. Kahne was in town for Fanchon & Marco's "Rhythm-a-tic" revue. He was known as "the man with the multiple brain" for his unusual talents. (TDL 10-29-30, p. 7-article only; TDL 10-31-30, p. 4-article only)

Kahne, Harry; Broadway Theater (Tacoma); Entertainers--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1920. Stack of wattles, or webbed sections, which form the screen of a salmon weir preventing the egress of the salmon. These were woven by the women, and to save labor, were laid by at the end of the fishing season while the main structure was left in the river. This photo was taken on the White River near the southwest corner of the Muckleshoot reservation circa 1920. (Caption from note typed on back of photo) (Photo donated by Arthur Ballard) TPL-8037

Fishing weirs--Washington; Fishing nets--Washington;