Defiance Lumber Company's crane at 4601 Ruston Way, Tacoma

Industries; Defiance Lumber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way

The "Artigas" is docked awaiting the loading of a cargo of lumber from Tidewater Mill on May 2, 1924. The Tidewater Mill, located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, exported most of their timber. The "Artigas" would set sail directly for San Francisco on Saturday, May 3rd. G49.1-094

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

On May 29, 1924 engine # 2505 of the Great Northern Railroad pulled into Tacoma's Union Station. The powerful engine was used to pull the new, all steel Pullman cars of the Oriental Limited, one of the ten trains operated by Great Northern from Chicago to Tacoma. The train, accompanied by a select group of company officials, was on a special introductory cross-country tour. Its new Pullman cars were very luxurious with a full spacious dining room, baths for men and women, and sleepers with headboards, reading lights and individual ventilators. (TNT 5/29/1924, pg. 3) G44.1-131; TPL-673

Railroad locomotives; Union Station (Tacoma); Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

On May 29, 1924, many interested Tacomans viewed the old wood burning locomotive #1, also known as "William Crookes," on display at Union Station. The train originally operated on the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad in 1862. As part of a joint display by the Great Northern Railroad and the Pullman Co., the locomotive pulled an old Pullman car, used by Abraham Lincoln and other Civil War luminaries. Also on display was Great Northern's newest and most powerful locomotive, Engine #2505. (TNT 5/29/1924, pg. 3) G44.1-129; TPL-674

Railroad locomotives; Union Station (Tacoma); Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Three men operating machinery at an Olympia sawmill in June of 1924. Photograph taken on behalf of Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-025

Sawmills--Olympia; Machinery; Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;

Small sheets of plywood are being loaded from an Olympia sawmill directly onto a Northern Pacific car by three men on June 12, 1924. These will be used by the Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-023

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Plywood; Sawmills--Olympia; Railroad freight cars--Olympia;

Plywood operations. Workers at this Olympia sawmill are pictured in June of 1924 during daily plywood operations. Sheets of plywood are being laid out; stacks of plywood are in the fore-and-background. Photograph ordered by Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-026

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Plywood; Sawmills--Olympia;

Five workers are pictured on June 12, 1924, in an Olympia mill loading sheets of plywood for the Pacific Mutual Door Co. The men wear gloves, overalls and the ever-present caps. G75.1-024

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Sawmills--Olympia; Plywood;

On June 12, 1924, two unidentified workers lean their hands against the enormous cut log which will soon be hoisted and processed. The log will be made into sheets of plywood to be used by the Pacific Mutual Door Co. This photograph, in addition to a number of plywood operations shots, was taken in Olympia on behalf of the company. G75.1-027

Logs; Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Union Pacific engine #3222 as viewed on June 13, 1924. The powerful locomotive was on the tracks at the Union Depot. TPL-66; G45.1-004

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma; Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

Ship propeller. Three unidentified men stand between the blades of a ship propeller at Todd Dry Dock & Construction's plant along the Hylebos Waterway in July of 1924. Todd Dry Dock's employees consisted of shipbuilders, engineers and boilermakers. TPL-1424; G37.1-118

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp. (Tacoma);

This is the SS Bienville, nearly ready for launching, in early July of 1924. The combination freighter/passenger vessel was built by Todd Dry Dock & Construction for the Atlantic Steamship line of the Southern Pacific. She would be launched on July 16, 1924. The Bienville is a single screw steamer with a sea speed of 16 knots. After much fanfare, she was delivered to her owners in November but would suffer massive damage due to fire while undergoing repairs in New Orleans in March of 1925. G37.1-112 (TNT 7-9-24, p. 4; TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-article on fire; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-article on fire)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Henry Mill & Timber Company crane at 3001 N Starr ST, Tacoma

Industries; Henry Mill & Timber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way;

Henry Mill & Timber Company crane at 3001 N Starr St, Tacoma

Industries; Henry Mill & Timber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way

Henry Mill & Timber Company crane at 3001 N Starr St, Tacoma

Industries; Henry Mill & Timber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way;

Stern of the SS Bienville. The Bienville would be launched the following day, July 16, 1924, from Todd Dry Dock & Construction facilities. The combination freighter/passenger vessel, 445 feet in length with a 57-foot beam, could hold 346 passengers. She was built at a cost of over one million dollars and would be used to travel between New York and New Orleans. The Bienville would catch on fire in mid-March of 1925 while being overhauled in New Orleans. The ship was ablaze from stem to stern but all aboard escaped. G37.1-113 (TNT 6-21-24, p. 1,9-articles; TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-article on fire; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-article on fire)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Machinery at Star Iron & Steel foundry at 435 E 11th St, Tacoma

Industries; Star Iron & Steel; Machinery; Tideflats

Two unidentified men gaze at giant wheel constructed at Coast Iron & Machine Works, 1117 Dock St., in August of 1924. The machinery firm was operated by J.A. McRae and R.C.McRae. G35.1-088

Coast Iron & Machine Works (Tacoma);

Small boat under construction at Babare Mfg. Co. site in August of 1924. The Babare brothers, George & Nick, were pioneer shipbuilders with original plant in Old Town. They had moved their facility to 3517 E. 11th St. along the Hylebos Waterway. G37.1-106

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Three unidentified employees of Coast Iron & Machine Works pose in the firm's Dock St. plant on September 24, 1924. One man fits neatly inside one of Coast Iron's products. G35.1-087

Coast Iron & Machine Works (Tacoma);

An unidentified employee of Royal Dairy (Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co.), 912-14 A St., is shown on October 4, 1924, washing metal milk cans. The company was well known for its slogan, "It's the Cream," as they sold quality ice cream, milk and cream. All products were manufactured in a sanitary plant in Tacoma, made for and by Tacoma people. G6.1-067

Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co. (Tacoma); Dairying--Tacoma--1920-1930;

On October 4, 1924, an unidentified employee of Royal Dairy (Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co.) examines one of three similar machines at the plant located at 912-14 A St. Royal Ice Cream, run by Bert H. Walker, had been in business since about 1900 and sold ice cream, milk and cream products. This was a locally owned business whose ad in the 1924 City Directory stated that its (cream) was a "quality cream manufactured in a sanitary plant" by "Tacoma people" and "not shipped in from outside sources." Special flavors and designs could be made for all occasions. G6.1-068

Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co. (Tacoma); Dairying--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The SS Bienville. The 445-foot Bienville had been launched at Todd Dry Dock facilities on July 16, 1924, and four months later, was nearly ready to be delivered to her owners in New York. A crane, in the process of lifting, is on the dock next to the ship. The Bienville would conduct short ship trials on November 17th and then be moved to the Port of Tacoma piers on November 19th to load initial cargo after her trial run. Over 2500 tons of goods, including machinery, 2000+ tons of hay and a large number of canned goods, will be stored aboard. The Bienville fell victim to fire in mid-March of 1925 while undergoing repairs in New Orleans and was severely damaged. G49.174 (TNT 11-12-24, p. 1-article; TNT 11-14-24, p. 1-article TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-article on fire; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-article on fire)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Serious motion picture production came to Tacoma- Pierce County near the end of 1924. The administration building, in front, and main building of the H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. motion picture studio were nearing completion on December 4, 1924. Located on 5.5 acres at the end of Sixth Avenue near Titlow Beach, the H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc., studio had the northwest's largest floor space without supporting pillars. Construction began in early October, 1924, and was completed in late December of that year at a cost of $50,000. The administration bldg. contained executive offices, a projection room, 15 star dressing rooms and dressing rooms for extras. Furnace rooms were built at each end of the main building to make the stage evenly heated. There were no windows in the main building; the studio decided to make use of artificial lightning when filming inside. An elaborate formal dedication, open to the public, was held on December 14, 1924. (TDL 11-9-24, E-8, 12-14-24, B-1) Boland B11464

H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma); Motion picture studios--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

H.C. Weaver Productions motion picture studio under construction on December 4, 1924. One car is parked on the grounds of the construction site; studio was located on 5.5 acres near Titlow Beach. The formal dedication of the first motion picture studio in the Northwest was scheduled for December 14th, ten days after this photograph was taken. The $50,000 studio, constructed by the firm of Albertson, Cornell Bros. & Walsh, was not yet completed. Scaffolding is still in place on the walls of the main building which would be built sans windows. The lower structure in front of the main building would be the administration unit, containing executive offices, projection room, dressing rooms for the stars and extras. The studio would be 105 ft by 180 ft with a 52 foot ceiling. It would have the largest floor in the Northwest without supporting pillars. Only two larger floors were available, both in Hollywood. Weaver was one of a handful of independent studios capable of handling all aspects of film production, including developing and titling. The studio closed after only four years of operation in 1928; the building was converted into a dance hall in 1932 but was destroyed by fire on August 24, 1932. (TDL 11-9-24, E-8, 12-14-24, B-1) Boland-B11465, BU-13758, TPL-8181

H.C. Weaver Productions, Inc. (Tacoma); Motion picture studios--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Side view of Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. locomotive #9505 showing wheels. Photograph was taken on January 23, 1925. G44.1-043

Railroad locomotives; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co.;

St. Paul & Tacoma workers stand alongside a 48" x 48" x 70-foot sawn log on February 13, 1925. TPL-3237; G36.1-159

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

The ferry "Wollochet" was under construction at the Skansie Shipyard in Gig Harbor early in April of 1925. Her 150 horsepower engine had been placed in late February. The 100-foot diesel ferry would replace the ferry "Transit" early in June, traveling from the 6th Ave. slip at Titlow Beach to points on Wollochet Bay and Fox Island. The Skansie Brothers Shipyard was founded in 1912 by four Yugoslavian Brothers: Pete, Mitchell, Andrew and Joe Skansie. The company was a pioneer in the construction of automobile ferries and diesel engine ferries. (TNT 4/21/1925, pg. 1; TNT 2-28-25, p. 5-article on engine) TPL-693; G37.1-168

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

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;

Four unidentified men gaze at a long line of railroad flat cars stacked with mahogany logs on May 1, 1925. The log train was bound for the Buffelen Lumber & Mfg. Co. The logs had arrived at the Port of Tacoma on the "Wheatland Montana" and were a product of the Philippines. The arrival of the logs marked a transition to direct transactions between the overseas grower and a Tacoma manufacturer. Prior to this, mahogany used in fine furniture, cabinets and other uses was brought here in board form. G36.1-030 (TNT 5-4-25, p. 6)

Logs; Railroad cars--Tacoma--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;