Coverage of twin launchings at McNeil Island. On June 17, 1943 Mrs. H.W. Algeo served as sponsor of one of the two tugboats launched at McNeil Island. Mrs. L. Delmore, Jr., was the other sponsor. Mrs. Algeo is pictured above in the act of christening the boat with a firm smash against her prow. It was reported that both she and Mrs. Delmore were drenched by the exploding champagne bottles. KMO radio broadcast the event as a twin launching was rare and launchings of any sort of prisoner-built vessels even rarer. As the United States was now at war, a revival of using prison labor in boat construction had commenced. 1907 had been the last time locally that a ship was built by inmates. The two tugs would become the second and third built under the revived shipbuilding program at McNeil. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Algeo, H.W.--Family;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. James V. Bennett (second from left), Seattle Mayor William F. Devin (second from right) and Warden P.J. Squier of McNeil Island (far right) were identified in this group of men who were attending the twin launching of tugboats for the U.S. Army Transport Service on June 17, 1943. The tugs were built with prison labor during a revival of the shipbuilding industry on McNeil, and were highly praised by military and civilian officials. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1,3- various photographs)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Bennett, James V.; Devin, William F.; Squier, P.J.;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. Mrs. L. Delmore, Jr., smashed a bottle of champagne against the prow of one of the two tugs launched at McNeil Island on June 17, 1943 during the tradition of christening the vessel. Since she did so before the tug slid down the ways, the force of the bottle exploding drenched her from head to toe. The tug was to be turned over to the Army transport service. She was built with labor from McNeil Island inmates. (T. Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Delmore, L.--Family;

Coverage of twin launching at McNeil. Two sister tugs, T-88 and T-89, slid down the ways on Thursday, June 17, 1943 to loud cheering from spectators. The two ships launched were the second and third under the revived shipbuilding program during WWII. Both of them were to be turned over to the Army. Present at the event were prison officials and honored guests: (from left) master of ceremonies A.F. Lykke, James V. Bennett, Richard McGee, LTC D.M. Jacques of the Army Transport Corp, Seattle Mayor William F. Devin and Warden P.J. Squier of McNeil Island Penitentiary. The point was heavily emphasized that both vessels were built by McNeil Island prisoners. (T.Times 6-18-1943, p. 1, 3)

Launchings--McNeil Island; Boat & ship industry--McNeil Island; Tugboats--McNeil Island; Lykke, A.F.; Bennett, James V.; McGee, Richard; Jacques, D.M.; Devin, William F.; Squier, P.J.;

Magic Foods Store. Employees at work in the commercial kitchen. Three stations are shown. One man is checking on a large cooker, two are stirring large pots, another is moving beans down a slanted tray, one is cutting potatoes, a woman cuts meat and another man is moving a tray. Large windows line one wall of the kitchen. (T.Times, 7/30/1943, p.11)

Food industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Magic Foods, Inc. (Tacoma);

Although the Marvin Marine Repair Company primarily worked on repairing fishing boats, in 1944 they had a contract with the U.S. government to modify a number of barges for sea duty. Consisting of three properties under the management of George R. Marvin, Marvin Marine Repair's number one plant was at 5620 Marine View Drive.

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Barges--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Marvin Marine Repair Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat Facilities. Interior of Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. plant. Laborer working in plant. TPL-6653

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat Facilities. Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. boat interior. TPL-8863

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

By 1943, Seattle Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. was building more carriers than any other U. S. shipyard. They also had the only shipyard instruction classes. The yard induction school was the first of its kind in the Northwest, and several Tacoma-area women were enrolled in the classes. View of seven unidentified women who were students at Seattle Tacoma Yard Induction School. TPL-9954

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Education--Tacoma; Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. Interior view of Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. mine with three coal miners, identified as Gene West, John Streepy and Jim "Corkie" Kelly (from left), all wearing their mining gear. According to an article by Bill Kombol, "When Coal Was King," the Wilkeson Products mine failed to accomplish its goal of substantially helping the war effort as the mine produced less than 1% of Washington coal production during the World War ll years. The mine had opened with funding from the U.S. government's Defense Plant Corporation but would permanently close eight months after this March, 1944 photograph. TPL-6619

Coke industry--Wilkeson; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Coal miners--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson); World War, 1939-1945, Economic & industrial aspects --Wilkeson; West, Gene; Streepy, John; Kelly, Jim;

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. Many mines in Wilkeson, Washington closed in 1938, but then reopened to assist in the production of coke needed for the war effort. Exterior view of Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. mining plant. TPL-6617

Coke industry--Wilkeson; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson);

Wilkeson Products interior and exterior of mine. In 1888 Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. began producing the best grade of coke available in the West. Wilkeson Co. mine employed 200 employees, they lived with their families in Wilkeson, Washington, a small mining town in eastern Pierce County. View of buildings at Wilkeson. TPL-6393

Coke industry--Wilkeson; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson);

Kulien & Wollander home in Lakeside project for D.F.P.A. Plywood was used for both interior and exterior residential purposes. It was used for prefabricated housing for war workers. Plywood was known for its strength and flexibility in construction. It was often used for concrete molds. (TNT, 2/1942)

Plywood; Kulien & Wollander Co. (Lakewood); Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Houses--1940-1950;

Star Iron and Steel Company, interior of plant showing machinery. The information from the upper right corner is: S328 - 1945; Typical Turret Frame Assembly for 50 Ton Capacity Dry Dock Crane, Star Iron & Steel Co., Tacoma, Wash. The Star Iron and Steel Company manufactured heavy cranes and logging machinery. They made some of the largest and heaviest cranes used by the US navy and industry. (T. Times, 2/26/46)

Star Iron & Steel Co. (Tacoma); Steel industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A wooden boat under construction at Puget Sound Boatbuilding Company. The vessel's hull is shown. The exterior finishing is being completed from the top-down. A workman is shown standing on the upper deck. TPL-8899

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma);

Philadelphia Quartz Co. gets sodium silicate, derived from silica sand, shipped here to their plant, they then manufacture silicate of soda in its various forms. They are the main suppliers of liquid mineral adhesives for the plywood and composition industries. Exterior view of the plant's liquid storage tanks and office buildings.

Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Storage tanks--Tacoma; Minerals; Philadelphia Quartz Co. of California (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. continued to work on their UNRRA contract. New fishing boats were being built and they were reconditioning fathometers and Northern Dragger winches on other fishing boats. The UNRRA program was intended to help China re-establish their fishing industry. Interior view of plant, laborers can be seen working.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. had three logging camps located near Tacoma. St. Paul and Tacoma lumber company provides enough lumber and plywood to build 48 homes per day. They were one of the largest lumber companies in the Pacific Northwest. View of cleared land near one of the logging camps.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cutover lands; Logs; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

A. H. Cox & Co. at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. logging operation at Puyallup. St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber has invested extra sums of money on researching preventative measures for protecting forests from fires and wildlife. View of high line duplex skidder and loader. This machine requires a crew of 14 men and has the capacity of 15 cars of logs in an 8 hour period. TPL-6378

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery; Woodcutting--Puyallup; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Northern Pacific Railway was awarded the President's Safety Plaque for 1945 for practicing the virtues of safety. In 1945 the Tacoma Northern Pacific shops only had one accident. View of plaque awarded with H. J. McLain (fifth from left), G. L. Ernstron (fourth from right), C. T. Dewitt (third from left) and J. J. Schmidt on right side (T. Times, 5/9/46, p. 5).

Railroad companies--Tacoma; Railroad shops & yards--Tacoma; Plaques--Tacoma; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Atlas Foundry, crane for Broderick & Bascomb, wire rope. Atlas Foundry and Machine Company supplied castings for firms building new machines which kept the company in touch with the general building up of all industries in the area after the war. (T.Times, 8/28/1946, p.5)

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); Foundries--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Atlas Foundry, crane for Broderick & Bascomb, wire rope. A crane is being used to set a pole alongside a railroad track. Atlas Foundry and Machine Company was engaged at this time in work for plywood, pulp and paper, railroad and other industries. The company reports work was coming in from all over the west coast. This photograph was used in a newspaper article, Tacoma News Tribune, February 14, 1950, about the poles manufactured by Cascade Pole Company, located on Port of Tacoma Road, that were used for telephone and telegraph poles throughout the world. (T.Times, 8/28/1946, p.5)

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery; Railroad cars--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Martinac Shipbuilding. An 80 foot yacht, nearly completed, inside the ways building. This view of the rear portion of the boat shows the scaffolding around the boat. This boat building company was founded by Joseph M. Martinac in 1935. He had come to the United States from Yugoslavia in 1900. The yacht, being built for Reuben C. Carlson, is expected to be launched within two weeks.

J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Yachts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man is marking three large logs with a tool. They are on a raised platform, possibly a railroad car.

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1946. A section of Douglas Fir tree trunk almost 14 feet in diameter arrives at the Northwest Door Co. plywood plant. Anthony A. "Spike" Maras perches on top of the trunk, which is marked with a white 14 and sits on a logging truck. The "14" is the measurement of the diameter of the tree. On the ground, Fred R. Davis, left, and Percy J. Maras crane their necks to see the top of the trunk. The men are the owners of the Davis & Maras Co., which was hired by Northwest Door to fell the tree. The giant trunk will not be made into plywood, but will be put on display. (identification supplied by Anthony "Spike" Maras)

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950; Logging trucks--1940-1950; Maras, Anthony A.; Davis, Fred R.; Maras, Percy J.;

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. Railroad cars have brought logs to the log pond in this August of 1946 photograph. The railroad cars have false bottoms that can be lifted by the crane allowing the logs to plunge into the log pond.

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

A workman at the Northwest Door Company kneels on the top of a huge section of an old growth douglas fir. He is using a long buck saw to slice off a section from the piece of wood. This 12ft 9 inch diameter slice of trunk will be on display at the door company. The tree was cut on the company's holdings west of Packwood.

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northwest Door Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Tree stumps--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Sperry Flour Co. Sperry Flour Co. has gone through regular expansion in order to remain one of the top three flour mills in Tacoma. Exterior view of plant where flour gets loaded into train cars.

Flour & meal industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; General Mills, Inc., Sperry Division (Tacoma); Railroad freight cars--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Western Boat. Western Boat Building Co. is about to launch a tuna clipper. They have recently completed two, as well as many other ships for the Navy. The company is owned by Martin Petrich Sr. and his three sons. View of gathering prior to boat launching. TPL-8867

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boat Facilities. A view of the exterior of Tacoma Boat Building Company situated along City Waterway. TPL-6646

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Waterfronts--Tacoma;