Ship being towed under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge by tugboat from Foss Launch and Tug Company. View from above looking toward Point Fosdick as ship is towed north and approaches bridge. The "Donna Foss" is towing the much larger ship, the "Republic," on March 18, 1952. Assisting her is the "Agnes Foss" at the "Republic's" stern. On the other side of the ex-military transport but not seen is another tug, the "Wedell Foss."
The Donna Foss tugboat from Foss Launch & Tug Co. has just towed a much larger ship, the ex-German military transport vessel, the "Republic", under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in a photograph taken on March 18, 1952. Fellow tugboats, the Agnes Foss and the Wedell Foss, are aiding in the tow. The "Republic" has a long voyage scheduled; it is on its way to the Panama Canal and then onto the East Coast where it will be scrapped. Tugboats are powerful boats designed to guide and pull vessels many times their weight. Foss Launch & Tug is a long-time Tacoma firm, established in the late 1890's by Thea and Andrew Foss. Photograph ordered by Foss Launch & Tug Co. (TNT 3-20-52, A-11)
The 590 foot ex-military transport vessel, the "Republic", is being pulled along under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge by a Foss Launch & Tug Co. tugboat, the Donna Foss, in March, 1952. The Donna Foss is being aided by two fellow tugs, the Wedell Foss and the Agnes Foss. The tugboats, although dwarfed in size by the much bigger vessel they tow, are designed to guide and pull boats despite the disparity in sizes. More powerful diesel engines, added in the early 1950's, allowed tugboats to maneuver in deep ocean waters. Photograph ordered by Foss Launch & Tug Co. (TPL-2158, TNT 3-20-52, A-11)
Three men at International Harvester "Truck Savings Station" standing beside truck owned by Williams Truck Company, Puyallup. Photograph taken on October 11, 1951.
Trucks--1950-1960; International Harvester Co. (Tacoma);
View of rear of truck painting lines. This photograph, taken on September 12, 1951, shows a rear view of a General Traffic Controls, Inc., truck which paints lines on city streets. Invented by Tacoma police officer, Carl Sohmer, the vehicle is on its way to Los Angeles for demonstrations before the National Institute of Traffic Engineers. There is an instrument board, chrome colored tank, and valve covered smaller tanks. Paint is possibly held in the large tank below the license plate. One or two color combinations of striping can be applied by regulating the panel board. Utilizing a two man crew, the guides are adjustable for 2-12 inch lines. (TNT 9-23-51, A-4)
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; General Traffic Controls, Inc. (Tacoma); Sohmer, Carl; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;
A Highway "Super" truck, manufactured by the General Traffic Controls, Inc., is stopped in the process of painting a line down a city street. No driver can be seen. The large cannister to the truck's rear apparently is the source of the paint used. General Traffic Controls is a new corporation headed by Tacoma police officer, Sgt. Carl Sohmer, who invented the highway striping device. The vehicle is on its way to Los Angeles for demonstrations before the National Institute of Traffic Engineers. (TNT 9-23-51, A-4) TPL-8781
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; General Traffic Controls, Inc. (Tacoma); Sohmer, Carl; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;
Specially designed and equipped truck for street work. Highway "Super" manufactured by General Traffic Controls, Inc. View of tank and gauges at rear of truck. The truck was invented by Tacoma police officer Carl Sohmer expressly to paint lines on city streets. This photograph was part of a series taken in September of 1951.
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;
Specially designed and equipped truck for street work. Highway "Super" manufactured by General Traffic Controls, Inc. This truck was invented by Tacoma police officer Carl Sohmer to paint lines on city streets. More than one color combination of striping could be applied. Photograph taken as part of a series in September of 1951.
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;
Specially designed and equipped truck for street work. Highway "Super" manufactured by General Traffic Controls, Inc. and invented by Carl Sohmer, Tacoma police officer to paint stripes on city streets. Parked in center of street near Chevron service station in September of 1951. Note: Marks on image are caused by deteriorating diacetate negative.
Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Street maintenance & repair--Tacoma;
Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. Large group of people in front of and on ramp to inside of airplane. This photograph is possibly connected to the inaugural direct flight of Pacific Northern Airlines from Portland, Seattle and Tacoma to Anchorage, Alaska in October of 1951. It took the DC-4 flagliner 7.5 hours of non-stop flying from Boeing Field to get to Elmendorf Field in Anchorage. Chamber of Commerce presidents from Seattle, Portland and Tacoma were among the dignitaries participating in the event. (TNT 10-4-1951, A-8-article on flight only)
Nine cab over engine trucks, lined up in a row, outside an unidentified building in October of 1951. They appear to be delivery trucks for Heidelberg beer.
A boat, with only the deck visible, is docked and seemingly deserted on a foggy day in late 1951. A few tools lay abandoned and the scales and winches are empty. There is a possibility that this vessel is a former surplus Navy steam tug purchased from Foss Launch & Tug Co. by Western Boat Building to be converted into a refrigerated salmon tender and tuna fishing boat. Western Boat Building had purchased two former Navy vessels in the summer of 1951 with plans to spend approximately $500,000 to convert them for fishing purposes. (TNT 7-22-51, B-2)
For George Boldt. Blood stains on highway at Sixth Avenue and Stevens. Chevrolet two-door coupe with rear skirts parked in residential neighborhood. License plate is B66235. Photograph taken on November 24, 1951.
Freight truck from the Inter-City Auto Freight carrying an Army tank on City scales on October 28, 1950. Man, possibly the truck driver, standing beside cab of truck parked in front of a two-story, stuccoed building. Ordered by Mr. McGaw, Inter-city Auto Freight.
Trucks--1950-1960; Tanks (Military science); Inter-City Auto Freight, Inc. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Launching of M.V. Golden Glow at Peterson Boat Building Company. Woman holding bouquet of roses and champagne bottle. Ordered by George Peterson, general manager.
Launching of M.V. Golden Glow at Peterson Boat Building Company. Vessel leaving, framed by the shadows of building. Ordered by George Peterson, general manager.
Launching of M.V. Golden Glow at Peterson Boat Building Company. Woman smashing champagne bottle on hull of ship. Ordered by George Peterson, general manager.
Launching of M.V. Golden Glow at Peterson Boat Building Company. Three men and woman with bouquet and ceremonial champagne bottle. Ordered by George Peterson, general manager.
Photo of Griffin Fuel Co.'s new bulk storage station in Lakewood. After the company's move to its headquarters on Commerce St. in the early 1900's, the company ceased all sidelines and expanded its fuel service to include sawdust, coal and fuel oil. Coal bunkers and fuel oil storage moved throughout the city, until only coal storage and company headquarters were located on Commerce. This photo was used in an ad stating "You can be sure of instant delivery service from Griffin's huge new storage plant in Lakewood." Griffin took calls at anytime and made deliveries night, day, Sundays and holidays.They made a considerable investment in new trucks with a ratio of maximum gallons to minimum weight, insuring immediate delivery over any type of road. The company made sure its trucks and mobile machinery received the best possible care by fully staffing its own repair shop and garages. (TNT 2/16/1951, pg. 13)
Bread delivery truck outside of Jordan's Bakery, the state's largest independent bakery, serving Tacoma and surrounding areas. Arthur K. Jordan began his company in 1937 when he purchased the Bert Nichols plant in Old Tacoma and opened it under the Jordan name on May 16 with six employees and one delivery truck. The bakery quickly outgrew this location and opened at 54th and Washington in 1939. The company expanded in 1941 when it purchased Apex Bakery in Bremerton. In 1950, the company won the "First Prize for Quality" in the Better Bread contest staged by the Quality Bakers of America. The competition featured bread baked by over 100 bakeries nationwide. By 1950, the company employed 131 people in Tacoma with a payroll of a half million a year. The bakery bought and used a million dollars worth of ingredients a year. Art Jordan maintained ownership and control of the company.
Jordan Baking Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Griffin Fuel Co. delivery truck in front of company headquarters at 1910 Commerce St. Fred L. Griffin began business in Tacoma with a horse and wagon hauling wood, ice, furniture, pianos and other commodities. The senior Griffin did most of the wood cutting and hauling himself; even after the business expanded he continued to work with the hired hands. In 1904, the company moved from 15th and Dock St. to 1910 Commerce Street and gradually ceased all sidelines and concentrated on fuel dealing. By the 1950s, the firm was the oldest and largest exclusive fuel dealing concern west of Chicago and operator of the largest and most modern fleet of trucks on the West Coast. TPL-9961
The "Golden Glow" fishing vessel built by Peterson Boat Building Company. Close view of boat moving through water with crew aboard. Photograph was taken on February 12, 1951.
The "Golden Glow" fishing vessel built by Peterson Boat Building Company. Boat moving through water, creating wave, with crew aboard. She was photographed on February 12, 1951.
Damage to a Tacoma Transit Co. bus after a night time car-bus accident. An Air Force sergeant was killed in a terrific broadside collision at 66th St. and South Tacoma Way when the station wagon he was driving smashed into the side of a Tacoma Transit bus. The bus was crossing the street with the green light when the sergeant's vehicle ran the red light with no slowing. The station wagon was travelling at a speed in excess of 55-80 mph just before the crash that knocked the eastbound bus sideways ten feet into a wooden power pole that snapped. Every window on the left side of the bus was smashed. (TNT 3/21/1951, pg. 1)
Buses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma); Mass transit--Tacoma--1950-1960; Wrecks; Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1950-1960;
Damage to a Tacoma Transit Co. bus after a night time car-bus accident. Firemen and workers took almost an hour to cut the driver of the car, identified as Alfred H. Bonwell - a 30 year old soldier attached to the 325th Headquarters squadron, McChord Air Force Base, out of the wreckage of his late model station wagon. Three other persons were injured. A traffic jam followed as vehicles were diverted for two hours. To the left of the photo is Lemon & Son Mobil Service Station at 6447 South Tacoma Way, and to the right is Conley's Grocery at 6601 South Tacoma Way. The bus has struck the utility pole in front of Conley's. A group of men stand and stare at the accident from in front of the service station. (TNT 3/21/1951, pg. 1)
Buses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Transit Co. (Tacoma); Mass transit--Tacoma--1950-1960; Wrecks; Traffic accidents--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lemon & Son Mobil Service Station (Tacoma); Conley's Grocery (Tacoma); Utility poles--Tacoma--1950-1960;
On the evening of March 19, 1951, a major fire broke out at the Baker Dock, 300 Schuster Parkway, on Tacoma's waterfront when a lift truck that was receiving maintenance backfired. Gil Keske, the dock employee who was working on the lift truck when it backfired, tried to put out the fire with a hand fire extinguisher. When the extinguisher failed to put out the fire, he grabbed a few handtools and escaped before the whole repair shop caught fire. The fire was fought by 9 fire department companies, the city fireboat and 4 Foss Launch & Tug Co. firefighting tugs. The damage to the center section of the warehouse, dock and contents was estimated at $250,000. A fire wall and the absence of a wind aided firemen in keeping the blaze from spreading to the remainder of the facility and the adjoining Shaffer Terminal. (TNT 3/20/1951, pg. 1)
Fires--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baker Dock (Tacoma); Fireboats--Tacoma--1950-1960;
