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;
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
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
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;
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 )
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;
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
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;
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;
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)
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
1936 daily operations at St. Regis. View of a thick cluster of narrow steel or cement pipes at a St. Regis Paper Co. facility, probably the Tacoma location at 801 Portland Ave. in December of 1936. The St. Regis plant in Tacoma had undergone massive remodeling for several months to make it into a modern plant capable of producing 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year. G37.1-026 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)
St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;
1936 daily operations at St. Regis. This is believed to be the St. Regis Paper Co. facility in Tacoma at 801 Portland Ave. as pictured in December of 1936. This exterior view of the plant shows its close proximity to railroad tracks which meant easier transport of its products. Pieces of lumber are strewn about and a wheelbarrow and other small carts are present. The Tacoma St. Regis Kraft Co. pulp plant had undergone modernization of its facility earlier in 1936 including new machinery and expansion of the plant. By the end of November, 1936, the plant was operating with a crew of 250. St. Regis expected that the bleaching unit would be ready in 90 days; until then, unbleached pulp as formerly produced would be manufactured. G37.1-021 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)
St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;
1936 daily operations at St. Regis. Interiors of the newly remodeled and expanded St. Regis Kraft Co. plant on the Tideflats were photographed on December 21-22, 1936. The company had spent a million dollars in the extensive remodeling project during 1936 which was nearly completed. This view appears to be of wood framed windows with two latches apiece. G37.1-014 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-articles, no pictures, on both pages regarding remodeling)
St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;
Two men in heavy topcoats to ward off chilly weather stand next to a large cut log on October 28, 1922. On the end of the log are words welcoming delegates to the 13th Pacific Logging Congress. 500 representatives of the logging industry met in Tacoma from October 25 to the 28th . On the last day of the convention they journeyed to the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin where the above photograph is believed to have been taken. TPL-2118; G75.1-136 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Delegates to the 13th annual Pacific Logging Congress Convention observe logging operations in October of 1922. A steam donkey next to a spar tree is assisting in the yarding procedures. The visiting lumbermen watched the modern methods of logging at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. camp at Kapowsin. G75.1-092 (TDL 10-23-22, p. 5-article; TDL 10-25-22, p. 1-article; TDL 10-26-22, p. 1-article)
Poles are stacked and loaded onto railroad flatcars by the heavy crane nearby. This December, 1922, photograph was ordered by the Cascade Timber Co. G36.1-071 (print has deteriorated)
Exterior view of the East Side Lumber Co., taken on December 21, 1922. Mill was located in Olympia. Henry Mallory was an early president of the firm. 1922 was also the year that the first local Port District was formed. The new port flourished and within a few years would serve 30 lumber mills, including East Side Lumber, five shingle mills, two large veneer plants and the Olympia Door Co. G36.1-060 (negative damaged) (www.ci.olympia.wa.us--article)
East Side Lumber Co. (Olympia); Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;
Logging operations at West Fork Logging Co. site #1. Logs are being "loaded," per photographer Marvin Boland's notes. This was probably located in the Seabeck, Washington, area, in March of 1924. (Additional information provided by a reader)
West Fork Logging Co.; Lumber industry--1920-1930;
