Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain shakes hands with an Army officer in his office at (Old) City Hall in preparation for CCC Day, March 29, 1941, when selected CCC boys would take over the running of city government for a day. The officer may be Lt. Col. Lester A. Dougherty who commanded the five CCC camps in the Fort Lewis district. The mayor had issued an official proclamation that Saturday, March 29th, be "CCC Day in Tacoma." He urged Tacomans to visit the five nearest camps--Camps Electron, Lower Cispus, Quilcene, Moran and Glacier, the following week when open houses would be held to celebrate the CCC's eighth anniversary. Mayor Cain wears a button promoting the 1941 Daffodil Festival. ALBUM 12. (T.Times 3-28-41, p. 3)

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Shaking hands--Tacoma; Civilian Conservation Corps (Tacoma);

Mrs. Sigrid Holmberg, Mrs. Claude Purvis, and Mrs. Lee C. Garrison of Tacoma's Delphinum Garden Club shared smiles with master clock expert E.F. Farrens (right) and his assistant, Joe Mertz, as they held two of the old clock hands from the Old City Hall clock tower, 625 Commerce Street in May of 1962. The Delphinium Garden Club was working with Mr. Farrens to restore the tower clock, which had fallen into disrepair since 1959 when the city offices left the building for the new County-City Building on Tacoma Avenue South. New cedar clock hands were to be made by the city's woodworking shop. There had been talk about razing the dilapidated Italian Renaissance building, built of yellow brick; it managed to escape the wrecking ball and was added to the National Registry in 1974. Photograph ordered by Delphinium Garden Club. (TNT 5-22-62, p. 1, 5-27-62, p. 1) TPL-9181

Delphinium Garden Club (Tacoma); Clock towers--Tacoma; Old City Hall (Tacoma); Holmberg, Sigrid; Mertz, Joe; Farrens, E.F.;

ca. 1971. 1971 Richards color stock footage. Bell tower of Old City Hall. Designed in the style of "fifteenth-century Italian town hall architecture," the six-story building was constructed in 1892. It became "Old" City Hall upon the opening of the County-City Building in 1959. Saved from demolition, it was restored as a shopping center with grand opening in 1974. In 1980 it was converted into an office building. The 32-square foot tower had its bell chimes restored in late 1993. The Old City Hall is on the City, State, and National Registry. TPL-9206

Clock towers--Tacoma; Old City Hall (Tacoma);

On the morning of June 7, 1926, Tacoma saw a change in city government from "business as usual." The March 1926 election had brought defeat to all City Council incumbents up for re-election. Photographer Chapin Bowen captured the moment as the old Council stepped out and the new took their seats for their first meeting. Pictured around the table, left to right, are Jesse W. Silver- Public Works, newly elected A.S. Walters - Finance, newly elected Mayor Melvin G. Tennent, Ira Davisson- Light & Water and newly elected H. Dyer Dyment- Public Safety. Seated to the right is City Clerk Genevieve Martin. (TNT 6-7-26, p. 1-photograph is flipped in newspaper) Bowen 26375, TPL-9549

In the depths of the Great Depression, about 1,000 men and women waged a peaceful orderly march on City Hall in late February of 1931 to focus attention on immediate unemployment relief. Members of the Unemployed Council, the Trade Unity League and the Communist Party requested: 1) unemployment insurance at $15 per week with $5 extra per dependent; 2) an immediate relief fund of $1 million generated by reducing city officials' salaries; 3) non-ejection of unemployed not able to pay house rent; 4) free use of civic auditoriums for meetings of the unemployed and 5) full payment of war bonus. Mayor M.G. Tennent met with twelve chosen marchers to express his and the city council's concern but stated that their powers were limited. He did state that a $41,000 Sheridan Avenue project was approved that morning so that more men could be employed through city construction. After listening to a program of addresses by their leaders, the large crowd dispersed after about three hours. (TDL 2/26/1931, p.4-article). Bowen 03-914.

On June 1, 1942, Einar Langseth (center) greets the heads of his city protective services after taking on the duties of Tacoma's wartime Public Safety Commissioner. He had defeated Holmes Eastwood for the office. He is pictured in the City Council Chamber shaking hands with reappointed Fire Chief Emory N. Whitaker. On the right is his new appointee as Police Chief, Tom Ross. Ross had been acting as chief of the department since Langseth, who held that post, had started his run for office. Langseth had served the city for over 20 years as a patrolman and police chief. (T. Times 6/1/1942, pg. 1)

Langseth, Einar, 1892-1968; Whitaker, Emory; Ross, Tom; Law enforcement officers--Tacoma; Municipal government--Tacoma;

Christmas, 1941, party for City employees given by Mayor Harry Cain in his office in (Old) City Hall. The staff apparently enjoyed snacks as the dessert-laden table testifies. Small gifts may have been exchanged as well. City Hall closed at noon on Christmas Eve that year. ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Christmas--Tacoma;

Eleanor Roosevelt chatted with Mayor Harry Cain and his wife Marjorie in the Mayor's office in (Old) City Hall, 625 Commerce Street, on December 13, 1941. The First Lady had come to Tacoma to speak to local civilian defense officials. Pearl Harbor had occurred just six days before her visit and Mrs. Roosevelt had made several stops at major cities, including San Francisco and Portland, to assess the nation's readiness and listen to local concerns. While in Tacoma, she also met with a small delegation representing the Japanese American Joint Defense Corp. She was accompanied to Tacoma by her daughter and son-in-law, Anna and John Boettiger. (TNT 12-13-41, p. 1) TPL-153 ALBUM 1.

Presidents' spouses; Roosevelt, Anna Eleanor, 1884-1962; Visits of state--Tacoma; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Cain, Marjorie Dils, 1908-1994; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma;

Small audience listening to Eleanor Roosevelt speak in the Mayor's office on December 13, 1941. Six days after Pearl Harbor, Eleanor (Mrs. Franklin D.) Roosevelt, Assistant Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, speaks to Tacoma Mayor Harry Cain and local Civilian Defense leaders about wartime issues in the Mayor's office at City Hall. The man to the far right is ex-Mayor J.J. Kaufman. (T.Times, 12-13-41, p. 1) ALBUM 1

Visits of state--Tacoma; World War, 1939-1945--Civil defense--Tacoma;

Union Officials direct Wartime Salvage Committee. Mayor Harry Cain and John Jacobs, Business Agent for Teamster's Union 313, look at map of Seattle/Tacoma area during a meeting at the Mayor's office in (Old) City Hall. They are planning the upcoming salvage drive for November 1st. On that date, 600 union volunteers, with trucks borrowed from their employers, will pick up scrap piled on the curb in front of private homes. The yield from this type of collection was expected to exceed that of earlier scrap drives.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Jacobs, John; World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives; Labor unions--Tacoma;

Mayor Harry P. Cain samples a doughnut at (old) City Hall on April 5, 1941, with Camp Fire Girls Margaret Turner, Ruthella Raver, Joan Thrasher and Billie Mellis. These Camp Fire Girls club presidents were interested in selling Mayor Cain the first ticket for their current doughnut drive. Participants could enjoy a week's outing at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island. ALBUM 12. (TNT 4-7-41, p. 9)

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Camp Fire Girls (Tacoma); Doughnuts; Turner, Margaret; Raver, Ruthella; Thrasher, Joan; Mellis, Billie;

Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain reads the city charter to CCC boys who took over the running of city government for a day. Mayor Cain had proclaimed March 29, 1941, as "CCC Day in Tacoma." Howard Hembree of Spata, Tennessee, believed to be kneeling on the left, was named mayor for that day. The CCC would be celebrating its eighth anniversary with open houses the following week. There were 300,000 boys in 1500 camps nationwide. The northwest area district had 27 Washington and two Alaskan camps. The 55,000 boys trained in eight years planted 20 million trees, fought fires, built trails and telephone lines and manned lookout towers. Names and camps of the CCC participants shown above were listed in the News Tribune's March 28, 1941, edition. (TNT 3-28-41, p. 1) ALBUM 12.

Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Civilian Conservation Corps (Tacoma);

Marjorie Cain, wife of the Mayor, and son Harry P. Cain II (Buzzy) at (Old) City Hall for the installation of city officials, including Mayor Harry P. Cain, reelected to a full term in March, 1942. This would be Mayor Cain's first full four year term. He had previously been elected, in 1940, to fill the last two years of Dr. John Siegle's term after his death in office. Cain had lost in the 1940 primary to Dr. G.B. Kerstetter, a former Senator. When Kerstetter died just days before the election, Cain's name was placed on the ballot. He defeated former mayor Melvin G. Tennent, who hotly contested the election. (T. Times 6/1/1942, pg. 1)

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979--Family; Cain, Marjorie Dils, 1908-1994; Cain, Harry P.;

Mayor Harry P. Cain buys a ticket for the Cooks' and Waitresses' Union Derby Dance at his office in (Old) City Hall. Mayor Cain carried on a long held tradition in buying tickets to support local business endeavors. L to R in this February 24, 1942, photograph are: Harold Elrod, Coffee Pot Cafe owner; Jim Canto, Local 61 Bus. Agent, Helen Martineau, The Turf; Eula Nick, Coffee Pot Cafe. (TNT 3/1/42) ALBUM 13.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Elrod, Harold; Canto, Jim; Martineau, Helen; Nick, Eula;

A uniformed Harry P. Cain in the Mayor's office in (Old) City Hall, shortly after his return from Europe. A Christmas tree, dripping in tinsel, is in the background. Framed photographs fill the wall behind Lt. Col. Cain. He had interrupted his mayoral duties to join the US Army in 1943 and fought in the European theater. ALBUM 13.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Military uniforms--United States; Christmas trees--Tacoma;

Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain, in civilian suit, giving "V for Victory" sign at mayor's office in (Old) City Hall in May, 1943. The mayor was about to take a leave of absence to serve in the Army. One of two photos used for a Tacoma Times montage. The second photo was designed to show Major Cain, in Army uniform, saluting. The two photographs were blended so that Harry P. Cain could be seen acknowledging his own salute. ALBUM 13. (T.Times 5-12-43, p. 1)

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain, in Army Major's uniform, giving salute at mayor's office in (Old) City Hall in May, 1943. The mayor was about to take a leave of absence to serve in the Army. He was apparently wearing his major's uniform for the first time. The second of two photographs used for a Tacoma Times montage. The mayor would preside over his final council meeting for the indefinite future on May 12, 1943. He would request that acting mayor C. Val Fawcett and Commissioners Abner R. Bergersen and R.D. O'Neil continue support for the planning programs for Tacoma and Puget Sound. (T.Times, 5-12-43, p. 1) ALBUM 13.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Military officers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Military uniforms--United States; Saluting--Tacoma;

Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain in salute in the mayor's chambers. This is a cropped photograph of D14478-2. A solemn Cain is caught in salute; he is wearing his Army major's uniform for the first time on May 11, 1943. He would be leaving very shortly for military training school. Commissioner C. Val Fawcett would become acting mayor during Major Cain's absence. (T.Times, 5-12-43, p. 1) ALBUM 13.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Military officers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Military uniforms--United States; Saluting--Tacoma;

Tacoma Mayor Harry P. Cain and county PTA President Mrs. Byron Moye are pictured on April 27, 1943, at the Mayor's Office in (Old) City Hall. Mrs. Moye is buying a $1000 War Bond, fulfilling a promise made the previous Saturday at the Liberty Center. All purchasers of Series E Bonds at the rally were given a wild ride in an open Army Jeep. Mrs. Moye promised to buy a bond for every jeep load of women buyers that afternoon. (TNT 4/29/1943, pg. 27)

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; War bonds & funds;

Impeachment trial of Public Safety Commissioner Einar Langseth for misconduct and neglect of duty stemming from allowing illegal gambling to prosper in Tacoma. L to R: Corporation Counsel Howard Carothers, Defense counsel E.K. Murray, Commissioner Langseth, Public Utilities Commissioner R.D. "Bob" O'Neil, Public Finance Commissioner C. Val Fawcett, Public Works Commissioner Abner Bergersen, Mayor Harry P. Cain during one-day impeachment hearing on April 30, 1943. Mayor Cain served as his own counsel when he attempted to remove Commissioner Langseth from his office. The city council chose to retain Commissioner Langseth; Mayor Cain had the only "no" vote. Commissioner Langseth did not vote. (T.Times, 5-1-43, 4-30-43, 4-28-43, TNT 5-1-43, 4-30-43)

Impeachments--Washington; Municipal officials--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Carothers, Howard; Murray, E.K.; Langseth, Einar, 1892-1968; O'Neil, Robert D.; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Bergersen, Abner R.;