ca. 1935. William T. Case hard at work at his desk at the Foss Launch & Tug Co.'s floating office at 400 Dock St. In November of 1932, the original Foss offices at this location caught fire. Mr. Case discovered the fire and helped escort out the 20 people asleep on the premises, saving their lives. The Foss family scouted about for a viable substitute for their destroyed building. They found the first seaplane hangar in the Northwest on sale in Seattle. The huge building floated on a scow and was used by Eddie Hubbard, pioneer aviator, to house his hydroplane on Lake Union. It was purchased, towed to Tacoma and remodeled. The main deck contained the repair shop for tugs and the store for needed provisions. The second deck contained offices, bunk rooms, an apartment for Mr. Case and his family, a recreation room and company accountant Oscar Iverson's rooms. Heavy winds could cause the building to rock and more than once big freighters in the waterway came a little too close. (TNT 10/9/1935)

Case, William T.; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. The Justine Foss tugboat. The Justine Foss, named for the youngest daughter of Wedell and Edith Foss, was built in 1930 by the Foss Launch & Tug Co. She was 57 feet in length with a 16 foot beam and an Atlas 200 HP engine. She had an amazing 11 year career with Foss, during which she helped build Oregon's scenic Coast Highway 101, served in California and Alaska and supported the US WWII war effort in the central Pacific. The Justine and Drew Foss, the son of Henry, were working on Wake Island when the Island was captured by the Japanese. Drew Foss was sent to a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The Justine and its crew were forced work on the island for the Japanese until no longer needed. In 1941, the Justine was intentionally sunk in the lagoon and the crew executed. Drew Foss survived the camp to return home. TPL-8670 ( "Foss, Ninety Years of Towboating" Skalley)

Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma); Tugboats--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the destroyed Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. Ivy was still clinging to the lower walls despite the intense heat and in the right foreground was the Tacoma Totem Pole. The Tudor Hotel was built in 1884 from a design by Stanford White's architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White. The Tacoma landmark was widely recognized as one of the finest hotels on the Pacific Coast. It was not rebuilt after the fire and although its annex continued as the new Tacoma Hotel, it never achieved the same prominence as the original. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Photograph taken of the ruined Tacoma Hotel after the disastrous fire on October 17, 1935. The hotel was totally destroyed by a fire that started out in the north end of the basement in the early morning hours. (photograph courtesy of the Tom Stenger collection)

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hotels--Tacoma; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. It's break time outside the floating office of the Foss Launch & Tug Co. at 400 Dock St. On the left is William T. (Bill) Case, company dispatcher, and on the right skipper Thomas Sadler. In November of 1932, the company's original floating office at this location was destroyed in an early morning fire. Due to the quick actions of Mr. Case, the twenty people inside were saved, but the building was a total loss. It was replaced by a floating airplane hangar converted into offices (seen in the background.) The building is emblazoned with the green and white Foss logo with the slogan "Always ready." The second floor window on the left leads to the rooms of company accountant Oscar Iverson. Living quarters for the Case family were also on the second floor. (photograph courtesy of the special collection of William T. Case)

Case, William T.; Foss Launch & Tug Co. (Tacoma);

Yuletide Festival for the employees of the Pacific Match Company, Tacoma, Washington. The banquet room is packed on December 21, 1934, as the large match company celebrated the holidays. This was an especially joyous night for the 300 employees, families and friends in attendance. Not only did they enjoy a turkey dinner served by the First Baptist Church Ladies Aid, but they also heard the welcoming news that there would be a $5 a month bonus for every month each had worked during the past year and an increase in the wage scale for 1935. President/general manager O.V. Snyder made the happy annoucement stating that it had been a banner year for the company. Pacific Match's payroll for 1934 was well over $300,000. (Ron Neslund Collection) (TDL 12-22-1934, p. 1-article only)

Pacific Match Co. (Tacoma)--People; Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Raging flood waters caused plenty of damage in Pierce County, particularly the valley area, during the winter of 1933-34. Steps were taken to prevent damage in case of future high water. Large amounts of sheet pilings were used as barriers since the pilings would hold for ten years before natural decay set in. The above photograph may have been taken on the Stuck River, a 10-mile stream connecting the White River near Auburn with the Puyallup River near Sumner. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-13-34, A-2)

Pilings (Civil engineering)--Sumner; Floods--Sumner;

Fellow shipmates of Machinist Mate Carl Lischke pay tribute to the young sailor on March 19, 1934. His flag-draped casket is surrounded by floral displays. Lischke died on March 17, 1934, while his German warship, Karlsruhe, was docked in Tacoma. He had eaten spoiled fish which had just been delivered to him from Germany. Because the Karlsruhe would not be returning to Germany immediately, it was decided to bury Lischke at Mountain View Memorial Park. He left grieving relatives in his homeland as well as a Frankfort fraulein; Lischke would have been married in June. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Coffins; Sailors--German;

Impressive funeral services for Machinist Mate Carl Lischke were held at Mountain View cemetery on March 19, 1934. The young German sailor was stricken with food poisoning from bad fish while his ship, the Karlsruhe, was docked in Tacoma. A large crowd of ordinary citizens attended the funeral in addition to Lischke's shipmates and American military personnel. Services were conducted by warship chaplain, A. Schallehn, who is possibly the man shown above leading the mourners in song. (TNT 3-20-34, p. 1-article)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Crowds--Lakewood;

Sailors from the German cruiser Karlsruhe, currently in port, march in formation at the funeral of Machinist Mate Carl Lischke on March 19, 1934. They are led by ship officers; officer in front is possibly ship commander, Captain Harsdorf von Enderndorf. Lischke died on Saturday, March 17, after a bout of fish poisoning. He was buried at Mountain View Memorial Park since it was not practical to ship the body back to Germany. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1-article)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Marching--Lakewood; Sailors--German;

Eight thousand miles from his native Germany, Machinist Mate Carl Lischke was laid to rest with full military rites at Mountain View Memorial Park on March 19, 1934. The young sailor from the German cruiser Karlsruhe died from fish poisoning on March 17th, while aboard the ship which had recently docked at Tacoma. It was not possible to send the body back to Germany for burial due to the ship's schedule. Floral displays and an honorary guard surround the casket; German consul from Seattle, Walther Reinhardt (at left), has taken off his hat in silent tribute. The well-attended funeral included detachments from Fort Lewis and Puget Sound Navy Yard, city and county officials, and Lischke's shipmates. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1) (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Coffins; Sailors--German; Reinhardt, Walther;

Six sailors from the German cruiser Karlsruhe stand at attention beside the casket of their fellow shipmate, Machinist Mate Carl Lischke, during ceremonies at Mountain View Memorial Park. The young sailor had died the previous Saturday, March 17th, of fish poisoning. It was necessary to have burial in Tacoma because the Karlsruhe would not be returning to Germany immediately. Representatives from US military, city and county officials, and Lischke's shipmates attended the March 19th funeral, as well as many ordinary citizens. Many floral tributes surround the flag-draped casket; more flowers in the way of petals were scattered on the casket by sailors from all departments on the Karlsruhe as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1-article)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Coffins; Sailors--German;

Machinist Mate Carl Lischke gets a final salute from his German ship commander, Captain Harsdorf von Enderndorf, during impressive funeral rites at Mountain View Memorial Park on March 19, 1934. The young sailor was stricken with fish poisoning after his cruiser, the Karlsruhe, docked in Tacoma. He was buried in Tacoma because his ship would not return to Germany for quite some time. The funeral was attended by a large crowd of citizens as well as German and U.S. military forces. Lischke was accorded full naval honors. TPL-8711 (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1-article)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Sailors--German;

The band from the German warship Karlsruhe plays a funeral air as the casket of Machinist Mate Carl Lischke is being lowered into the ground at Mountain View Memorial Park on March 19, 1934. The young sailor had died of food poisoning on the 17th and was buried on American soil, 8000 miles from his homeland. Many ordinary citizens chose to attend the services as well as American and German military personnel. The Karlsruhe was in port for one week when Lischke became ill after eating fish that had just arrived from Germany. (T.Times 3-20-34, p. 1-article)

Cemeteries--Lakewood; Funeral rites & ceremonies--Lakewood; Military bands--German; Sailors--German;

View of warship docked in Tacoma, small rowboat alongside. The German cruiser Karlsruhe paid a visit to Tacoma in mid-March, 1934. Welcoming festivities were curtailed due to the death of Machinist Mate Karl Lischke on March 17th while on board the ship. Lischke died of food poisoning from a fish that had been delivered to him the day before from Germany. He was buried with full naval rites in Mountain View Memorial Park. The cruiser was sunk on April 9, 1940 by the British during the German invasion of Norway. (T.Times 3-19-34, p.1; T. Times 4-10-40, pg. 1 & 12)

Cruisers (Warships)--German; Government vessels--German;

The German cruiser Karlsruhe is taking on fuel from a Foss barge in mid-March, 1934, while at the dock in the waters below City Hall. The Karlsruhe was a sister ship to the Konigsberg; both were Koln class light cruisers. It had a displacement of 6000 tons and was equipped with three triple turrets and 4 triple torpedo tubes. The ship was in port for one week but festivities were delayed due to the death of Machinist Mate Karl Lischke who passed away on March 17, 1934, due to fish poisoning. He was buried with full naval rites at Mountain View Memorial Park in ceremonies attended by many local citizens, American and German military personnel, and city and county officials. The entire crew of the ship stood at attention at deckside when the body was removed while cadets formed an aisle along which Lischke was carried from the ship to the funeral car. Hundreds of spectators lined the 11th St. Bridge to view the procession. The ship would be later opened for visits; more than 4,700 people were welcomed aboard on Sunday afternoon, the 18th, and more were expected the following Wednesday. On April 9, 1940, the German vessel was sunk by the British during the German invasion of Norway. TPL-004 (T.Times, 3-19-34, p. 1; Jane's Fighting Ships, 1941; T. Times 4-10-1940, pg. 1& 12)

Cruisers (Warships)--German; Government vessels--German; Barges--Tacoma;

President Franklin D. Roosevelt celebrates his first birthday in the White House with a "toga, toga" party. Copy of photograph donated to Tacoma Public Library by Leon Sides. In 1934, critics of Roosevelt's New Deal reforms categorized him as a "prickly Julius Caesar." For his 52nd birthday, his buddies donned togas and attended a party costumed Roman style. Gathered for the party were members of Roosevelt's Cuff Links Club and their spouses. The Club was composed of people to whom he had presented cufflinks in 1920 when he was a vice presidential candidate. Roosevelt's first lady, Eleanor, is pictured second from left in the standing row as the Delphic Oracle. Also pictured is daughter Anna, to the right of the President, as a vestal virgin. Mrs. Anna Dall on January 18, 1935 married John Boettiger, Seattle newspaperman. (TNT 11/5/1978)

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Roosevelt, Anna Eleanor, 1884-1962; Costumes--Roman; Presidents--United States; Presidents' spouses--United States; Birthday parties--1930-1940;

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, second row center, celebrates his first birthday in the White House with a "toga, toga" party. Copy of photograph donated to Tacoma Public Library by Leon Sides. The pictures were given to Sides by Pulitzer prize winner Kirke L. Simpson (front row center in photo.) FDR, called by his detractors a "prickly Julius Caesar," took the insult to heart and costumed in a toga for his 52nd birthday. He is surrounded by the members of his Cuff Links Club, people to whom he presented cuff links in 1920 when he was a vice presidential candidate. The party, which evolved into an all night poker spree, was kept under wraps for many years until the January 28, 1973 issue of the TNT ran the picture. (TNT 11/5/1978)

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Costumes--Roman; Presidents--United States; Birthday parties--1930-1940; Simpson, Kirke L.;

ca. 1934. This is part of the lobby of the grand Tacoma Hotel circa 1934. The spacious foyer had several chairs and benches resting against the enormous pillars for guests taking their ease. Of note are the fancy "sea horses" at tops of the pillars and a large clock attached to the ceiling beams. A portion of a dining area is visible further down the lobby. The Tacoma Hotel was reduced to ruins by a massive fire on October 17, 1935. TPL-219

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Lobbies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Clocks & watches;

ca. 1934. Two couples enjoy a tender dance within the Tacoma Hotel while a young lady provides the music on a piano in this circa 1934 photograph. Others enjoy dining at small tables placed nearby. The Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma's showpiece, opened in August of 1884 and underwent several renovations before being destroyed by fire in October of 1935. TPL-346

Hotels--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma); Dancers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pianos;

ca. 1934. Eleven men in business suits stand at the end of a railroad car. The car is No. 10500. This is a GE manufactured electric locomotive. It was owned by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad. It served on the Coast Division. This locomotive was renumbered to 10500 in September 1932. In the front row are unidentified, (Mayor) George Smitley, ?,?, (Sheriff) John Bjorklund, ?,?. Second row- Frank Calendar and Ira Davisson. 3rd row- unidentified, unidentified.

Railroad locomotives--Tacoma--1930-1940; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. (Tacoma)

The 23rd annual meeting of the Northwest States Baptist Convention and its auxiliaries met in Tacoma in 1933 from August 8 to August 12. This group portrait of members of Bethlehem and Berean Baptist churches was taken at South 18th and I Street near Bethlehem Baptist Church, located at 1723 So. I Street. The Berean congregation's building was the former Southside Improvement Association Hall at 1202 So. 56th Street. Read A3114.

Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Northwest States Baptist Convention (Tacoma);

On June 15, 1933, the reconditioned frigate USS Constitution was towed into Tacoma and moored at the McCormick Dock; for a week "Old Ironsides" was opened for tours. In the center of the group of men on the dock is a man in uniform, possibly the ship's captain, to his right is Tacoma Mayor Melvin G. Tennent. Immediately to the left of the group of men is a Rockne automobile. The Rockne, produced by the Studebaker Co. of South Bend, Indiana, from 1931-33. was priced to compete with Ford. The brand was named after Knute Rockne, the famous Notre Dame University football coach. Shortly after the new car hit the market, Rockne was killed in an airplane crash. The vehicle never sold well and was eventually pulled from the market. The vehicle has a sign on the side announcing the "Elks Magazine Rockne sponsored by Studebaker, Good Will Tour, Los Angeles to Milwaukee." TPL-9099

Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tennent, Melvin Green; U.S.S. Constitution; Battleships--United States--1790-1800; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cruisers (Warships)--United States--1790-1800; Studebaker automobile;

City league competitive basketball was popular in Tacoma in the early 1930s. The Carstens Packing Company team from 1933 was rated as a strong contender for the Tacoma City Girls' Basketball league championship. The Carstens Vagabonds team members were, seated left to right, Dolly Reese, Freda Weingard, Eleanor Hiller, Grace Thorne and Katherine Rivers. Standing, left to right, Paul Benton (coach), Eleanor Foley, Vera Kemp, Mary Livesley, Dorothy Weingard and Gladys Hult (manager.) There were six women's teams in the 1932 city league sponsored by the Metropolitan Park District including teams representing Hoskins Grill, Pacific Telephone, and Tacoma Poultry and Eggs. (Previously TPL-9000)

Carstens Packing Co. (Tacoma)--People; Basketball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Basketball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Women--Sports--1930-1940; Benton, Paul; Hult, Gladys;

ca. 1933. Thick crowds gathered to watch a parade going by 9th & Broadway, in front of the Brandt Hotel and Dr. Whetstone's dental practice, in the early 1930s. Sandwiched between marching soldiers and sailors is a small pony ridden by an even smaller boy. A banner entitled "New Deal" is draped over the pony. This may have been taken on the occasion of the (Franklin Delano) Roosevelt Day Parade of April 8, 1933. The big parade through Tacoma's business district was authorized via resolution by Mayor M.G. Tennent and the city council. The parade was to honor President Roosevelt and recognize his leadership in the country's economic crisis. (TNT 4-7-33, p. 1-article)

Crowds--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parades & processions--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marching--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ponies;

ca. 1933. First shipment of legal booze in Tacoma ca. 1933. View of two men holding pints of Old Taylor. The 21st Amendment, ratified in 1933, repealed the 18th Amendment which had prohibited the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States. Cases of 100 proof whiskey are piled up at the loading dock of Tacoma Drug Co. Writing on the cases indicate that the American Medicinal Spirits Co., successors to E.H. Taylor Jr. & Sons, had bottled pints of whiskey, apparently Old Taylor, and made before the start of Prohibition, to be used for medicinal use only. Doctors during Prohibition were the only ones that could write prescriptions for liquor to be used as medicine. Healthy people were not able to purchase liquor legally. Now that Prohibition was over, drugstores were not the only ones who could sell liquor.

Whiskey; Boxes;

On November 3, 1932, eighteen year old Marjorie Yonk was having her heart examined by Dr. F. J. Hansen to see if it was strong enough to view the 1932 horror classic "White Zombie." The Blue Mouse Theater had offered $10 to any woman who could sit through a midnight preview of the creepy Bela Lugosi film, alone and without screaming. Spunky Marjorie took them up on the bet. "White Zombie" was the first horror film featuring voodoo and its power over the undead. It was a low budget film, hoping to cash in on Lugosi's recent triumph as Dracula, and it was produced by the Halperin Brothers. (TNT 11/4/1932; pg. 7)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Yonk, Marjorie; Hansen, F.J.;

It started out as a publicity stunt. The Blue Mouse Theater offered $10 to any woman who would sit through a midnight preview, on November 3, 1932, of the creepy horror film "White Zombie," alone, and without screaming. Eighteen year old Marjorie Yonk said she was up to the test. She was whisked by police car, sirens blaring, to Dr. F. J. Hansen's office to determine the strength of her heart, and then to the Blue Mouse. She is pictured here prior to entering the theater. Officers E.J. Schutz, left, and J.F. White escorted her into the blackened theater with their flashlights, seated her, and left her to the mercy of Bela Lugosi starring in the first zombie film. The movie was made in 1932, following Lugosi's phenomenal success as Dracula. It was a low budget film, produced by the Halperin Brothers, set in Haiti and it spawned a new genre of horror characters, zombies, that populate movies even today. (TNT 11/4/1932; pg. 7)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Yonk, Marjorie; Schutz, E.J.; White, J.F.; Publicity;

Framed by the blackness of the movie theater behind her, Marjorie Yonk emerged from a special midnight preview of the horror movie "White Zombie" on November 3, 1932, visibly shaken. The Blue Mouse Theater at 1131-33 Broadway had offered $10 to any woman who would sit through the midnight preview, alone, without screaming. Marjorie took on the challenge and triumphed, but from the look in her eyes, she earned the ten dollars. The 1932 horror classic, starring Bela Lugosi, was the first Hollywood zombie film. (TNT 11/4/1932, pg. 7)

Blue Mouse Movie Theatre (Tacoma); Yonk, Marjorie;

The crowd continues to gather at 9th & Broadway in anticipation of the arrival of Democratic presidential candidate, Franklin Delano Roosevelt on September 20, 1932. Mr. Roosevelt, the governor of New York, took Washington State by storm as he visited Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma and the Puyallup Fair as part of his 8,000-mile campaign tour. He was met by thousands at each stop. His last visit to Tacoma prior to 1932 had been twelve years before in 1920 when he spoke at the Pantages. (TNT 9-19-32, p. 1-article; TNT 9-20-32, p. 1, 12)

Crowds--Tacoma--1930-1940; Political campaigns; Presidential elections;