In 1931, the Foss Launch & Tug Company operated the largest fleet of tugs on the Puget Sound out of their waterfront office building at 400 Dock Street. This photograph from July of 1931 shows twelve Foss tugs (and a small service boat) lined up by size next to the company's office building. The largest tug, at the far left, is the Andrew Foss, 97 feet long, built in 1905. The smallest tug, at the far right next to the service boat, is the Peggy Foss, 32 feet long, built in 1912. On Monday November 23, 1931 a fire destroyed the Foss company offices. They rebuilt at the same site, but in 1943 they moved to the Middle Waterway. TPL-7092

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

Line of Foss tugboats, from big to small, next to dock. TPL-7093, TPL-9073

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

The USS West Virginia at anchor in Commencement Bay in July of 1931. The ship, under command of Rear Admiral R.H. Leigh, was in town to participate in Fleet Week. The battleship had been commissioned in 1923 and was the most recent of the "super-dreadnoughts." She would be heavily damaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor but was completely rebuilt at the Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton. Although missing much of the war, the West Virginian would still earn five battle stars. She was decommissioned in January of 1947. (www.usswestvirginia.org; TDL 6-30-31, p. 5-article) G71.007

Battleships--1930-1940; Commencement Bay (Wash.);

In July of 1931, passengers on the Washington Navigation Company ferry "Skansonia" could climb onto a stool and order a fried ham sandwich for 15 cents as they commuted between Gig Harbor and Point Defiance. The "Skansonia" was built in 1929 at the Skansie Brothers Shipyard in Gig Harbor. The curved lunch counter on the ferry offered a fried egg for 15 cents; or a Swiss cheese sandwich, hamburger or hotdog for 10 cents. You could top off your breakfast or lunch with a slice of homemade pie for a dime and wash it down with coffee, cold milk or pop. On hot days, the kiddies could enjoy a frozen Popsicle or a malted milk shake. (Neal & Janus "Puget Sound Ferries.") TPL-9261; G66.1-090

Ferries--1930-1940; Washington Navigation Co. (Gig Harbor);

A longshoreman keeps a careful eye on cargo being unloaded from a ship docked at the Port of Tacoma in November of 1931. G50.1-009

Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Longshoremen--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hoisting machinery;

S. Shumate & Sons of Olympia lined up a small fleet of Kenworth trucks plus a trailer while in Tacoma on April 18, 1932. The trucking firm's drivers carried along a small dog as a passenger in truck #4. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Kenworth. G66.2-103

Trucks--1930-1940; S. Shumate & Sons (Olympia); Dogs--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Japanese cruiser, probably either the Idzumo (sp) or the Iwate, at dock in Tacoma. Crowds gather to board the ship. Photograph was taken on September 6, 1932. TPL-7102

Cruisers (Warships)--Japan--1930-1940; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Crew from Japanese cruiser, probably either the Idzumo (sp) or the Iwate, meet with a delegation from the local Japanese community on the deck of their ship in Tacoma. Photograph taken on September 6, 1932. TPL-7101

Cruisers (Warships)--Japan--1930-1940; Japanese Americans--Tacoma; Japanese--Tacoma;

On April 1, 1933, the flagship of the Imperial Japanese fleet and another Japanese naval training ship arrived in Tacoma for a three day visit. The flagship Yakumo and the Iwate were moored at the Port of Tacoma Piers. The ships were open for tours on Saturday and Sunday drawing large crowds. Over 1500 officers and men were on the two ships and were released for leave in Tacoma. Just eight years later, with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941, Japan and the United States were at war. TPL-9080. Boland A11023. (TNT 4/1/1933, pg. 1; 4/3/1933, pg. 1)

Battleships--Japan; Sailors--Japan;

The "Infallible," an 86-foot diesel cannery tender, was launched on June 19, 1936 at Western Boat. An unidentified woman, in a long floral -patterned gown and dark hat, was the sponsor of the event. She is pictured holding a bouquet of assorted blossoms as she reaches to officially launch the vessel. G37.1-133

Launchings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Boats--Tacoma; Canneries; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The schooner "Commodore," the last of the offshore sailing fleet in regular service on the Puget Sound, was photographed in September of 1936 while taking on a load of lumber at one of the mills in Tacoma. She was built in 1919 by the J.H. Price Construction Company, a Lake Washington shipyard, and by 1935 the wooden four masted schooner had fallen on hard times. In 1937 she was operating in Alaska as the Iniskin. She met her end in 1942. She was towed to South America and broken up for lumber to build houses. ("Marine History of the Pacific Northwest" H.W. McCurdy) G50.1-118, TPL-5845

Sailing ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940;

St. Regis' floating log dump as viewed in early May of 1937. Docked nearby is the Japanese vessel, "Gyokoh Marudairen." In the distance are prominent city structures: the towers of City Hall, Pierce County Courthouse, and Central School and the Art-Deco styled Medical Arts Building. The floating logs will eventually be pulped and the product shipped via water to St. Regis' eastern paper mills and exported to foreign countries, including Japan. Japan was St. Regis' best customer at 35,000 tons annually. G37.1-010 (T.Times 1-27-37, p. 1-article on St. Regis)

Logs; Cargo ships--Japanese; Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cityscapes;

Nine little "sailors" and one "Gallant Lady" are at hand on November 7, 1937. The "Gallant Lady" was a Sea Scouts vessel. The little children, dressed in sailor suits, are listening to a man who is explaining charts to them. According to photographer Boland's notes, these children were dancers. G23.1-115

Boats--Tacoma--1930-1940; Children--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Undated photograph of a ship docked at the Port of Tacoma.

Port of Tacoma (Tacoma);

View of the Steilacoom-Longbranch ferry. Copy of photograph made on May 23, 1927, per the request from the Washington Navigation Co. Date of original print is unknown. Ferry is clearly labeled "City of Steilacoom" in several places aboard ship. G66.1-088

Ferries;

Bow-view of the ferry "Wollochet." Date of original print is not known; copy made on May 23, 1927. The "Wollochet" was built by the Skansie Shipyards in 1925 for service between Tacoma and Wollochet Bay and Fox Island. Her name would be changed to "Fox Island" while still under service with the Washington Navigation Co. TPL-7914; G66.1-087

Ferries--1920-1930;

Starboard view of the ferry, "The City of Tacoma," with several men on upper deck. A copy of this photograph was made on May 23, 1927 as requested by the Washington Navigation Co.; original date of print not known. The ferry made her maiden voyage in late December of 1921. G66.1-092

Ferries--1920-1930;

View of the ferry "Gig Harbor." Copy of photograph made on May 23, 1927, per request from the Washington Navigation Co. Date of original photograph is not known. Several passengers enjoy the fresh air and passing scenery aboard the ferry as she makes her way through calm waters. G66.1-086

Ferries;

Copy of undated original photograph of tugboat "Peter Foss." Copy was made on March 14, 1933, per Foss Launch & Tug Co. request. Built in 1930 as the fourth tug in the series of five similar tugs for Foss Launch, she was named for Andrew Foss' brother, Peter. All Foss vessels were named for Foss family members. At 62-feet with a beam of 19-feet, the "Peter Foss" had a 375-hp Western Enterprise diesel engine which made her one of the most powerful tugs in the area. The high operating costs were offset by the enormous amount of work she could produce. (Skalley: Foss Ninety Years of Towboating, p. 87-88)

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