Wearing heavy leather gloves, John S. "Jack" Greer holds the "gripper" lever on the 11th Street cable car in this photograph from January 1938. The Tacoma cable car system, operated by the Tacoma Railway & Power Co. ran up 11th Street from A to K Streets, and down 13th Street in a big circle. Tacoma's cable cars started running up 11th Street in 1892. Jack Greer started working for T.R & P. in 1913. The last cable car run was on April 7, 1938. (T.Times, 1/22/38, p.1).

Tacoma Railway & Power Co. (Tacoma); Cable railroads--Tacoma--1930-1940; Greer, John S.;

Attempted robbery at Hunt and Mottet Company. Office interior. Police officer, or security guard, pointing out something to inspector who is taking notes. (T. Times)

Police--Tacoma--1930-1940; Robberies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);

Attempted robbery at Hunt and Mottet Company. Man examining switch box on control panel. (T.Times)

Robberies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);

There was a time when Tacoma had a neighborhood called Hollywood. More specifically it was called Hollywood-on-the-Tideflats. Surrounded by the old city garbage dump, a gas plant, Carsten's packing house and an open slough, it was a patchwork of shacks made from scraps of wood and sheetmetal, canvas and fiberboard. Started during the depression by men who were down on their luck, the colony grew into a rowdy village during World War II. The city finally torn down the last of the houses in 1956.

Huts--Tacoma; Slums--Tacoma; Depressions--1929;

Attempted robbery at Hunt and Mottet Company. Officers in office. Police officer looking around desk with flashlight. (T. Times)

Police--Tacoma--1930-1940; Robberies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);

On January 27, 1938, diver George Wayne donned his diving suit and entered the waters of Commencement Bay just off shore from the ASARCO smelter to retrieve the body of ASARCO employee Fred Birkby. Mr. Birkby was drowned that morning when the slag train on which he was riding overturned into the bay. It took diver Wayne about four minutes to locate the body wedged between the slag dump and one of the capsized slag pots in approximately eight feet of water. Recovery of the body was at 3:40p.m. (T.Times, 1/28/1938, pgs. 1 & 18, 1/27/1938, pg. 1)

Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Railroad accidents--Tacoma--1930-1940; Diving; Diving suits--1930-1940;

Several men stand on the edge of the slag "peninsula" at the ASARCO Tacoma Smelter looking down at the damaged rails where Fred Birkby was killed when the slag train sank into the bay. The breakwater peninsula was formed by slag dumping over a period of several years. The tracks bent and twisted when the tip of an overhang broke, plummeting the slag train into the bay. The electric locomotive and six cars could be seen through the clear water about 15 feet below, but observers could not see the body of motorman's helper Birkby. His body was later recovered by a diver. (T.Times, 1/28/1938, pg 1 & 18; 1/27/1938, pg. 1).

Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Railroad accidents--Tacoma--1930-1940; Diving;

Tacoma Smelter, ASARCO. Fred Birkby, smelter employee, was killed when the slag train he was riding overturned at the water's edge. The track cracked and plunged downward when an "overhang" of slag broke off, carrying the locomotive, six cars each bearing a vat of molten slag and Mr. Birkby into the bay. Men on crest of slag dump assessing the tragedy. (T.Times, 1/28/1938, p. 18 & 1, 1/27/1938, pg. 1)

Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Railroad accidents--Tacoma--1930-1940; Diving;

Crumpled equipment and bent rails mark the site where the Asarco smelter slag train track cracked and sank, carrying the train and motorman's helper Fred Birkby about 15 feet underwater. The train plunged into the bay on January 27, 1938 carrying the 25 year old Birkby to his death. Later exam proved that his death came from a sharp blow to the skull. (T.Times, 1/28/1938, pgs. 1 & 18, 1/27/1938, pg. 1).

Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smelters--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Railroad accidents--Tacoma--1930-1940; Diving;

Tacoma Club dance. Sam Perkins dressed in a tuxedo and a young woman wearing a beautiful evening gown. The woman is sitting on the arm of a chair next to Perkins with her arm around him.

Daisy (Mrs. George W.) Osgood, left, with Mrs. C. A. Rouse and Emily Rouse inspect antiques that have been in the Osgood family for many years. Emily wears an 85-year-old wedding dress. Antiques will be shown at Christ Church Guild. (T. Times, p. 6)

Osgood, Daisy; Rouse, Emily; Antiques; Clothing & dress--1850-1860;

Daisy (Mrs. George W.) Osgood, left, pours coffee from antique silver urn as Mrs. C. A. Rouse and Emily Rouse inspect heirloom dresses stored in metal chest. Items have been in the Osgood family for many years. (T. Times, 1/29/1938, p. 6).

Osgood, Daisy; Rouse, Emily; Antiques; Clothing & dress--1850-1860;

George G. Franklin, owner of Franklin Food Stores, stands in the snow on the terrace of his home at 4301 No. Stevens on January 31, 1938. The residence was formerly known as "Haddaway Hall," estate of the J.P. Weyerhaeusers. Later in the 1940's, the Franklin family lived at 425 Tacoma Avenue No., another fine home that garnered honors as one of Tacoma's most beautiful homes. (T. Times)

Franklin, George G.; Franklin, George G.--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1930-1940; Snow;

Two Stadium High School musicians, one with a trumpet and another with a trombone, pose in front of the school entrance in letterman band sweaters.

Bands--Tacoma--1930-1940; Youth bands--Tacoma--1930-1940; Band uniforms--Tacoma; Brass instruments; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Musicians--Tacoma--1930-1940; Trumpets; Trombones;

George G. Franklin, owner of Franklin Food Stores, stands in the snow in his front yard on January 31, 1938. His home, a large, elegant brick structure with Gothic detail in sandstone around doorway and around 12-over-12 leaded windows, was the former Weyerhauser estate known as "Haddaway Hall." Mr. Franklin purchased the house from the Weyerhaeuser estate after the death of J.P. Weyerhaeuser. He renamed it "Seamont." (T. Times)

Franklin, George G.; Franklin, George G.--Homes & haunts; Houses--Tacoma--1930-1940; Snow;

Stadium High School drum majors posed in front of their school in January of 1938. The baton wielders were scheduled for an exhibition performance to be given at Clover Park High School. They are, left to right, Mary Katherine Hager, Venette Maybin, Bob Lennon, Mary Jean McMorris and Margery Mayer. (T. Times 01/07/1938, pg. 4) (filed with Argentum)

Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Drum majors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hager, Mary Katherine; Maybin, Venette; Lennon, Bob; McMorris, Mary Jean; Mayer, Margery;

Archie Mondeau, former Tacoma Chief of Police, outside Vandes Fish Co with one of the largest steelhead trout ever taken on light tackle. After 30 minutes of hard wrangling, Mr. Mondeau landed the 24 1/2 pound fish, which is over 40 1/4 inches long. He caught the fish on the Queets River, 1/2 mile below Pheeney Creek near Hubble's Cabins. (T.Times, 2/1/1938, p.11).

Mondeau, Archie; Vandes Co. (Tacoma); Fish; Fishing--Tacoma--1930-1940; Trout;

On January 31, 1938 Archie Mondeau, former Tacoma Chief of Police, posed inside the Vandes Co. store next to the 24.5 pound steelhead trout he caught in the Queets River below Pheeney Creek. One of the largest taken on light tackle, the fish took 30 minutes to land. (T.Times, 2/1/1938, p.11).

Mondeau, Archie; Vandes Co. (Tacoma); Fish; Fishing--Tacoma--1930-1940; Trout;

Old time American Legion leaders of the state are feted at the Edward B. Rhodes Post No.2 dinner and meeting on January 1, 1938. Photograph was taken at the Elks Club. Seated in the front are, left to right, Dr. Hinton D. Jonez, Tacoma, Department Commander 1924; Reno Odlin, Tacoma, Commander 1931; Murray W. McCarthy, Tacoma, Department Commander of Utah 1920-21 and National Executive Commander 1920-22. Standing, left to right, Lee Carter, Tacoma, last Department Vice Commander serving the state at large; Homer Jones, Bremerton, Department Commander 1934; Claude Snyder, Vancouver, Commander 1936; L.L. Thompson, Tacoma, Permanent Chairman of state legion convention at Seattle 1919. Their were 27 members present at the preceding dinner. (T. Times 2/1/1938, pg. 14)

Jonez, Hinton D.; Odlin, Reno, 1897-1979; American Legion Club (Tacoma); Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The Red Pig, located one-half mile beyond Fife on the Tacoma-Seattle Highway (Highway 99), opened in May of 1937. Operated by Earl Smith, it had a 100% union staff, and a completely modern "all electric" kitchen. The list of electric devices found in the Red Pig included a heavy duty electric range, a 100 gallon electric hot water tank, an electric refrigerator and freezer, and a wide selection of electric appliances. They even had an electric cash register - and a jukebox. This photograph was taken in January of 1938. The restaurant re-opened in October of 1938, under the new management of Joe and Bernice Fox. (TDL 5/23/1937 p.B-9; T. Times 10/26/1938, pg. 7)

Red Pig Restaurant (Fife); Restaurants--Fife--1930-1940;

Roses continue to bloom in the snow covered rose garden at the former J.P. Weyerhauser estate known as "Haddaway Hall" and owned in 1938 by George G. and Alice S. Franklin, owners of Franklin Food Stores. A brick wall in the background surrounds the estate. (T.Times, 2/2/1938, p.1)

Franklin, George G.--Homes & haunts; Roses--Tacoma; Gardens--Tacoma--1930-1940; Snow; Walls--Tacoma;

Asbury Methodist Church Choir, Jan. 1938. Top row, left to right, Mrs. G.A. Reeves, Mrs. George Moffett, Mrs. Helen Buhl, Miss Jean Simpson, Arthur Wickens, Choir director, Rev. Rudolph Anderson, minister, Mrs. Florence Cooper, organist, Miss Faith Simpson, Mrs. Ondia Vargo, Miss Norma Garff. Standing row: Miss Virginia Huntsman, Frank B. Wickens, Clarence Benjamin, Claire Hanson, Neil Richardson, Cyril Hanson, Newton Wade, James Simpson and Mrs. Blanche Wagenblast. (T. Times 1/28/38 pg 3)

Methodist churches--Tacoma; Asbury United Methodist Church (Tacoma); Choirs (Music);

Washington School 6A graduating class photographed beside their school in January of 1938. The school was built in 1906 and is still in use in 2006. (T. Times) (filed with Argentum)

School children--Tacoma--1930-1940; Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington School (Tacoma);

Unidentified Stadium High School Majorette in front of school. (T. Times) (filed with Argentum)

Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

Herbert W. Johnson and his wife Eleanor, while visiting relatives near Fort Peak, Montana, discovered a fossil bed with bones of several dinosaurs. Geologists are working to uncover a second dinosaur located because of Johnson's find. They will have to move fast as the location will soon be under water when the Fort Peck Dam is completed. The bone held by Mr. Johnson is one of several which protruded from the skull of the dinosaur and were used for fighting. (T.Times 2/1/1938, p.2).

Johnson, Herbert W.; Bones; Dinosaurs; Skeletons; Fossils;

Glen Portrude and Erling Johnson adjusting a telescope that is mounted on a tripod and pointed toward a window. Mr. Johnson, at right, was the manager of the Tacoma Elks Lodge. Mr. Portrude's occupation was that of an engineer.

Portrude, Glen; Johnson, Erling O.; Telescopes--Tacoma;

Glen Portrude, engineer, points to a spot on a world globe while Erling Johnson, manager of the Elks Lodge, looks on in this February 1, 1938, photograph.

Portrude, Glen; Johnson, Erling O.; Globes;

H. W. Johnson and his wife, while visiting relatives near Fort Peck, Montana, recently discovered a fossil bed containing dinosaur bones. Geologists are racing the clock to uncover any more bones resulting from Johnson's find as the location will soon be under water when the Fort Peck Dam is completed. Johnson is an employee of the Tacoma Engineering Company. (T.Times 2/1/1938, p.2).

Johnson, Herbert W.; Bones; Dinosaurs; Skeletons; Fossils;

Listed in Richards Photography records as "Hiway Truck Wrecking Company." This is possibly the Highway Truck Equipment Company at 3224 South Tacoma Way. The company is listed in the 1938 City Directory as auto wreckers. View of rebuilt truck for McLean's, pulling long, flatbed trailer. Parked at intersection. Billboard across highway advertising Super Pyro.

Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Billboards--Tacoma--1930-1940; Highway Truck Co. (Tacoma);

Photograph ordered by "Hiway Truck Wrecking Company." View of a rebuilt truck for McLean's, pulling a long, flatbed trailer. The truck is parked at an intersection beside a power pole and rural mailboxes. Billboard across the highway is advertising Super Pyro antifreeze, "it tames old man winter." A timber yard lies beyond the billboard. The company listed in the Richards records as "Hiway Truck Wrecking" is possibly the Highway Truck Equipment Company at 3224 South Tacoma Way. The company is listed in the 1938 City Directory as auto wreckers.

Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Billboards--Tacoma--1930-1940; Highway Truck Co. (Tacoma);