ASARCO smelter (American Smelting & Refining Co.). A large crane mounted on tracks is unloading ore from the Norwegian motorship Bronnoy. The ship carried a $600,000 cargo of gold ore from Russian mines in the Urals. The mechanical crane could carry 5 tons on each dip into the ship's hold. The Bronnoy's 8,997 ton shipment will be refined at the rate of 900 tons a day. (T. Times 9/13/1935, pg. 3 & 1/19/1935, pg. 1)

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma;

This is the American Smelting & Refining Company smokestack in Ruston as pictured in September of 1935. At 571 feet, the ASARCO smokestack dominated the skyline near Point Defiance from its elevated position above the waterfront. At the time of its construction in 1917, it was the tallest smokestack in the world. It lost nine feet in height after repairs in 1937. The smelter stack was demolished on January 17, 1993.

American Smelting & Refining Co. (Tacoma); Smelters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Copper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Smokestacks--Tacoma;

A miniature model of a plywood making work room on display at the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. Dolls are exhibited processing the lumber into plywood.

Exterior shot of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. A banner outside displays the words "Plywood Jubilee" and "Free Show." A mural along the from of the structure depicts a magician turning a tree into plywood.

Riegel Carolina Paper & Pulp Mill looking out on the docks on a ship named Mogul with a striped and lettered G figure.

Laborer interacting with machinery at the Fischer & Porter Co. West Tacoma Newsprint Co. in Steilacoom, WA.

Attic space with a large saw. A man in a hat can be seen crouching on the right hand side.

Worker testing lumber with a series of drillings. Various chalk markings can be identified in the wood as well as notes with lined data.

Worker smiles in front of large planning machine inside. In the distance, a man in a bowler hat and vest looks outside.

Close-up of chlorine tank cars for Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company. Three men on top of tank car adjusting equipment overhead in this photograph dated July 2, 1940.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma;

Man on platform of Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company chlorine tank car in this photograph dated July of 1940. Hylebos Waterway in background.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

Laying of first keel at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. Governor Clarence Martin, center, Seattle Mayor Arthur Langlie, 2nd from right, and Tacoma Mayor J. J. Kaufman, far right, with other dignitaries attended the March 5, 1940 event. (T. Times)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Martin, Clarence D.--1887-1955; Governors; Langlie, Arthur B., 1900-1966; Mayors--Seattle; Kaufman, Joseph J., Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Laying of first keel at Tacoma-Seattle Shipbuilding Corporation. Group of 10 women dressed in fur-trimmed coats and hats. (T. Times)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Women--Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Group picture at the Northern Pacific Railroad roundhouse. Roundhouse employees standing on or in front of train engine w/A.A. Huston, Roundhouse Foreman

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Railroad locomotives;

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation baseball team at Midland; taken on May 26, 1940. (filed with Argentum)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma)--Employees; Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Saxton Lumber Company baseball team c/o Paul Froman - 12 men in uniform, man center back in suit, equipment in front. Sales Grange - 1938 Pierce County Champs. August 26, 1938 (filed with Argentum)

Saxton Lumber Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Weyerhaeuser Timber Company banquet at the Winthrop Hotel. Men and women seated at tables, some wearing leis. (filed with Argentum)

Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. (Tacoma); Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Pouring of metal at the Atlas Foundry. Men with cigarettes clamped in their teeth work the machinery that pours molten metal into a container. With America's entry into World War II just around the corner, production in metal would have been stepped up.

Atlas Foundry & Machine Co. (Tacoma);

Workers stand outside the gates of the Columbia Powder Co. in Frederickson rather than reporting to work on the morning of December 2, 1940. Much of the plant had been leveled when, at 7:11a.m., 2,000 pounds of dynamite exploded in the mixing shed of the plant. Four plant employees were killed, but the time of the explosion prevented a greater loss of life. A crew of 65 was due to report to work at 8 a.m. Plant employees would be out of work until the beginning of the year as the mixing plant furnished the raw materials needed for the other plant processes. (T. Times 12/2/1940, pg. 1)

Industrial facilities--Frederickson; Nitrates; Chemical industry--Frederickson; Explosions--Frederickson; Disasters--Frederickson; Columbia Powder Co. (Frederickson);

St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company. Men work logs in sawmill. (T. Times)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Saws;

Workers at Northern Pacific Railroad's South Tacoma shops during Wendell Willkie's visit. Mr. Willkie was the Republican candidate for President in 1940. (T. Times)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--Employees; Railroad employees; Political campaigns; Presidential elections;

Cape Flattery and Cape Alava, vessels 1 & 2 to be built at the new Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co., pictured docked next to each other. The cargo motorships were the first two of the "C-1" type to be launched. Hull #3 would be launched in late November. The ships were 413 feet long, 5,000 gross tons and carried two 4,000 horsepower diesel engines, enabling them to reach a sea speed of 14 1/2 knots. The ship yard was the recent recipient of a number of vessel contracts and now employed 1200 men on two shifts.

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Progress photograph of Hull #3 at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. The shipyard was commissioned to build a total of five merchant ships. Two, the Cape Flattery and Cape Alava, had already been launched. TPL-1854

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Large crane at the Seattle Tacoma shipyards. Their first launch, Cape Flattery, is in the background. The shipyard started in business with an order for five identical 415 foot cargo ships from the U.S. Maritime Commission. They would see their business quickly increase as America geared up for war. The company had one plant in Tacoma and one in Seattle.

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Hundreds watched on August 1, 1940 as the Cape Alva slid down the ways at the Seattle- Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation plant in Tacoma. Originally known simply as Hull #1, the Cape Alva, a freight motorship, was the first vessel to be launched by the Sea-Tac Shipbuilding Co. at their Tacoma site. She was also Tacoma's first major motorship launching in 17 years. The cost of the big steel craft was $2,127,000. She was 416 feet long and 60 feet wide with two 4,000 Horsepower diesel engines and a single four bladed propeller. Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding was located at 100 Alexander Avenue on the site of the old Todd Shipyards. The Cape Alva was sold to a private concern in 1948 and scrapped in 1970. (T. Times 7/18/1940, pg. 1; 7/23/1940, pg. 2)

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950;

County Treasurers and Auditors Convention. Posing outside the Columbia Brewery in bright daylight, government officials, with glasses of beer in hand, have their portrait taken with the entertainment, a woman dancer in a ruffled dress.

Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Government officials--Tacoma--1930-1940; Beer; Eating & drinking; Meetings--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Logs in water - 2 ships in background.

Lumber;

Mountain Lumber Co. Paull Billings - Manager. Small building in front with trestle and lumber piles around it.

Mountain Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Exterior of Mountain Lumber Company with piles of lumber. Paul Billings, Manager.

Mountain Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Harry Clark, 65, who lived at 3823 E. J St. is shown sitting at the throttle of a Northern Pacific locomotive in this photograph from December 1938. Mr. Clark had just retired after working for over 48 years as a railroad engineer and "truckman." A truckman repaired broken parts on locomotives. His many years as an engineer made him an excellent engine repairman. (T. Times, 12/28/38, p.5)

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma)--People; Railroad locomotives; Railroad employees; Clark, Harry;