In 1940, the heated election fight between former mayor Melvin G. Tennent and Harry P. Cain ended in March with Mr. Cain elected mayor of Tacoma. Mr. Cain's name had been placed on the ballot by a superior court mandamus order days before the election. "This is the dirtiest deal ever pulled in the city of Tacoma," declared a bitter Mr. Tennent after the election. The Tacoma Times journeyed to the Cain's home on Wednesday, March 13, 1940, to photograph the newly elected mayor and his family. Harry P. Cain II (Buzzy), age two, and his small dog Ricky pose for the camera the morning after his father's victory. (T.Times, 3-13-40, p. 1) ALBUM 12.

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

Mayor- Elect Harry P. Cain addresses supporters on the night of his election, March 12, 1940. Successful Public Utilities Commissioner candidate Bob O'Neil is perched on a desk behind him. Mr. Cain defeated former mayor Melvin G. Tennent in a highly contested race. Harry P. Cain's name was placed on the ballot by the courts as a replacement for Dr. Bert Kertsetter who had died just days before the general election. Mr. Cain had finished third in the primary, behind leading vote getter Kertsetter and Mr. Tennent. He assumed office in June. ALBUM 12.

Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Political elections--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pointing fingers;

Views of the American freighter "Wildwood" unloading their Russian bound cargo in Tacoma at Commercial Dock. Matthewson Shipping Company. Fear of an Allied blockade had caused the vessel to turn about in mid Pacific. They were shipping 7,000 tons of copper, brass and machinery owned by Amtorg, the Russian trading organization. Representatives of Amtorg were in Tacoma to take over the cargo. (T. Times 4/8/1940, pg.1)

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial Dock (Tacoma);

Views of American freighter "Wildwood" unloading at Commercial Dock. Matthewson Shipping Company. The vessel is unloading $4,500,000 worth of cargo originally consigned for Vladivostok, USSR. The vessel was turned around in the mid Pacific and returned to Tacoma, under the direct orders of F.R. Clark, president of the American Foreign Steamship Co. Clark feared that the vessel would run into the British blockade with her "hot" cargo and that it would be confiscated. This event marked the extension of the European War into the Pacific trade routes. (T. times 4/8/1940, pg. 1)

Cargo ships; Shipping--Tacoma--1940-1950; Piers & whaves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial Dock (Tacoma);

On January 6, 1940, twenty-one members of the Carpenter's Union Local 470, with over 30 years of continuous membership, gathered for a group photograph. Many of these men could probably trace their membership in the union back to its founding on February 27, 1900. Between 1900 and 1940 wages for union carpenters in Tacoma increased from $2.50 per day to $1 per hour. Front row (l to r): C.J. Murray, George A. Sweet, Julius Stevenson, W.A. Rowe, John Matson, Nelson Willis. Middle: Chris Bark, George Rice, August Jonas, W.A. Burgess, J.M. Evans, Niel Macaulay, Sam Torvik. Back: J.A. Key, Nick Nelson, John (Scotty) Knowles, Jack Cook, William Mansens, Frank (Skinny) Hull, Fred Wiegman, Chris Anderson.

Carpenters Union Local No. 470 (Tacoma); Labor unions--Tacoma;

Women representing several auxiliaries of Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations posed on the steps of Stadium High School on April 24, 1940. Among the nine women was Mrs. Leon Cecil of Puyallup, senior vice-president of the Department of Washington auxiliaries, Veterans of Foreign Wars. She is second to the right, first row. Mrs. Cecil was at Stadium to award two students, Perry Burkhart and Dave Glenn, who had captured first and second place essay honors among Tacoma students and would be eligible for honors in the statewide essay contest sponsored by the auxiliaries of the V.F.W. The other women in the group were not identified. (T.Times 4-25-40, p. 20-article on awards)

Cecil, Leon--Family; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Women's Auxiliaries; Stadium High School (Tacoma);

On November 16, 1939, Bruno Studios (photographers) sponsored a free dance and social event at the Century Ballroom in Fife. The main draw was the musical stylings of Dale Fitzsimmons and his eleven piece orchestra, the Royalty of Rhythm. The band was a big draw at the Century and had doubled the ballroom's regular attendance. The orchestra had four vocalists, including "Bub" Scott (second from left), the tenor crooner. (Tacoma Times 11/3/1939, pg. 15; 11/17/1939, pg. 15; TNT 11/15/1939- Ad pg.4)

Century Ballroom (Fife); Ballrooms--Fife--1930-1940; Musicians--Fife--1930-1940; Dale Fitzsimmons and his Royalty of Rhythm (Fife);

On November 16, 1939, Bruno Studios sponsored a free dance at the Century Ballroom in Fife. The main draw was the music of Dale Fitzsimmons and his Royalty of Rhythm. The eleven piece orchestra had been entertaining huge crowds at the Century. The number of dancers at the ballroom was up 50 percent. One of the appeals of the orchestra was their four vocalists. Four men were photographed at the microphone in front of a fringed awning, draped stage and orchestra. (T. Times 11/17/1939, pg. 15; TNT 11/156/1939, Ad pg. 4)

Century Ballroom (Fife); Ballrooms--Fife--1930-1940; Musicians--Fife--1930-1940; Dale Fitzsimmons and his Royalty of Rhythm (Fife);

Bruno (photography) Studios threw a free dancing and entertainment event on November 16, 1939 at the Century Ballroom in Fife. The entertainment including dancing to the smooth sounds of Dale Fitzsimmons and his Royalty of Rhythm and a style show of the newest winter fashions by Grayson's Ladies Apparel Shop. Peggy Mason was photographed modeling a daytime dress from Grayson's. Miss Mason had been elected the Snow Queen early in 1939 and in 1940 would be elected Miss Tacoma and represent Washington State at the Miss America contest. The Orchestra was pictured in the background. (TNT 11/15/1939, Ad pg. 4)

Century Ballroom (Fife); Ballrooms--Fife--1930-1940; Musicians--Fife--1930-1940; Fashion shows--Fife; Fashion models--Fife--1930-1940; Clothing & dress--1930-1940; Dale Fitzsimmons and his Royalty of Rhythm (Fife); Mason, Peggy;

On the 16th of November, 1939, Bruno Studios threw a huge dance and entertainment event for the public at the Century Ballroom in Fife. One of the featured entertainers was Bella Tobasion, a ballet student of Myrah Taynton Thayer. Miss Tobasion poses on pointe wearing a ballet costume, while admiring band members watch from behind band stands. (TNT 11/15/1939- Ad pg. 4)

Century Ballroom (Fife); Tobasion, Bella; Children dancing--Tacoma--1930-1940; Choreography; Costumes; Girls--Tacoma--1930-1940; Ballet dancers--1930-1940;

On a warm February day in 1940 a group of boys gathered in the playground behind Lowell school, 1210 No. Yakima Ave., to play an energetic game of leapfrog. Lowell school was named in honor of the American poet and diplomat James Russell Lowell. The school was badly damaged by the April 13, 1949 earthquake that shook Tacoma and the Pacific Northwest. One Lowell student, Marvin Klegman, was killed and two others were injured.

Children playing outdoors--Tacoma; Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma); Boys--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1940. Boy and girl in front yard. Girl is holding kite as kneeling boy ties tail to kite. Names of the youngsters were not provided for this circa 1940 photograph. (T. Times).

Children; Kites (Toys);

In May of 1940, Ruth Babbit was photographed swinging into the spring golfing season at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. Every Tuesday was Ladies' Day at the Club, and over 50 female members took the opportunity to practice their follow through on the links. Ruth Kennedy Babbit was the wife of Alexander Babbit, then assistant manager of the Bank of California National Association. Mrs. Babbit also excelled in figure skating, later becoming an international skating judge, and was a well known water color artist. She passed away on August 31, 1992, at the age of 89. (T. Times 5/18/1940, pg. 5; TNT 9-2-92, B-4-obituary)

Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Babbit, Ruth Kennedy; Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma); Country clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Every Tuesday in May of 1940 was Ladies' Day at the Tacoma Country & Golf Club. Teeing up on the practice green in front of the Clubhouse are, left to right, Mrs. Thomas Curran, Mrs. Harry Andrews, Mrs. O.A. Tucker, Mrs. Lowell T. Murray, Mrs. Fred Davis, Mrs. Charles Peterson and Mrs. Henry Foss. ( T. Times 5/18/1940, pg. 5- photograph reversed in paper)

Clubwomen--Tacoma--1940-1950; Golfers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Country & Golf Club (Tacoma); Country clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Co-Ed Club barn dance at Dash Point Community House. (T. Times).

Co-Ed Club (Tacoma);

College of Puget Sound Advanced Journalism class gets a front line view of the world of newspaper publishing in the office of veteran publisher Sydney Albert Perkins on November 22, 1939. The students spent an hour interviewing Mr. Perkins on opportunities in the field of journalism and methods of story development. Standing, left to right, are Tacoma Times columnist E.T. Short, students Betty Thralls, Mary Mladinov, James Clymont, Carl Lindgren, Virginia Marinoff, Mr. Perkins (seated) and Betty Cleary. Seated left are William Melton, Eleanor Weaver, Clarice Ross and Helen Gassaman. One topic of conversation was the many autographed photos of Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, Congressmen and national political figures on the walls, a souvenir of Perkins' days in Washington, D.C. where he served as private secretary to Senator Mark Hanna. Mr. Perkins had probably the finest collection of signed photographs in the country, including portraits of the most prominent men of the nation over the past two decades. (T. Times 11/22/1939, pg. 18)

College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Perkins, S.A.; Short, Edgar T.;

Here are the four lads who were crowned district marbles champions at the end of the city wide competition held at the Central playfield, near what is now So. 11th and Yakima, on June 4, 1940. Sharp shooting Jimmy Collins (third from left), a 12-year-old pupil at Sacred Heart parochial school, won the trophy for city champ and the title of Marble King. The other district champs were (l to r): Vernon Keister, of Gault, junior high champion; Dale Henderson, of Sherman school, North End champion; and Dave Strandley, far right, South End champion. Collins was eligible to compete with the Marble Kings of 300 other American cities at the National matches June 17-22th in New York City. (T.Times 6/5/1940 p.1 &10)

Collins, Jimmy; Keister, Vernon; Henderson, Dale; Strandley, Dave; Marbles (Game); Awards; Contests--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Street scene in Buckley, Washington. Good view of business district with White Front Grocery and other businesses on left, Warren Dry Goods, Rexall Drugs, Puget Sound Power and Light Company on right. Automobiles parked along street. (T. Times).

Commercial streets--Buckley; White Front Grocery (Buckley);

Street scene in Buckley, Washington, showing White Front Grocery, an angled-corner building, with Stanley's Tavern, Buckley Cafe, and other businesses. A Queen Anne style building with turret, on left, carries Guy Wilson Associated sign. The townsite of Buckley was platted in 1888 and named after J.M. Buckley, division superintendent of Northern Pacific and a coal mine promoter. TPL-538 (T. Times Special Edition for Mr. Short).

Commercial streets--Buckley; White Front Grocery (Buckley); Stanley's Tavern (Buckley); Buckley Cafe (Buckley);

Business district in Gig Harbor, Washington. View of Uddenberg Grocery on right, Peninsula Hotel, Pastime Pool Hall, Elinor's Fountain and other businesses. Automobiles parked along street. (T. Times, Special Edition 2/27/1940, pg. 17). TPL-512

Commercial streets--Gig Harbor; Uddenberg Grocery (Gig Harbor); Peninsula Hotel (Gig Harbor); Pastime Pool Hall (Gig Harbor); Elinor's Fountain (Gig Harbor);

Roy Archer was the jockey for "Sure Shot", the turkey entered by the Archer's Olympic Store, in the First 38th Street Boosters' Turkey Derby. Held on Saturday December 16, 1939, 3,000 cheering spectators watched as 30 turkeys, controlled by their jockeys, raced down 38th Street from G Street to Yakima. Archer's candy store was at 3817 So. Yakima. (Ryan's Weekly). (TNT 12/15/1939 p.6)

Confectioneries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Turkeys; Archer's Olympic Store (Tacoma)

Copy of a postcard made in China for R. H. Scott, Fort Lewis. The postcard shows a soldier being pulled in a rickshaw by a Chinese man. The scene is posed in front of a curtain backdrop representing the outdoors.

Costumes--Chinese; Rickshaws;

Mud Mountain. Two men are pictured on April 9, 1940 dumping a load of soil and rocks from a rail car over a steep embankment at the edge of railroad tracks. Fallen trees in background. This was the dumping operation at the "waste" pit about three miles from the construction camp for Mud Mountain Dam. The tracks shown were part of the nine miles of railroad that were used by four trains with Shay-type engines to move the tons of dirt. Men working above were involved in the excavation spillway project that would prevent any chance of water overtopping the dam. Mud Mountain Dam, seven miles southeast of Enumclaw, was being constructed by the federal government at a cost of some six million dollars. It was considered at that time the world's highest earth-filled dam. For Harold Shaw. (T.Times 4-15-1940, p. 1, 16)

Dams--Mud Mountain; Dam construction; Railroad tracks; Dirt;

Mud Mountain. Steam shovel loading excavated soil into railroad car. Engine No. 371 and crew in foreground, cut hillside in background. This was a typical scene occurring during the 24-hour workday at Mud Mountain Dam in April of 1940. 600 men were employed in the construction of the earth-filled dam, tunnels, spillway and reservoir. Engine No. 371 was one of four trains operating on the nine-mile railroad with a total of 12+ train crews. (T.Times 4-9-1940, p. 1, 16-various photographs & article)

Dams--Mud Mountain; Dam construction; Steam shovels; Railroad locomotives; Dirt;

Posed against a snowy background with skis and crown, is pretty Snow Queen Wyona Diemer. She is Queen of the 9th annual Winter Sports Carnival to be held at Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier, on January 27-28, 1940. Unlike some previous queens, she actually knows how to ski on those things she's holding. She is a student at the College of Puget Sound. ( T. Times 1/18/1940, pg. 1)

Diemer, Wyona; Snow;

Charlotte Doud (at left) and Catharine Strong leaving for trip to California. Boarding train at Union Depot on January 8, 1940 with group of well-wishers or others waiting to board the railroad car. The women were going there to attend the Beverly Hills wedding of Mary Roberts and Alexander Baillie Ripley, former Tacomans, and Miss Strong would be the maid-of-honor. After the wedding Miss Strong and Miss Doud would take an apartment in San Francisco for the season. (T.Times 1-13-1940, p. 5-alt. photo)

Doug, Charlotte; Strong, Catharine; Union Station (Tacoma); Travel--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Dick Bevington's new Triple XXX Barrel drive-in restaurant. Six waitresses and six carhops lined up in front of building with neon trim and giant barrels on roof. The restaurant offered booths, counter service, car side service and XXX root beer on draft. TPL-1514 (T. Times 6/4/1940, pg. 7)

Drive-in restaurants--Tacoma; Bevington's Triple XXX Root Beer Restaurant (Tacoma); Waitresses--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In January of 1940, an unidentified model attempts to feed a heaping spoonful of Arm & Hammer baking soda to a dead American Merganzer duck. The duck died trying to swallow a large perch, still in his bill, which was too large for its mouth. The dead duck was found on the shore of Elbow Lake by Charlie Miller of McKinley Hill. (T. Times 01-11-1940 p.16)

Ducks;

New house at Five Mile Lake to be raffled off by Kit Russell. Interior of kitchen looking through alcove to dining room.

Dwellings - Houses - King County - Federal Way

Jack Beardswood (left) and Bob Collins prop up a 150-lb. cornice section that fell from the top of the National Bank of Washington during the November 12, 1939, earthquake. The masonry fell 30 feet to the sidewalk in Court A. Occurring shortly before midnight, shocks were felt from Portland to Vancouver, B.C. It was thought to be the most severe tremor since the earthquake of 1880. Hundreds of Tacomans fled from their homes but no injuries were reported. Damage was believed to be relatively minor with cracked plaster as a common aftermath. There was a $1000 fire at the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. mill that evening and 200 feet of track was carried away when a huge section of Tacoma Smelter's slag dump broke away. (TNT 11-13-39, p. 1-article; T.Times 11-13-39, p. 1)

Earthquakes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Disasters--Tacoma--1930-1940; Collins, Bob; Beardswood, Jack;