It took a large crew of workers over 24 hours, in May of 1949, to dismantle and remove the 100 ton brick cornice from the top of the Pacific First Federal Building at the corner of South 11th and Pacific. The cornice had been badly damaged by the April 13, 1949 earthquake, and it was feared that it would collapse, injuring or killing pedestrians in the street below. It took an 85 foot crane with a 15 foot extension, 30 laborers, a big steel bucket, walkie-talkies and a swinging steel ball to dismantle the damaged cornice. This building was torn down in the early 1960s, and replaced with a new Pacific First Federal building. The newer building is now home to Washington Mutual. (T.N.T., 5/9/49, p. 1).
Laborers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building failures--Tacoma; Building deterioration--Tacoma; Bricks; Disasters--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hoisting machinery; Pacific First Federal Building (Tacoma);