Steel-framed warehouse building, St. Regis Kraft Co at 801 Portland Ave, Tacoma.

Industries; St. Regis Kraft Co.; Tideflats; Paper industry; Lumber;

Timber on St. Regis land as photographed in August of 1936. Some trees have already been felled. G75.1-097

St. Regis Paper Co.; Trees; Lumber industry--1930-1940;

Chip conveyor at St. Regis Kraft Co. Tacoma plant at 801 Portland Ave, Tacoma.

Industries; St. Regis Kraft Co.; Paper industry; Tideflats; Lumber;

Lumber operations at St. Regis. Although photographer Boland's notes do not mention the location of this particular St. Regis Kraft Co. plant, it is probably the large concern in Tacoma as photographed in December of 1936. The Tacoma plant had been transformed into a modern facility for the production of 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year. The company had spent a million dollars for new machinery and reconstruction. The pulp plant was operating by the end of November, 1936, with a crew of 250. The bleaching unit would open about three months later. (T.Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. A series of photographs were taken in two days of a St. Regis facility by the Boland studios in December of 1936. It is believed that the plant was the Tacoma location at 801 Portland Ave. Many internal shots were taken including the above which appears to be a large steel covered vat. The St. Regis Kraft Co. plant had undergone a months-long remodeling which included new machinery and fixtures. All of this was to transform the outdated facility into a modern plant so that it could produce 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year. (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article) G37.1-031

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. Interior view of a St. Regis Paper Co. facility, believed to be the Tacoma plant located at 801 Portland Ave. in 1936. Steel beams and steel or concrete chutes in sight. St. Regis employed 845 men to remodel its Tacoma location in order to transform it into a modern plant for the production of 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year. New machinery was purchased to handle 25,000 short logs per hour and electric saws and machines to bark logs were also included. Tacoma's prime location near rail, water and (later) highway access made it a valuable asset for manufacturers in the industrial Tideflats. (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 Daily operations at St. Regis. A St. Regis employee is shown on December 21, 1936, loading stacks of the company's pulp via forklift. Another tall stack of pulp is already on a raised pallet. This may be the St. Regis Tacoma facility located at 801 Portland Ave. which had recently undergone a $1,000,000 modernization. TPL-6803; G37.1-055

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Hoisting machinery; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. Three employees of St. Regis Paper Co. stand behind a large cut log whose bark may have already been stripped. Although the particular St. Regis plant was not identified, this may have been the Tacoma plant located at 801 Portland Ave. The plant had purchased new machinery including machines to bark logs before going to regular pulp chippers and was undergoing transformation into a modern plant. By late November of 1936, the newly modernized Tacoma plant had commenced operations with a crew of 250. Eventually the plant would operate on a 24-hour day with four staggered shifts of eight hours. The modernization allowed for production of 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year. TPL-2453; G36.1-023 (T.Times 10-14-36, pl 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Logs; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. Interior view of newly expanded and modernized St. Regis mill, presumed to be in Tacoma, as seen on December 21-22, 1936. The company was proceeding into the bleached pulp business and had to extensively update their facility at 801 Portland Ave. in the Tideflats. St. Regis had previously manufactured unbleached pulp but the demand for the bleached product was rising, necessitating modernization. It would take another 60 days or so for the bleaching unit to be ready so the company would continue to produce unbleached pulp. G37.1-063 (T. Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

A St. Regis employee maneuvers a lift to hoist stacks of pulp at the big pulp plant in late December of 1936. The St. Regis Kraft Co. had resumed operations with a crew of 250 after months of modernization and expansion. Unbleached pulp would be produced until the new bleaching unit was ready in 1937. G37.1-056 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T.Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hoisting machinery;

1936 Daily operations at St. Regis. Although the specific St. Regis plant was not identified by the photographer, this was probably the Tacoma St. Regis located at 801 Portland Ave. Various sections of the facility and its machinery were photographed in a two-day period in December of 1936 by the Boland studios. The machine above may have been used to dry pulp since steam is shown rising from the rear roller. A million dollars had been spent to transform the Tacoma plant into a modern facility so that production of 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year could be achieved. G37.1-016 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T.Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Machinery; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 Daily operations at St. Regis. View of large funnels and other unidentified machinery in photograph taken on December 21, 1936. Plant is believed to be the St. Regis Tacoma location, 801 Portland Ave. The Tacoma facility had recently undergone an expensive remodeling to be transformed into a modern plant where 60,000 tons of bleached pulp were expected to be produced a year. Over 800 men had been employed in the reconstruction process boosting St. Regis' payroll to $15,000 a week. Much new machinery was purchased including electric saws and machines to bark logs. By late November of 1936, the Tacoma St. Regis had commenced operations with a crew of 250. A bleaching unit would be ready in three months. (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Machinery; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. In late 1936 St. Regis Kraft Co.'s Tacoma plant began operating with a crew of 250 at its newly remodeled and modernized facility in the Tideflats. Boland studios paid visits to the pulp plant on December 21-22, 1936, to photograph the new interiors including machinery. Here two unidentified St. Regis employees focus their attention of one of the new machines. G37.1-048 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. The Tacoma St. Regis underwent expansion and modernization of its facility in the Tideflats during most of 1936. New machinery was brought in as the demand for bleached pulp grew. By the end of November of that year, the pulp plant had started operating with an initial crew of 250. Eventually the plant would run continuously on a 24-hour schedule with four staggered shifts of eight hours and provide employment for many Tacomans. (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

Unidentified equipment at St. Regis. St. Regis Kraft in Tacoma had undergone a $1,000,000 modernization project so that the company could move into bleached pulp production. New machinery was purchased and the site expanded. The purpose of the tall structure shown above was not provided; each row had six concrete or metal handles. G37.1-027

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma); Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Equipment;

Reconstruction and expansion of the St. Regis Kraft facility in the Tideflats was nearly completed in late December of 1936. The company had spent $1,000,000, a tidy sum in the Depression years, to update their large pulp plant to handle the production of bleached pulp. New machinery was purchased to deal with 25,000 short logs per hour, including electric saws to cut the logs into irregular-shaped chunks and machines to bark the logs before going to regular pulp chippers. The bleaching unit would be ready in early 1937. G34.1-104 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T.Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma); Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. View of a thick cluster of narrow steel or cement pipes at a St. Regis Paper Co. facility, probably the Tacoma location at 801 Portland Ave. in December of 1936. The St. Regis plant in Tacoma had undergone massive remodeling for several months to make it into a modern plant capable of producing 60,000 tons of bleached pulp per year. G37.1-026 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. This is believed to be the St. Regis Paper Co. facility in Tacoma at 801 Portland Ave. as pictured in December of 1936. This exterior view of the plant shows its close proximity to railroad tracks which meant easier transport of its products. Pieces of lumber are strewn about and a wheelbarrow and other small carts are present. The Tacoma St. Regis Kraft Co. pulp plant had undergone modernization of its facility earlier in 1936 including new machinery and expansion of the plant. By the end of November, 1936, the plant was operating with a crew of 250. St. Regis expected that the bleaching unit would be ready in 90 days; until then, unbleached pulp as formerly produced would be manufactured. G37.1-021 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5-article; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-article)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

1936 daily operations at St. Regis. Interiors of the newly remodeled and expanded St. Regis Kraft Co. plant on the Tideflats were photographed on December 21-22, 1936. The company had spent a million dollars in the extensive remodeling project during 1936 which was nearly completed. This view appears to be of wood framed windows with two latches apiece. G37.1-014 (T.Times 10-14-36, p. 5; T. Times 11-25-36, p. 5-articles, no pictures, on both pages regarding remodeling)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This internal view of St. Regis was taken in December of 1936. The location was not specified but it is believed to be the big paper mill at 801 Portland Ave., the former location of Union Bag & Paper Co. This particular view shows wet floors, drains, and machinery on both sides. It is possible that a washer had broken causing the wetness. TPL-6802; G37.1-013

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

Workers at St. Regis Kraft Co. are in the process of wrapping and weighing stacks of pulp for shipment in this February 5, 1937, photograph. St. Regis' Tacoma plant had undergone a $1,000,000 modernization project in order to manufacture bleached pulp. New machinery was brought in and the plant was reopened in late December of 1936 to provide jobs for hundreds of Tacoma residents. G37.1-069

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

Huge sheets of bleached pulp are being manufactured at the Tacoma St. Regis Kraft plant in February of 1937. The plant had recently reopened a few months ago after much remodeling and expansion. St. Regis was moving into the growing bleached pulp business. According to the Tacoma Times, five million board feet of giant hemlock logs were chewed into chips every month and converted into pulp to be used in the manufacture of paper. This meant that the Tacoma plant produced 150 tons of pulp daily; the whole process from sawing logs to chipping to cooking with chemicals, washed and dried and finally baling took about six hours. St. Regis Kraft was a wholly owned subsidiary of the St. Regis Paper Co. Pulp from Tacoma supplied the eastern paper mills of the St. Regis Paper Co. as well as being exported to foreign countries, including Japan. G37.1-061 (T.Times 1-27-37, p. 1, 5-articles on St. Regis)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

Two St. Regis employees, wearing white uniforms, are pictured at the Tacoma Kraft pulp plant on February 5, 1937. Steam is rising from some of the large unidentified machinery. St. Regis had undergone a $1,000,000 remodeling project to expand into the bleached pulp field. St. Regis was one of two pulp mills (Shaffer Pulp was the other) who manufactured high grade bleached and unbleached craft pulp for domestic and export markets. The plant was able to produce 150 tons of pulp daily. TPL-6804; G37.1-023 (T.Times 1-27-37, p.1, 5-articles on St. Regis)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Paper industry--1930-1940; Lumber industry--1930-1940; Mills--Tacoma--1930-1940; Machinery;

Doomed Destroyer read the mournful heading for this front-page photograph than ran in the Thursday, September 19, 1940 edition of the Tacoma Times. The 20-year-old warship was being scuttled in Commencement Bay that day to serve as a breakwater to protect the St. Regis wharf. The red-painted 330-foot destroyer hulk, name since lost, had been owned by the Foss company for the past ten years. Derrick of the pile driver used in the operation is in the background along with a tugboat and St. Regis's dock. (T. Times 9-19-1940, p. 1)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Warships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tugboats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Scuttling of warships--United States; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hoisting machinery;

St. Regis Paper Company (Kraft Pulp Division) showing an overaged destroyer that was to be sunk to provide a breakwater. Scuttling of the warship hulk commenced on Thursday, September 19, 1940. St. Regis took over the Union Paper company in 1936. Logs litter the waterway in the foreground. (T.Times)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Scuttling of warships--United States;

St. Regis Paper Company (Kraft Pulp Division), overaged destroyer to be sunk for breakwater. The 20-year-old destroyer, name unknown, was to be sunk in Commencement Bay to provide protection for the St. Regis wharf. Her sister ship had previously been scuttled in British Columbia, also for use as a breakwater. Both ships had been resting in Lake Washington for ten years. (T. Times, 9-19-1940, p. 1- alt. photo)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Scuttling of warships--United States; Warships--Tacoma--1940-1950;

St. Regis Paper Company (Kraft Pulp Division) workers, overaged destroyer to be sunk in Commencement Bay for breakwater to protect St. Regis wharf. (T. Times)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Scuttling of warships--United States;

ca. 1943. Originally built for the Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. in 1904, this building at 17th & Jefferson Ave. was sold to the Union Pacific Railroad two years later. After stints as a spice factory and many years as the Tacoma Paper & Stationery Co., it was taken over by Blake, Moffitt & Towne, Inc. in January of 1943. The firm was a wholesale distributor of printing paper, wrapping paper and stationery and remained at the Jefferson address until 1954 when it moved out to the industrial Tideflats. Since 1971, The Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant has been the primary occupant.

St. Regis office, Times, Maybin. St. Regis was planning immediate construction of $6 million kraft paper and bag mills. These three key men, studying plans for the construction, are, L-R, J.H. McCarthy, plant engineer, Walter DeLong, Vice President and director, manager of Tacoma operations, and Adolph C. McCorry, plant superintendent. Piles of logs and a water tower are seen outside the windows. St. Regis had been at this location since 1936. (T.Times, 8/21/1947, p.1)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Architectural drawings; Logs; Water towers--Tacoma--1940-1950; McCarthy, J.H.; DeLong, Walter; McCorry, Adolph C.;

Interior views of the St. Regis Paper Company where pulp is being dried further (steam is coming off as the pulp goes through the roller at the rear) and looks more like paper. St. Regis Paper Company, a national company, had seven mills throughout the country and also had extensive timber holdings in the Pacific Northwest and in other locations in the United States. On spec. for the Times, Labor Day. TPL-3765

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Machinery;