On May 29, 1924, many interested Tacomans viewed the old wood burning locomotive #1, also known as "William Crookes," on display at Union Station. The train originally operated on the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad in 1862. As part of a joint display by the Great Northern Railroad and the Pullman Co., the locomotive pulled an old Pullman car, used by Abraham Lincoln and other Civil War luminaries. Also on display was Great Northern's newest and most powerful locomotive, Engine #2505. (TNT 5/29/1924, pg. 3) G44.1-129; TPL-674

Railroad locomotives; Union Station (Tacoma); Great Northern Railway Co. (Tacoma);

Five workers are pictured on June 12, 1924, in an Olympia mill loading sheets of plywood for the Pacific Mutual Door Co. The men wear gloves, overalls and the ever-present caps. G75.1-024

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Sawmills--Olympia; Plywood;

Three unidentified employees of Coast Iron & Machine Works pose in the firm's Dock St. plant on September 24, 1924. One man fits neatly inside one of Coast Iron's products. G35.1-087

Coast Iron & Machine Works (Tacoma);

On October 4, 1924, an unidentified employee of Royal Dairy (Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co.) examines one of three similar machines at the plant located at 912-14 A St. Royal Ice Cream, run by Bert H. Walker, had been in business since about 1900 and sold ice cream, milk and cream products. This was a locally owned business whose ad in the 1924 City Directory stated that its (cream) was a "quality cream manufactured in a sanitary plant" by "Tacoma people" and "not shipped in from outside sources." Special flavors and designs could be made for all occasions. G6.1-068

Royal Ice Cream & Milk Co. (Tacoma); Dairying--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The SS Bienville. The 445-foot Bienville had been launched at Todd Dry Dock facilities on July 16, 1924, and four months later, was nearly ready to be delivered to her owners in New York. A crane, in the process of lifting, is on the dock next to the ship. The Bienville would conduct short ship trials on November 17th and then be moved to the Port of Tacoma piers on November 19th to load initial cargo after her trial run. Over 2500 tons of goods, including machinery, 2000+ tons of hay and a large number of canned goods, will be stored aboard. The Bienville fell victim to fire in mid-March of 1925 while undergoing repairs in New Orleans and was severely damaged. G49.174 (TNT 11-12-24, p. 1-article; TNT 11-14-24, p. 1-article TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-article on fire; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-article on fire)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Drivers pose next to their delivery trucks at the loading docks of Columbia Brewing Company. (This was a copy print made by the Richards Studio of a Marvin D. Boland photograph #B14210) Ordered by Colulmbia Breweries in 1951. TPL-6494. Previously cataloged as WO58568-4.

Brewing industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma); Columbia Brewing Co. (Tacoma)--People;

The Tidewater Mill, on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, was photographed on September 2, 1921 as the large steamship "Quinault" was being loaded with timber. The mill was built in 1918 on six acres of soggy land purchased from Gen. James Ashton. The land was filled in and the mill was built. It was one of only a handful on the Pacific Coast capable of producing the longest timbers. Tidewater could cut timbers up to 130 feet in length. The mill site's major advantage was 750 feet of deep water moorage, allowing the loading of several vessels at a time. (TDL 12/22/1918, pg. B-8) G49.1-071; TPL-9251

Tidewater Mill Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Piers & wharves--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Northern Pacific cars loaded with logs at the St. Paul & Tacoma yard in May of 1922. The logs appears to be the same length as the flatcars. G75.1-055

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad cars--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Sawmill operations. There are no walls in this part of St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new sawmill but an open beamed ceiling provides cover for the tracks below. This was Mill "C" which would start operating on May 22, 1922. St. Paul & Tacoma had spent much money in getting their plant in the best condition. The entire plant was modernized, Mills "A" and "B" electrically updated, and new docks and additional warehouses built. G36.1-035 (TDL 5-23-22, p. 7-article)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

These are believed to be buildings in an unidentified Tacoma shipyard. This September, 1922, photograph also shows the nearness of railroad tracks to the buildings to make it easier for lumber to be transported. G36.1-085 (print has deteriorated)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This is part of the damage resulting from a fire near the Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17 in 1926. It looks like there was a significant loss of timber, including the blackened logs above. Not shown is a company railroad bridge made of logs which was partially destroyed in the fire.

Mineral Lake Logging Co. Camp 17; Lumber industry--Washington--1920-1930; Logs; Fires;

Ferry "Wollochet" docked at the Skansie's Shipbuilding Co.'s dock on November 12, 1926. It had been built by the Gig Harbor firm the previous year. TPL-680; G37.1-171

Ferries--1920-1930; Skansies Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Boat & ship industry--Gig Harbor; Piers & wharves--Gig Harbor;

On March 15, 1927, an unidentified logging crew at Camp #1 was taking a lunch break next to giant logs stacked and ready to be transported. Some of the men found that a cut log makes a fairly comfortable perch. Metal lunch pails were scattered around the area and there were clumps of snow visible. TPL-2445; G75.1-102

Loggers; Logs; Lumber industry--1920-1930; Eating & drinking;

Log train headed for St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. yards in July of 1927. Mount Tacoma (Rainier) in background. Many trees near the tracks have already been topped.

Logs; Lumber industry--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

On June 13, 1928, two unidentified workers posed with an acetylene torch at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new mill. The mill in question is believed to be the new sawmill for cutting hemlock logs built in the Tideflats on the site of the old Foundation shipyards near the Union Bag & Paper Corporation pulp mill still under construction. The sawmill would begin operations on June 18th. G35.1-082 (TNT 6-15-28, p. 10-article)

Welding--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Sawmills--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Unidentified machinery at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co.'s new mill, as photographed on June 12, 1928. Established in 1888, the company would merge with St. Regis Paper in 1957.

Machinery; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Defiance Lumber Co. plant and stacks, as photographed on June 19, 1928, for a court case. Photograph also includes hill and tracks. The court case possibly involved a $10,000 claim in superior court whereby an individual charged that smoke and refuse from the lumber company's stacks was so heavy that it was a nuisance when the wind blew from the north or northeast. G36.1-117

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Interior of a Northern Pacific Railway Co. car as viewed on December 5, 1929. The doors are partially open. The railroad car had at least two windows. G44.1-112

Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Railroad cars--1920-1930;

This was the Olympia plant of Washington Veneer Co., as pictured in April of 1925. The plywood company was less than a year old at the time, having been incorporated in June of 1924. It was located on land leased from the Port of Olympia, about 3/4th of a mile from Olympia's business center, and conveniently located near water and rail transportation. Already on site was a sawmill and retail lumber yard, both to be operated for many years by Washington Veneer. Plywood production began in February of 1925 at a rate of 65,000 feet daily. Among other innovations, manager Ed Westman installed the first belt-free lathe on the Pacific Coast. Marketing of Washington Veneer's panel production was handled primarily through the Wheeler-Osgood Company of Tacoma. A second plywood plant, called Capitol Plywood Co., was built about 1/4th mile from the site of the original plant in 1929. Washington Veneer was acquired several times and finally closed down in the late 1960s. (www.apawood.org) G73.1-011

Washington Veneer Co. (Olympia); Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;

Three unidentified Medosweet employees are pictured on March 25, 1930, in the bottling section of the large plant located at South 25th & Pacific Avenue. Bottles are in the process of being filled with pure, fresh milk. Milk travels from the pasteurization plant to the bottling machines where the bottles are filled and capped without being touched by human hands. 35 trucks will deliver over 20,000 bottles of milk, cream and buttermilk to Tacoma homes daily. Medosweet Dairies prided itself in guaranteeing the highest quality of milk, cream, ice cream, buttermilk and cottage cheese by upholding and improving sanitary standards. G6.1-072 (TDL 4-29-30, p. 8; TDL 4-29-30, p. 5, section 3-Ad )

Medosweet Dairies, Inc. (Tacoma); Dairy products industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Conveying systems--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bottles; Milk;

Hooker Electrochemical Co. tank car on the tracks as viewed on June 24, 1930. The large chemical plant opened in February of 1929, provided employment for many of Tacoma's workers, partnered with the pulp and paper industry, and maintained a viable presence locally until its closure in 2002. TL-6605; G33.1-166

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Railroad tank cars--Tacoma--1930-1940;

It is hard to tell in this rather faded picture taken on a foggy day in October of 1930 but it appears that water is spurting from what may be the hold of a cargo ship. Three unidentified men are observing the scene. Photograph ordered by St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. G36.1-158

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Two unidentified men are looking down at stacks of lumber piled on St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. property in October of 1930. A large crane can be seen dimly in the background. G36.1-156

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

Pipes and equipment at Hooker Electrochemical Co. as photographed on September 24, 1931. Hooker's large plant in Tacoma was built in 1928 and celebrated its grand opening in February of 1929. Chemicals manufactured by Hooker aided the area's pulp and paper industry. G33.1-163

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Equipment;

Various types of equipment located at Hooker Electrochemical's plant were photographed on September 24, 1931. The chemical producing company was located at 605 Alexander Avenue and would celebrate over 50 years in business here in Tacoma. After several name changes, it would close down about 2002. G33.1-164

Hooker Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1930-1940; Equipment;

Hull #213 was under construction at Martinolich Shipbuilding in February of 1936. The firm was well known for their building of purse seiners. A big fishing fleet of at least 12 purse seiners was under contract in Tacoma's three yards and six more were expected to be started by the end of January, 1936. The Martinolich-Cosulich plant had recently been erected at the south end of City Waterway and had four contracts for fishing craft. G37.1-149 (TNT 1-18-36, p. 1-article)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Martinolich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Three unidentified men posed at a logging site in Mineral, Washington, on the first of March, 1936. The hillside beyond the men is strewn with fallen timber. The men are sitting and leaning against a much bigger log. G75.1-098

Lumber industry--Mineral; Logs; Woodcutting--Mineral;

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;