Old London Dock destroyed by fire on January 7, 1936. City fireboat and Foss tugs dousing flames at waterfront Waterside Milling Co. warehouse. Thick plumes of smoke drift into the Bay as the Tacoma Fire Department tries to staunch the enormous blaze. Wood dust exploded in the Waterside wheat warehouse causing the building and dock to be gutted; damages were set at $260,000. Thousands of residents lined the 11th St. Bridge and surrounding hillsides to watch the spectacular sight. (T. Times, 1-7-36, p. 1, TDL 1-8-36, p. 1, 100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 94-95).

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fireboats--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The Old London Dock and the Waterside Milling Co. on Tacoma's waterfront were destroyed by fire on January 7, 1936. The City fireboat and four Foss tugs are shown fighting the enormous blaze which had earlier threatened the Municipal Dock, Western States grocery and Younglove grocery warehouse. The 2000 foot Waterside Milling Co. warehouse was divided into long sections separated by brick fire walls. The fire walls on the south end of the London Dock helped to stop the blaze from spreading in that direction. There were no reported fatalities among the sixteen workers on the dock at the time of the fire, although one man suffered burns. Total damages, according to the Tacoma Daily Ledger, were set at $260,000. The ruins of the Tacoma Hotel and the city skyline loom in the background. (T. Times, 1-7-36, p. 1, TDL 1-8-36, p. 1, 100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 94-95).

Fires--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fire fighting--Tacoma--1930-1940; Fireboats--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Offices of Mueller-Harkins Buick showing chairs, typewriter, glassed-in offices and advertising banner. The banner reads "When better automobiles are built, Buick will build them." Mueller-Harkins had been located at this address since 1918; they would move in 1948 to 455 St. Helens Ave.

Buick automobile; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1930-1940; Offices--Tacoma--1930-1940; Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Buck and Company. Several men standing beside a truck parked in front of garage doors at rear of building. View from across large paved parking lot. (T. Times) filed with Argentum

Buck & Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. Three men beside Ford truck loaded with large rocks on South 12th Street by National Bank of Tacoma and Post Office. Sign on truck reads "The 1935 Double Duty Ford V8 Truck. Ask for a Demonstration - H.E. Stimpson Motor Company ......." (filed with Argentum)

Ford trucks--1930-1940; Stimpson Motor Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Three men sitting on large rocks on back of a Ford flatbed truck on A Street by Pioneer Bindery and 4L Hall. For H.E. Stimpson Motor Company. (filed with Argentum)

Ford trucks--1930-1940; Stimpson Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Power cruisers compete in the 8th annual power boat race, the"Capital to Capital yacht race," in July 1935. The 1935 race covered 150 nautical miles from Tacoma to Nanaimo, BC through the San Juan and British Columbia Islands. The boats would leave on Friday, 7/26, and reach BC late on 7/27. The Tacoma Yacht Club sponsored 24 entries, one of which the "Irvinetta," won second place overall. (T. Times 7/25-27, 1935; 7/29/1935, pg. 1)

Regattas--1935; Yacht racing--1935;

Captain I.C. Rowland (right), skipper of the Tacoma Yacht Club entry "Irvinetta" in the annual international cruiser race, the "Capital to Capital," and Matt Manay, of Olympia, prepare a code flag in connection with the start of the race. The 8th annual cruiser race would start Friday, July 26, 1935 in Tacoma and end Saturday afternoon in Nanaimo, B.C., a distance of 150 nautical miles through the Puget Sound and San Juan and British Columbia Islands. Rowland and the Irvinetta finished 2nd overall by a fraction of percentage and first in their division, craft over 38 feet in length. (T. Times 7/25-27, 1935 and 7/29/1935, pg. 1)

Regattas--1935; Yacht racing--1935; Rowland, I.C.; Manay, Matt;

Undated photograph of the "Firecracker," a fishing boat, as requested by Martinolich Shipbuilding. The vessel is passing quietly through the waters of Commencement Bay; a glimpse of one of Kaiser's aluminum domes is visible on the far right of the photograph.

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Martinolich Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Young Men's Business Club (YMBC) airshow at Mueller-Harkins airport June 13, 1937. 25 planes took part in the first annual air circus with nearly 50,000 spectators cheering them on. Various small biplanes fly over the crowd. (T. Times, TNT)

Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Airplanes--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma);

ca. 1937. Men from the Young Men's Business Club planning Air Circus scheduled for Sunday, June 13, 1937. It is a luncheon meeting and appears to be in a restaurant with blackboard in background listing last names and "Customers Only" sign. Announcement posters on wall. The three men seated in the center of the picture are, left to right, Al Oswald, YMBC aviation committee, Arthur Cook, secretary of the YMBC, and an unidentified man. (filed with Argentum)

Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma);

Young Men's Business Club (YMBC) airshow at Mueller-Harkins airport June 13, 1937. 25 planes took part in the first annual air circus with nearly 50,000 spectators cheering them on. A photographer stands on the roof of the airport building above the reviewing stand. (T. Times, TNT.

Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Men's Business Club (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1930-1940;

By November of 1935 Tacoma's merchants were demanding that something be done about "parking hogs." Even with diagonal parking there was little room on the streets for shoppers to park their cars. All the available space in front of the stores was being taken by business employees. As the streets like Commerce, in this photograph, became jammed with cars, some merchants started demanding parking meters to force cars off the streets. After years of fighting in city hall, 1,200 meters were installed during the summer of 1941. (For Corky Maybin, T.Times).

Automobiles--Tacoma--1930-1940; Parking--Tacoma--1930-1940; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Old City Hall (Tacoma);

Four large mothballed military vessels berthed in Bremerton were photographed for the Bremerton Sun in August of 1935. Locals referred to this area to the west of the Navy yard as the "Boneyard," the home to unused and sometimes outdated vessels. The vessel with the white bow, second from left, was the Patoka, one of the few vessels ever fitted with a dirigible mooring mast on the deck. The wide, tower-like mast can be seen on the left side of the photograph. Built in 1919, the vessel was stored due to the declining size of the peacetime Navy. Also mothballed at the Navy yard were the Aroostook, the USS Pyro (one of only 2 ammunition ships constructed by the US government,) and the oil burning Prometheus and Jason. (Bremerton Sun 8/15/1935, pg. 1)

Boat graveyards--Bremerton; Government vessels--Bremerton; Warships--Bremerton--1930-1940;

The rowing crew from the U.S.S San Francisco holds their oars aloft to signify victory in th 1936 Whaleboat races, a Fleet Week event. The crew was faster than the other 8 teams representing each of the eight other cruisers in Tacoma for fleet week. (T. Times 7/31/1936, pg. 1 & 3)

Boat racing; Rowboats--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowing races--Tacoma--1930-1940; Rowers;

PG-92 at Tacoma Boatbuilding. The USS Tacoma, a patrol gunboat, had been launched in April of 1968. The above photograph was taken about six months later as the vessel was undergoing further work. She would be commissioned in July of 1969.

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Pair of automobiles, a sedan and a touring car, perhaps Jordans, near a park. For Chamber's Auto Supply House. (filed with Argentum)

Automobiles--1920-1930; Jordan automobiles;

Pacific Boat Building Company, the "Sun Rocket". The newly launched boat still has an American flag draped over her bow while tied to a dock.

Boats; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Waterfronts--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A chapel in fishing boat Sun Voyager built by Pacific Boat Building Company. TPL-8998

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Chapels--Tacoma;

Pacific Boat just completed the "Sun Voyager" for Sun Harbor Packing Co. in San Diego, California. The "Sun Voyager" was an all steel tuna clipper, 112 feet long. The vessel completed a trial run last week and was now ready for launching. Pacific Boat was also working on fishing vessels for the UNRRA program. TPL-8915

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

During a Control Line Model Airplane Meet at Tacoma Stadium Bowl, the rescue helicopter from McCord Field made a special appearance at the event. The type R-5A helicopter arrived and gracefully landed, impressing the large Tacoma crowd. The proficient helicopter can drop from any altitude straight down (if air density is favorable) to a spot of 60 square feet. The event was sponsored by the Tacoma Young Men's Business Club. View of men standing in front of the rescue helicopter from McCord Field (T. Times, 1/27/47, p. 47).

Helicopters--Tacoma; Search & rescue operations; Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Military air shows--Tacoma;

West Coast Grocery had just recently moved into their new offices on East D Street. Mutual Fruit Company was a subsidiary of West Coast Grocery. Exterior view of West Coast Grocery Company's AMOCAT, Mutual Fruit Company and Olympia Beer trucks, photo ordered by Condon Company, an advertising company T. Times, 2/26/47, p. 12-B).

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Commercial facilities--Tacoma; Food industry--Tacoma; West Coast Grocery Co. (Tacoma); Condon Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Business enterprises--Tacoma--1940-1950; Storehouses--Tacoma;

J. M. Martinac was founded in 1924, they had a large site where they had ship building operations, marine repair shop and a marine railway. They built fishing boats and work boats. Their advertisements said "A Martinac-Built boat is your guarantee of complete satisfaction". View of "Oregon", a 55 foot tuna clipper. TPL-8921

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Deep Sea 140 foot long range trawler, it will be able to prepare King crabs and fish from the water to the consumer. The vessel will have the machinery needed to sort and clean the crab, steam cook, wash with fresh water, weigh and freeze and package in aluminum foil. "Deep Sea" was the first Pacific-built fishing and processing vessel of her type, the boat was built for Deep Sea Trawlers, Inc. (Pacific Fisherman, July 1947, p. 40-41).

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);

Peterson Boat Building. Three men inspect some of the machinery in the hold of a boat. Two of the housings are named "Baker". Baker manufactured refrigeration systems for fishing boats. TPL-8930

Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Engines; Engine rooms--Tacoma; Peterson Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Exp of truck loaded with lumber at St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company. The driver has his door open and is seen through the open window. The truck is loaded with plywood. The grill on the Mack truck is elaborate, the fenders curved up over the front tires and the headlights sit above the curved metal next to the hood.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Plywood; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Five men are working on a truck cab in a large garage. The truck has a "fifth wheel" towing mechanism directly behind the cab. Tools and truck parts lie on the floor and table along with cables, hoses and pieces of lumber. Out the garage door can be seen an auto supply store and used car lot.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Garages--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. was busy building fishing boats for their UNRRA contract and also building pleasure boats for private owners. They were about to launch a fishing boat for Yugoslavia. View of Caterpillar 360 horse power diesel engine, used in the purse seiner, "F. D. Roosevelt". TPL-8905

Boat engines; Engine rooms--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. was working on a contract to build and repair fishing boats for China under the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration program. The boats are intended to rehabilitate China's fishing industry. Tacoma Boat's production line methods are helping get the boats ready for launching at a rapid pace. View of "Bertha J", a fishing boat. TPL-8324

Fishing boats--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Griffin Fuel Company was started by Fred Griffin more than fifty years ago. Today the company's President and General Manager is Edwin Griffin, Fred's son. Griffin delivered stove, diesel and burner fuel oils, stoker coals, wood and sawdust. Griffin Fuel had the largest and most modern fleet of delivery trucks in the Northwest, prompt and dependable fuel delivery was assured. View of delivery trucks at the Griffin Fuel garage.

Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Garages--Tacoma; Fuel trade--Tacoma; Fuel--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Griffin Fuel Co. (Tacoma);