The old London Dock and the Waterside Milling Company plant were destroyed by fire shortly after noon on Tuesday, January 7,1936. Flames and thick black smoke engulfed the warehouse building and dock while firemen and equipment on land fought to quell the fire. The City fireboat and four Foss tugs were also called into action and together, they managed to contain the fire to stop it from spreading to other nearby warehouses and docks. It was reported that a wood dust explosion caused the $260,000 fire. The Waterside Milling Co. specialized in the manufacture of wood flour, which was a finely powdered form of wood. (T. Times, 1-7-36, p. 1-article; T.Times 1-8-36, p. 1+-article; TDL 1-8-36, p. 1-article & various photographs; 100 Years of Firefighting in the City of Destiny Tacoma, Washington, p. 94-95).
Double launching of two new U.S. Navy Destroyers, "Cushing" and "Perkins" at Navy Yard Shipbuilding dock on December 31, 1935. Huge crowds lined both sides of the waterway; some were standing in front of wooden buildings while others were seated on benches. The crowd at the Navy Yard launching was estimated at 8,000. (Bremerton Sun).
Launching of two new U.S. Navy Destroyers, "Cushing" and "Perkins," at Bremerton Navy Yard shipbuilding dock on December 31, 1935. Over 8,000 people stood to watch the double christening. Miss Katherine A. Cushing, Adm. T.T. Craven, Mrs. Isabel Anderson, and Governor Clarence D. Martin were among the participants. (Bremerton Sun).
ca. 1968. View of USS Ready, an Asheville Class gunboat, which had been commissioned on January 6, 1968. The PG-87 was built by Tacoma Boatbuilding and named after a town in Kentucky. The 165-foot aluminum gunboat was launched on May 12, 1967. Tacoma Boatbuilding had a contract to build twelve gunboats; the USS Ready was the sixth in the series. (TNT 5-13-67, p. 2; www.navsource.org/archives/12/11087.htm)
Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
This unidentified vessel, believed to be a Navy gunboat, was in dry dock at Tacoma Boatbuilding in January of 1970. It appears that the paint on the boat has been stripped.
Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980;
Undated photograph of gunboat #12 as it churns through calm waters. The ship is flying the American flag. It is possible that the patrol vessel was undergoing sea trials at the time. Photograph ordered on October 28, 1974, by Tacoma Boatbuilding.
Gunboats; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);
Planning committee for the YMBC "Air Circus," to be held June 13, 1937. The group meets around a luncheon table. Pictured, left to right, are unidentified, M.J. M'Caslin, chairman aviation committee, unidentified, James P. Lesher, President YMBC, Arthur Angove, past president YMBC. The Air Circus would draw over 50,000 spectators to Mueller-Harkins Airfield to view a variety of events including races, stunt flying and a parachute jump by Seattle's "Batman." (filed with Argentum under D768-11; also numbered D779-3)
Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Mens Business Club (Tacoma);
Nearly 50,000 spectators watched as Tommy Thompson, the "Bat Man", attempted to soar over Mueller-Harkins airport on June 13, 1937 at the first Tacoma Air Circus. When he stepped from the plane that had carried him aloft, a gust of wind tore the canvas webbing that supported his wings, and spinning like a top, he plunged toward the earth. Luckily he was wearing two parachutes. Although the first became tangled in his wings, the second brought him safely to land - although one of his wings was bent. The air circus was sponsored by the Young Men's Business Club of Tacoma. (T. Times, TNT)
Air shows--Tacoma--1930-1940; Young Men's Business Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma--1930-1940;
In August of 1935, the west end of the Navy yard in Bremerton was known as the "Boneyard." Here unused or outdated ships rode at anchor, fastened together with intricate knots of cable. The white bow, visible in the interior of the group, was the USS Patoka. The Patoka, constructed in 1919, was outfitted with a distinctive stern mooring mast in 1924 for lighter-than-air craft. She was subsequently used as an operational and experimental base by three of the Navy's great dirigibles, USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) in 1924-1925, USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in 1925-1932, and USS Akron (ZRS-4) in 1932. (Bremerton Sun 8/15/1935, pg. 1; www.history.navy.mil)
Boat graveyards--Bremerton; Government vessels--Bremerton; Warships--Bremerton--1930-1940;
On Thursday July 30, 1936, hundreds of Tacomans watched the annual whaleboat race, put on by the sailors docked in Tacoma for Fleet Week. Thirteen-man crews from eight ships took part in the race, with the victory going to the men from the U.S.S. San Francisco. Led by coxswain Tommy Loughran, the men from the San Francisco completed the one mile course, begins at the Old Tacoma Dock and proceeds toward the City Waterway, in 9 minutes 55.5 seconds. Following time-worn custom, the coxswain of the winning crew was tossed overboard at the end of the race. (T. Times 7/31/1936, pg. 1 &3)
ca. 1925. The wheels are falling off an old pickup truck. Another truck with built-up wooden sides is parked in front of the broken down truck; it has a rope dragging behind it and it appears to have been towing something. What is attached to the rope is blocked from view by the pole. (WSHS)
Raudenbush Motor Co. Mrs. DesLys with Whippet. Raudenbush Motor Co. was an automobile dealer located at 314 Puyallup Ave. Mrs. Norah DesLys was the vice president of the Bon-Des-Lys Candy Makers, 2407 Pacific Ave. The Whippet automobile was manufactured from 1926-1931 by Willys Overland. On June 4, 1927, 25 year old actress and entertainer Norah Elizabeth Deslys married Tacoma candy manufacturer John T. Bond. She gave up the stage, after 18 years, to work with her husband in their recently incorporated Bon-Des-Lys (invented from the compound of both last names) candy company. Both Norah and her performance partner, her sister Essie, would maintain a home in Tacoma as well as Hollywood. (TNT 6/6/1927, pg.5) (WSHS)
This view of Tacoma's fishing fleet, moored at the Port Commission Docks dates from November of 1934. At that time, about 45 fishing vessels called Tacoma their home port. A long row of fishing boats was photographed, their images reflected on the still water. Among the boats tied to the dock are: the "Chancellor", the "Blanco", the "Orbit" and the "Falcon." An editorial on page one of the November 20th Tacoma Times supported Initiative 77 banning fish traps. The newspaper championed building a larger marina in Tacoma that could support an expanded fleet of boats. A strip of land belonging to the Port of Tacoma, near the Port Piers, was proposed for the site of the new facility that could be the home of up to 300 boats. (T. Times 11/20/1934, pg. 1)
Harbor with boats tied up to pier. Three people in the lower left corner are walking by a boat. Photo series is of the Capital to Capital Yacht Race from Tacoma to Nanaimo, BC in July of 1935. The race was expected to draw close to 100 entries, almost a 1/2 million in pleasure craft investment, that would carry around 600 persons. Only amateurs were eligible, no professional Navy men. Out of the proposed entrants, 51 started the race, 24 from Tacoma, and 49 finished. (T.Times 7/25-27, 1935 & 7/29/1935, pg. 1)
ca. 1926. Men gather along the side of the road to cheer on the 1926 Moon Jubilee 6-60 as it powers its way up the So. K St. hill. The Moon Jubilee was manufactured in 1926 to celebrate 20 years of car manufacturing by the Moon Motor Co. of St. Louis, Mo. The automobile, according to advertising at the time, featured European styling adapted to American driving needs and sold for under $1,000. The dealer for the automobile in Tacoma was the Bye Thompson Motor Co., R. Bye Thompson president, at 3320 So. G St. The So. K St. Hill climb started at Center St. and headed north. It was closed around 1960. (filed under Argentum)
ca. 1926. Young man at wheel of a touring car parked sideways across dirt road, three teenage boys sit on running board, three younger boys sit on ground. The dirt road in the background is believed to be So. K St. For years Tacoma drivers tested the stamina of their cars and the grit of the driver by motoring up the K St. hill, from Center St. due north, straight uphill. The road was closed in 1960. For Kohl Advertising Agency. (filed with Argentum)
In 1937, you could ride the steamer Virginia V, operated by the West Pass Transportation Company, twice a day from Tacoma to Seattle. It left the Tacoma Municipal Dock at 7:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m, and returned from Seattle at 1:10p.m. and 7:45 p.m. A round trip ticket sold for 60 cents. They also ran a Sunday excursion trip that left Tacoma at 3:30 p.m. and returned at 8:30 p.m. The Virginia V, built in 1922, was 120 ft. in length with a 24-foot beam and a capacity of 325 passengers. She operated between Tacoma and Seattle from 1922 to 1940 carrying passengers by way of the West Pass of Puget Sound. (T.Times 8/27/1937 p.5)
Ferries--1930-1940; West Pass Transportation Co. (Tacoma); Mass transit--1930-1940; Transportation--1930-1940;
Washington Navigation Company ferries. Automobiles waiting at the Point Defiance ferry landing in July of 1937. A ferry boat moored next to the landing bears the sign Fox Island - Gig Harbor. The slag pile of ASARCO is at the right middle and the entrance to Quartermaster harbor is near the top right. The slag pile created a breakwater for the Tacoma Yacht Club. Ordered by North Pacific Bank Note Company. (Additional information provided by a reader)
Ferries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marine terminals--Tacoma; Washington Navigation Co. (Gig Harbor);
The Washington Navigation Company ferry " Vashonia" out of Gig Harbor is pictured approaching the Point Defiance ferry landing in July of 1937. The ferry to the right is the "Fox Island." Signs indicate that the cars and people on the pier are loading for Gig Harbor. The Washington Navigation Company, under the direction of president Mitchell Skansie, ran ferries between Tacoma and the Peninsula. It had recently come under criticism from commuters opposed to new ferry rates and changes to the schedule. The small building to the left of the pier has doors for the men's and ladies' restrooms facing out. A sign on the other side of the building indicates that it is "Louie's Lunch." Ordered by North Pacific Bank Note Company. TPL-9858 (T.Times 7-13-37, p. 7-article on ferry changes)
Ferries--Tacoma--1930-1940; Marine terminals--Tacoma; Washington Navigation Co. (Gig Harbor);
Washington Navigation Company's "Defiance" ferry pulling into Point Defiance landing where automobiles are waiting. This scene was photographed in July of 1937. Ordered by North Pacific Bank Note Company. (Corrected information provided by a reader)
Ferries--Tacoma; Marine terminals--Tacoma; Washington Navigation Co. (Gig Harbor);
Artistic view of hanger, blimp and crew. Special hanger built at Fort Lewis to house the new 105 feet long airship.Men from across the United States make up the 125 member 3rd Balloon Company under Major M. E. McHugo. (T.Times, 3/11/1938, p.1).
Balloons (Aircraft)--Fort Lewis; Balloonists; Air pilots--Fort Lewis; Military personnel--Fort Lewis; Fort Lewis (Wash.);
