ca. 1925. The Defiance Lumber Company was an export mill. It cut 80,000,000 feet of lumber in 1926 and it was all shipped away to Europe, Asia, Australia, California, South America or the East Coast. The Defiance Mill did nothing but saw wood, and only fir wood. The plant had dry kilns with a capacity of 50,000 feet a day, a completely equipped planing mill and a lath mill adding to the completeness of the plant. (TNT, 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

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

Transporting finished lumber on rail cars from the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company mill to its lumber ship the "Lake Frances."

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Shipping--Tacoma--1930-1940; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma;

This 109-car train bears logged old growth timber from the St. Paul & Tacoma Camp 5, near the junction of the Puyallup and Mowitz Rivers, to the city in October of 1935. Men standing on the logs demonstrate their mammoth size. The largest of the trees was a 700 year old giant, 10 1/2 feet across that was cut into four sections for transportation. (T. Times 10-19-1935, pg. 1)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma;

West Coast Logging Company. Three men standing in front of a huge log loaded on a rail car. The log was one of the largest ever marketed up to this point. It was 11 1/2 feet in diameter and was sound to the core. At 36 feet long, it contained 14, 500 feet of marketable lumber. The tree was cut down near Mineral. (T. Times 7/9/1936, pg. 3)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; West Coast Logging Co. (Tacoma); Logs;

West Fork Logging Company. Unidentified man posed for portrait in front of huge log loaded on rail car. An old growth tree, harvested near Mineral, produced this log with an 11 1/2 foot diameter. It was one of the largest logs ever marketed here up to this point. (T. Times 7/9/1936, pg. 3)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; West Fork Logging Co. (Tacoma); Logs;

West Fork Logging Company. Six men posed for a portrait with a huge log loaded on a rail car in July of 1936. This tree, logged near Mineral, was one of the largest logs ever marketed. It was 11 1/2 feet in diameter and 36 feet long, containing 14,500 feet of marketable lumber. It will be sent to the Washington Veneer Co. in Olympia. Wa. The Washington Veneer Co. is one of the few local plants that can handle such a large "peeler log." Members of the boom crew are pictured with the log: seated at top Fred Kopaske, center Lawrence Aus, standing on car, left to right, D. Mackay, Eyler Plumb, Pete Peterson and Al McCoy. (T. Times 7/9/1936, pg. 3)

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; West Fork Logging Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Kopaske, Fred; Aus, Lawrence; Plumb, Eyler; Peterson, Pete; McCoy, Al;

In May of 1936, L. A. Case, peeking around the tree on the left, and Jack Kasbaum, on the right, used a long, crosscut saw, called a "Misery Whip", to fell a 750-year-old fir tree near Kent. An 18 foot section from the tree made a nation wide tour to advertise Washington state finishing at the Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, expositions. The day appears hot and Jack Kasbaum's undershirt is stained with sweat and dirt from his exertions. Although expert loggers, the two spent an entire day at work; careful to keep the bark and tree intact in its fall to earth. The bottle on the left of the picture is filled with kerosene oil, used to cut the pitch which gathers on the saw. The tree stood over 200 feet high and was nine feet in diameter. After a two year search, it was selected as a typical Northwest timber tree.The section of tree was bound with heavy steel bands and mounted on a semi trailer for its tour. The "Washington to Texas" tour also featured displays from Northwest manufacturers and stopped in hundreds of cities before reaching the Texas exposition. Afterward, the tour made a circuit of the principal Eastern cities.(T.Times 5/6/1936). for more images of the same event see T96 images 1 & 3

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Firs; Loggers; Case, L.A.; Kasbaum, Jack;

ca. 1925. Men unloading lumber from a ship at the Defiance Lumber Co. dock. The men are unloading cut lumber that appears to be almost two feet by two feet, showing why Tacoma was known as the "Lumber Capital of the World." A rolling crane emblazoned with the company's name can be seen in the background. The crane, of a type first built by Star Iron & Steel Co., was capable of lifting 5 tons from the dock to the ship. The Defiance Lumber Co. and mill was built in 1905 and closed in December of 1951, citing a lack of usable wood. (TNT 6/3/1926, pg. 9- different picture, article on cranes) GTPL-013, TPL-9541

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Display of faux television sets displaying advertising cells at the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus.

Display kiosk at the Doug Fir Plywood Association Circus with 233 small wooden disks labeled with ways the company creates sales. Black and white photographs of the plywood making process are visible in the background.

Exterior shot of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association Circus. Two children play on a plywood tiger and giraffe on the gravel.

Laborers shaping and planning lumber outdoors with both electric and nonelectric tools.

Laborers fastening large wooden planks together on the waterfront. A sailing boat and Vashon Island can be seen in the distance.

Laborers fastening large wooden planks together on the shoreline. Workers appear to be in front of a pallet with different gauges of plywood.

Laborers watch on partially covered boardwalk as cranes drop a pallet of lumber. A "No Smoking" and conveyer belt can be seen at the work stations.