Pioneer Sand and Gravel Company officers were: Gordon N. Scott, President; Nels E. Johanson, Vice-President; Claude L. Golding, Vice-President; Vance S. Tjossem, Vice-President; and Kenneth A. Stotler, Secretary-Treasurer. View of Pioneer No. 17 barge, loaded up with gravel from the Steilacoom gravel pit; machinery in background is pouring the gravel into the barge; gravel pit view on right side.

Industry--Steilacoom; Industrial facilities--Steilacoom; Equipment; Pulleys; Machinery; Barges--Steilacoom; Shipping--Steilacoom; Sandstone quarrying--Steilacoom; Pioneer Sand & Gravel Co. (Steilacoom);

View of Pioneer Sand and Gravel Company's Pioneer No. 16 barge being loaded up with gravel from the Steilacoom gravel pit; a machine is pouring the gravel into the barge, an unidentified laborer is standing by a small office area in background; view of beautiful Puget Sound in background.

Industry--Steilacoom; Industrial facilities--Steilacoom; Equipment; Pulleys; Machinery; Barges--Steilacoom; Shipping--Steilacoom; Sandstone quarrying--Steilacoom; Pioneer Sand & Gravel Co. (Steilacoom);

Pioneer Sand and Gravel Company had their offices in Seattle, at 901 Fairview Avenue North. The company specialized in sand, gravel, building materials and "Tru-Mix" concrete; they had a gravel pit located in Steilacoom. View of Pioneer Sand and Gravel Company's "Seattle" tugboat towing both Pioneer No. 16 and No. 17 barges; they are loaded up with gravel from the Steilacoom gravel pit; view of gravel pit on left side and beautiful Puget Sound.

Industry--Steilacoom; Tugboats--Steilacoom; Towing--Steilacoom; Barges--Steilacoom; Shipping--Steilacoom; Sandstone quarrying--Steilacoom; Puget Sound (Wash.); Pioneer Sand & Gravel Co. (Steilacoom);

Coal yard pictures, Aaberg Fuel Company, Johnson. A view of the machinery used to fill the coal delivery trucks at Aaberg's. A bull-dozer fitted with a scoop loads coal into a hopper which drops the coal onto a conveyor system which in turn lifts the coal over the truck and drops it in. One of the drivers watches to know when to stop moving coal into the truck. When the company was moved from McKinley Avenue, Herbert Johnson, Jr., decided to change the name of the company from McKinley Coal Company. He thought the name Johnson's Fuel might be encountered too often so he chose another Scahdinavian name he ran across, Aaberg. It was catchy and intriguing. (TNT, 12/14/1949, p.11, 12, & 13)

Aaberg's Fuel Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Coal--Tacoma; Fuel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Conveying systems--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

New machinery went into operation in December 1949 at Aaberg Fuel Company's yard between East Bay Street and the Puyallup River, at the foot of Puyallup Avenue. When drivers backed their trucks into the coal filling stations at Aaberg's, the trucks were filled automatically. A system of long conveyors was used to move the coal into the hoppers that filled the trucks. The coveyors automatically sorted the coal by grade. Each hopper could hold from 25 to 40 tons of coal. The Aaberg system was the first of its kind in the world, and was designed by Herbert Johnson Jr., the head of the company. (TNT, 12/14/1949, p.11, 12 & 13)

Aaberg's Fuel Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Coal--Tacoma; Fuel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Conveying systems--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Coal yard pictures, Aaberg Fuel Company, Johnson. Mrs. Anna Johnson was president of the company and Herbert P. Johnson, Jr., served as secretary-treasurer at this time. Herbert P. Johnson, Jr., designed the system of machinery that moved coal from box cars to the delivery trucks run by electricity provided by more than 20,000 feet of electric control cable. The company, "guaranteed the best quality coal or oil in town at the lowest possible prices". Delivery drivers stand beside their six trucks in front of large piles of coal. (TNT,12/14/1949, p.11, 12 & 13) Format 5" x 14" TPL-10241

Aaberg's Fuel Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Coal--Tacoma; Fuel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Coal yard pictures, Aaberg Fuel Company, Johnson. Mrs. Anna Johnson, president of Aaberg's Fuel Company, sits at a large work table with a hand full of notes. Controls that operated the mechanical systems in the yard are in front of her. She could cause cars to be unloaded, trucks filled, coal sorted and moved about. The large window allows a view of the outdoor facilities. The hoppers used to load trucks with coal can be seen through the window. (TNT, 12/14/1949, p.11, 12 & 13) TPL-10242

Aaberg's Fuel Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Coal--Tacoma; Fuel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Johnson, Anna;

Coal yard pictures, Aaberg Fuel Company, Johnson. Aaberg's also handled fuel oil. A new tank is being delivered by Inter-City Auto Freight. Herbert Johnson, Sr., owned an interest in a small coal mine at Morton. Herbert Johnson, Jr., appointed himself "sales manager" for his father's small mine. With a three-ton truck, he "sold" the Morton district. He did so well he came to Tacoma looking for a new market. (TNT, 12/14/1949, p.11, 12 & 13)

Aaberg's Fuel Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Inter-City Auto Freight, Inc. (Tacoma);

Coal yard pictures, Aaberg Fuel Company, Johnson. A women signs for the fuel that has been delivered to her house by one of Aaberg's drivers. The hoses have been carefully rewound into their storage areas in the truck.

Aaberg's Fuel Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Fuel--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fuel trade--Tacoma--1940-1950; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950;

This photograph was taken as part of a photo mural for Feltrok Insulation Company, ordered by Mr. Lybeck. Feltrok manufactured home and industrial insulations and were members of the National Mineral Wool Association and Industrial Mineral Wool Institute. C.J. Rusden was president of the company at this time. A rail line brought materials used in the company's manufacturing processes directly to the yard. The smokestacks were tall to provide cooling.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Feltrok Insulation Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Smokestacks--Tacoma;

Fred Osmers was the President of Tacoma Drug Company, they occupied their facilities on January 16, 1949; the building costs were estimated at $400,000 and the contractor was Austin Company. The company's facilities had over 70,000 square feet on one floor and was considered one of the most modern drug warehouses and distributing centers in the Northwest. Exterior view of Tacoma Drug Company (T. Times, 3/13/49, p. 19).

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Medicines; Pharmaceutical industry--Tacoma; Building construction--Tacoma; Tacoma Drug Co. (Tacoma);

St. Regis had started producing kraft paper in January 1949, the tacoma plant had been remodeled over a long period of time and was operating at full capacity. View of St. Regis Paper Company Kraft Pulp Division; new mill on left, new laboratory is currently under construction; building contractor is Howard S. Wright and Company (T. Times, 3/13/49, p. 19).

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Remodeling--Tacoma; Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction--Tacoma; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Columbia Powder Company was located in Frederickson, Washington, southeast of Tacoma. A massive explosion destroyed a building at the plant and killed a family of six who had lived nearby; the boom was felt throughout Tacoma and heard in a 15 mile radius throughout Pierce County. Aerial view of Columbia Powder plant site where a three story building was destroyed following a massive explosion (T. Times, 3/15/49, p. 1).

Industrial facilities--Frederickson; Nitrates; Chemical industry--Frederickson; Explosions--Frederickson; Disasters--Frederickson; Columbia Powder Co. (Frederickson);

Columbia Powder Company officials would not release any information regarding the explosion until they received clearance from the company headquarters, located on the East Coast. Dan Cope, his wife, two daughters and two sons were killed in the explosion; the family had a home near the plant. Aerial view of Columbia Powder plant site where a three story building was destroyed following a massive explosion (T. Times, 3/15/49, p. 1).

Industrial facilities--Frederickson; Nitrates; Chemical industry--Frederickson; Explosions--Frederickson; Disasters--Frederickson; Columbia Powder Co. (Frederickson);

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation was a building materials and insulation products business located at 710 2nd Avenue in Seattle, Washington. Edmund N. Still was the manager of Owens-Corning. View of Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation representative demonstrating the many advantages of this cold storage insulation product to Mr. Osgood.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Business people--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sales personnel--Tacoma; Building materials; Selling--Tacoma; Building materials industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. (Seattle);

Coca-Cola Bottling Company moved into this building in 1948; the building had previously been used as supplemental housing for defense workers during World War II, as as the headquarters for the Work Projects Administration. The building was originally built in 1912 it was used as a City Detention Station and a City Contagious Hospital for women. Photo ordered by A. C. Horn Company, Incorporated; a business based out of San Francisco, California.

Bottling industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Beverage industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Building construction--Tacoma; Coca-Cola Bottling Co. (Tacoma)--Buildings; A.C. Horn Co., Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.);