Permanente Metals approaching the end of their first year of operations in Tacoma, which proved to be quite successful. Permanente's new research lab will be looking for ways to improve uses of this lightweight metal, increase aluminum production and the development of new products and product applications. Exterior view of Permanente Metals Corporation, laborer in foreground is hauling aluminum pigs using a forklift, workmen are walking by in background (T. Times, 8/23/48, p. 5)

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Laborers--Tacoma; Research facilities--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery; Aluminum industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Permanente Metals Corp. (Tacoma);

Light poles prior to turning in machine, Cascade Pole at Port of Tacoma Road, Vic Monahan. A view of several poles that have been creosoted on one end. Cascade Pole offered both open tank and pressure creosoting. Cascade Pole was located at the end of Blair Waterway, an ideal location for logs to be delivered by rail and poles to be shipped by rail or water. Pacific Boat Building Company is seen in the background.

Cascade Pole Co. (Tacoma); Utility poles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Railroad sidings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Factories--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Moving and Storage Company's officers were: Alex K. Johnson, President, M. Clark Johnson, Treasurer, and Jorgina Pande, Secretary. Interior view of Tacoma Moving and Storage Company facilities, two unidentified workers are applying "Owens-Corning Fiberglas" to the wall; photo ordered by Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a building insulation company based out of Seattle, Washington.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Glass fiber industry--Tacoma; Maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Construction workers--Tacoma; Tacoma Moving & Storage Co. (Tacoma); Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp. (Seattle);

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);

In October of 1956, an unidentified employee of the Precision Engineering and Machine Company, 2307 East D Street, was photographed working at a metal lathe in the companies machine shop. The company's machine shop and welding department were capable of repairing all types of hydraulic jacks. Precision Engineering could also design, build and manufacture any type hydraulic unit. Pick up and delivery was free in a 50 mile radius. (TNT 10/28/1956, pg. B-10)

Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Machine shops--Tacoma; Precision Engineering and Machine Co. (Tacoma);

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington had its headquarters in Tacoma. Despite its name, Pennsalt did not produce table salt but instead was a basic manufacturer of chemicals from salt. It, along with Hooker Electrochemical, supplied caustic soda and chlorine to the Pacific Northwest's pulp and paper industry. View of some of the machinery used by Pennsalt in their Tideflats plant; these are believed to be rotary converters used to convert AC power to direct current. Photograph ordered by Edwin Cliffe, supt. of Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington had long been established in Tacoma; it was to celebrate its 25th anniversary locally in 1954. It started with a 40 acre tract of land on the Hylebos Waterway and has steadily expanded, adding new buildings and machinery, to fill the needs of the pulp and paper industry. View of machinery in Pennsalt plant; this may be a large burner. Photograph ordered by Edwin Cliffe.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma); Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Machinery;

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. Family Day; employees' picnic and open house. An unidentified group of employees stands in front of a display case set up for the open house. Wives, husbands and children of employees were invited on this day to tour the plant. A brief program was devoted to safety measures practiced at the plant. Lunch for 300 employees and their visitors was followed by a tour of the plant. The manufacturing facility opened on the Tideflats in June of 1929 as Tacoma Electro-Chemical Co. Despite its deceptive name, Pennsalt manufactured industrial chemicals, some of which were used in the manufacture of pulp and paper. (TNT 9/6/1953, pg. A-12)

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exterior - Airco. A modern one-story concrete and brick building housed the Air Reduction Pacific Co., commonly known as Airco, in the 1950's. Located on Ross Way, close to E. 11th St., Airco were oxygen manufacturers and sellers of welding supplies. View of building facade shows large picture windows through which displays of welding masks and other products can be spotted. A customer is standing at the counter being assisted by an Airco employee. Airco, along with the Ohio Chemical Pacific Co. and the Pure Carbonic Co., were divisions of Air Reduction Co., Inc. Photograph ordered by Air Reduction Pacific Co.

Air Reduction Pacific Co. (Tacoma); Facades--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Elevated view of Tacoma's downtown and industrial area. Smoke from various lumber and chemical companies in Tacoma's industrial area blends into the sky. Busy plants meant employment for thousands of local residents. The Tacoma Hotel and Tacoma Savings & Loan can also be spotted on the left of this September 2, 1954, photograph, taken from the seventh floor of the Winthrop Hotel.

Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Savings & Loan Association (Tacoma); Tacoma Hotel (Tacoma);

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington: yard employees' Christmas party. Employees sit at long tables arranged between what appear to be containers of the company's chemicals. Employees eat a holiday meal of soup, bread and coffee poured from a large urn into paper cups.

Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Washington (Tacoma)--Employees; Chemical industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Factories--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exposure of Holroyd Co.'s concrete block plant next to Meadow Park golf course. Round block building with square block entrance.

Cement industries--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma);

Exposure of Holroyd Co.'s concrete block plant next to Meadow Park golf course. The city directory does not give an address for this plant; advertisements of the time list it only as "gravel pit near Meadow Park." Picture is of a round block building with a square block entrance, possibly made of the same concrete blocks manufactured here. The use of this building is unknown.

Cement industries--Tacoma; Holroyd Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1910. An unidentified logger stands in front of a logging shed, circa 1913. The shed is labelled "Grays Harbor Logging Co., Camp #2." The Grays Harbor Logging Company was located on the East Fork of the Wishkah River, outside of Aberdeen in Grays Harbor County, where they maintained three logging dams. The head of the company was Calvin Herbert "Bert" Shutt, who drowned in one of his own logging ponds on the river November 18, 1915. The company was in operation from around 1909-1920. By 1913, the company also maintained offices in Aberdeen, located on "Skidroad," near the corner of Hume and F St. The secretary/treasurer of the company was F.E. Burrows. ("They Tried to Cut It All" by Edwin Van Syckle) (photograph courtesy of Dan Powell) TPL-9835

Grays Harbor Logging Co. (Aberdeen); Lumber industry--Grays Harbor;

ca. 1932. South end of Pacific Ave. just south of the Union Station. Goodrich Silvertown, Inc. (1955 Pacific ) and the Bone-Dry Shoe Co. (2113-15 Pacific) are neighbors as evidenced in this circa 1932 photograph. The tire store, Goodrich Silvertown, utilized Hollowstone concrete and tile in its construction. Throngs visited the store when it opened in June of 1931. The Bone-Dry Shoe factory was designed by architects Hill, Mock & Griffin and opened in 1919. It manufactured top quality boots for nearly 40 years mostly handcrafted by skilled workers.