A Steel Mill for Tacoma
Investors finalize plans to bring a large-scale steel fabricating plant to Tacoma, promising new industry and jobs.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Tacoma is to get that steel plant promoted by A. P. Gillies, according to the action taken at a meeting of the Pioneer Steel Corporation last night. As a beginner, a fabricating plant will be erected here this summer and it will later be merged into the main proposition. A. E. Eberhard, Western manager for the Columbia Steel Bridge Company, met with the projector of the enterprise last night. Engineer Young of the Balfour-Guthrie Company was also present, guaranteeing the mine holdings of the company for the project and steps were taken to finally launch the venture. Mr. Eberhard declared he was ready to go right ahead. His company has now taken steps to build a big fabricating plant in the west to handle structural steel work and machinery has been shipped to Walla Walla now. Over $12,000 worth of machinery is there, but with the opportunity of getting in on the Pioneer plant, Mr. Eberhard declared this would be shipped to Tacoma and the fabricating mill will be built here. This mill will then be in shape to turn out the product for erecting the main plant and the affiliated projects of Gillies. The fabricating plant will cost probably $60,000 to start with. With this settled, Gillies will go back to New York and lay the matter before the financiers there and finance the rest of the proposition.
“Tacoma is to get that steel plant promoted by A. P. Gillies.”
Tacoma’s industrial history was defined by boosters and speculative grand plans like this steel mill. Today, the city’s relationship with heavy industry remains a complex conversation as waterfront parcels are repurposed for the modern era.
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