Milwaukee Rail Car Ferry Slip (1909-1929)

intro needed here

Although not a mill, this facility must be given honorable mention. The smelter and many lumber mills were up and running full steam by 1907, but shipping was still limited to sailing ships and the Allen C. Mason/N.P. single railroad line along the waterfront. (The N.P. rail lines from Tacoma and the wooden roadway from Old Town to the smelter did not exist until 1913-14).

In 1908, the Milwaukee Railway Co. incorporated in Washington. At the end of the year, a rail line was planned from Old Town to the smelter, but the waterfront mills and businesses feared a disturbance of their property (and buildings) along the shoreline; most had been built right where the rail line would have to go. In 1909, a line was put in (on pilings over the water) and a few mills had to do some changing, but the Milwaukee was cooperative. The biggest obstacle was Pacific Shingle Co. because its main operation was right on the way of the proposed line. Milwaukee ran its tracks around the entire mill (and its burner) then back in again, parallel with the shore.

A ferry slip was built (at the foot of Monroe Street) which would transport rail cars by barge, from Old Town’s waterfront across the bay to a ferry slip on the Tideflats. One of the first barges (built by Milwaukee) put into use in 1909 was called “Car Barge #1”. It was 191 feet long, 42 feet wide, and could hold 12 fully loaded railroad cars. This Old Town rail/ferry service was officially known as “The Milwaukee Terminal Railway Co”.

In 1913-14, the wooden roadway and N.P. (double-track) rail Line was put in from Tacoma to the smelter, and a tunnel was built so trains could not continue south without going back through Tacoma. The N.P. would not allow the Milwaukee on its line, so the latter had to continue ferry usage.

In 1925, Ruston Way was put in, and the ferry slip was still used as the convenient service for transporting cars; However, by 1929 an agreement was established between the N.P. and Milwaukee, where the latter could use the N.P. tracks for ding switching operations. This brought an end to the Old Town ferry slip usage and the sight of huge barges crossing the bay.

Nerheim, J. N.. The History of Lumber Mills in Old Town. Tacoma, WA. Self-published, 2004.