Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
5933 6th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98108
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.mohai.org
1984.81
Ross, Robert
B., 1869-1952
Robert B. Ross Collection of Maritime
Photographs and Other Material
circa 1895-1961
1910-1942
2 boxes
.84 cubic feet
The collection consists largely of
photographs of sailing ships, tugboats and steamships related to Ross's career
as Chief Engineer on various vessels.
2b.1.9 (photographs and albums)
13b.4.3 (papers)
1a.3.14 (oversize photo)
Collection
materials are in
English.
Biographical Note:
Robert B. Ross was born in Adelaide, Australia in 1867. In 1870 Ross's
family sailed on the Benjamin Amer to San
Francisco, and later that year to Port Madison on Bainbridge Island, Washington
aboard the barkentine William H. Gawley. Ross
began his maritime career in his teens, steamboating on Puget Sound in the
summer 1883 and working as a machinist in various Puget Sound ports in 1884.
In 1891, Ross began working for the Puget Sound Tug Boat Company,
serving as assistant or chief engineer on nearly all 14 deep-sea tugs
comprising the company fleet. In 1898, Ross conveyed the fleet of 12 Moran
Brothers river steamboats from Seattle to St. Michael, Alaska during the
Klondike gold rush. In 1903, he was chief engineer of the tugboat
Tyee when it towed the disabled freight steamship
Meteor from Dutch Harbor, Alaska to Seattle.
In 1917, Ross left the towing fleets and worked installing machinery
for the U.S. Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation, working on ships
including the motorship Alabama and the steamships
Mahaska, Nasika,
Yakima, Bosworth,
Delight and Gaffeny.
Around 1920, he worked aboard the steamship West
Jessup as chief engineer, and later serving on the steamship
Higho, on which he sailed from Seattle to Taku
Bar, China, during a stormy voyage in which the ship sustained some damage.
During his stay, Ross visited the Great Wall and various ports in China and
Japan. While working aboard the Higho, Ross also
visited ports along the east coast of South America and along the
Mediterranean, in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Northern Africa.
Other ships on which Ross served as chief engineer include the tug
Sea Monarch, the tug A.O.
Hermanson, the steamships Norwood and
Mahukona, as well as ferries of the Puget Sound
Navigation Company.
In 1930, Ross went to New York, where he became chief engineer of the
steamship Eastern Coast, renamed the
Diamond Cement. The vessel came west and operated
out of Seattle until 1933, when it returned to the Atlantic coast. Ross left
the ship in Boston and returned to Seattle, but came on again as chief engineer
when the Diamond Cement, of the Pacific Coast Coal
Company, returned to Seattle in 1935. He served continuously in this position
until his retirement in 1942.
Robert Ross died in Port Madison in December 1952.
The collection is comprised largely of photographs, with 239 loose
photographs and 6 photograph albums. Most of the photographs depict ships and
include sailing ships, tugboats and steamships. The photographs appear to
relate to Ross's employment, with photographs of sailing ships apparently taken
from tugboats, though it is unknown whether they were taken by Ross, or during
the time he was serving on the tugboat. Photographs of tugboats depict ships
Ross is known to have served on, such as the Tacoma and other tugs of the Puget Sound Tug Boat
Company. The collection also depicts steamships on which Ross served as Chief
Engineer, notably the Higho and the
Diamond Cement, which operated for a time as an
ore carrier that shuttled between Seattle and View Cove, Alaska.
The collection includes a series of photographs taken during the time
Ross served on the Higho when the ship stopped in
ports in China, Brazil and Italy and includes images of the officers of the
Higho on tour visiting Pisa, Rio de Janeiro,
China's Great Wall and other attractions.
Papers include original writings about Ross's experience on and
knowledge of the tugs Tyee and
Tacoma, a small amount of work-related
correspondence and notes, and a file of clippings related to early vessels on
Puget Sound, other vessels and maritime personalities.
Arranged in series:
- Photographs
- Photographic postcards
- Albums
- Papers
- Writings
- Correspondence
- Ephemera
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to
all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may
require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Robert B. Ross Collection of Maritime Photographs and Other Material,
Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Gift of the estate of Robert B. Ross via William O. Beaton, August
1984.
Glassine dividers between album pages were removed and album pages
were interleaved with archival tissue.
Numbering of photographs begins with number 19; numbers 1 through 18
are assigned to collection artifacts held by the Collections Department at
MOHAI.
Several books that were received with the donation were transferred to
the book collection of the Sophie Frye Bass Library.
These materials are part of a donation that also included a number of
artifacts. These artifacts are cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI's
Collections Department.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Puget
Sound Tug Boat Company--Photographs
Dall Island
(Alaska)--Photographs
Port
Madison (Bainbridge Island, Wash.)
Tugboats--Washington
(State)--Puget Sound--Photographs
Steamships--Washington
(State)--Photographs
Sailing ships--Washington
(State)--Puget Sound--Photographs
Photographs
Ships
and shipping
Washington (State)
Photographic
prints
Photograph
albums
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Photographs
Robert B. Ross
circa 1940
19
1/1
Robert B. Ross on the tug
Tacoma
circa 1900
20
1/1
Robert B. Ross on ship at sea,
probably the Diamond Cement
circa 1940
21
1/1
Robert B. Ross on the
Diamond Cement
1940
"Latest picture at sea"
22
1/1
Man on ship, probably Robert B.
Ross on the Diamond Cement
circa 1940
4" x 6"
negative
Sailing ships
circa 1891-1917
Photographs of sailing ships were probably all taken from the
deck of a tugboat; tugboat deck and tow lines are visible in several of the
photographs.
24-54
1/3
Sailing ships
circa 1891-1917
Ships being towed to port from sea
-
Abner Coburn
-
George E. Billings
-
Idaho
-
Klickitat
-
Manila (Japanese
schooner)
-
Marion Chilcotte
- Schooner Maud
-
Meteor
-
Robert Rickmos (?), a
German ship
55-60
1/4
Sailing ships
circa 1891-1917
-
Admiral
-
Alexander McNeill
- Revenue cutter Grant
-
Helene
63-74
1/5
Sailing ships, probably from
tug Tacoma
circa 1891-1917
5" x 7"
Includes images where the Tacoma
and crew are visible
-
Gatherer
-
Glenesslin
-
Okanogan
-
Silo
75-79
1/6
Sailing ships
circa 1891-1917
3.5" x 3.5"
-
Glenesslin
- Schooner Helene
80
1/7
Ship Pinmore listing starboard
1901 October 29
"Salv[ag]ed by Tyee from sholes
north of Grey's Hbr and towed to Puget Sound"
81
1/7
Ship Roanoke
circa 1891-1917
"American wooden sailing ship of the Sewell fleet"
82
1/8
Barkentine
Gardner City
circa 1891-1917
83
1/9
Sailing ship
Spartan
circa 1891-1917
hand-colored
"Ship Spartan after being cast
off by Tug Tacoma at Cape Flattery. Coal ladened
for San Francisco"
84
1/10
Man with figurehead of sailing
ship Glory of the Seas
1911
Muirhead Photo
85-90
Sailing ships
circa 1891-1917
5" x 7"
negatives
Tugboat from which photograph was taken is visible in two of
the images
Tugboats
circa 1891-1917
Date range is estimated based on the years Ross is known to have
worked on tugboats; some photographs may be later
23
1/2
Tug Politkofsky in Port Blakely harbor
undated
Note signed by R.B. Ross on verso: "Tug Politkofsky formally [sic] a Russian gunboat came under
the American flag with the purchase of Alaska by the U.S.A.
The Politkovsky towed the Bkn.
Wm. H. Gawley from sea to Port Madison Jan 1871
and our family was passengers on the Gawley.
Later converted to a Tug and used by Port Madison and Port
Blakeley [sic] Mill Cos."
Tug Tacoma
circa 1891-1917
91
OS
Tug Tacoma
circa 1891-1917
61
1/4
Three men on tug
Tacoma: J.F. Primrose, Charles Rasmoson, and John
Stromberg
circa 1891-1917
77
1/6
Crew on tug
Tacoma
circa 1891-1917
92
1/11
Robert B. Ross, Sue Phillips
and Etta Alexander on tug Tacoma
circa 1891-1917
cyanotype
93
1/11
H.H. Morrison, Sue Phillips
and Etta Alexander on tug Tacoma
circa 1891-1917
cyanotype
Tug Tyee
circa 1891-1917
94
1/12
Tug Tyee at sea
circa 1891-1917
Handwritten on verso: "Was built at Ludlow by the Union Iron
Wks., S[an] F[rancisco] Cal[ifornia]"
95-96
1/12
Robert B. Ross on tug
Tyee
circa 1891-1917
Handwritten on verso: "Tug Tyee. R.B. Ross Engr."
97-99
1/12
Tug Tyee
circa 1891-1917
100
1/13
Tug Lorne
circa 1891-1917
101
1/13
Tug Sea
Lion
circa 1891-1917
Handwritten on verso: "Tug Sea
Lion rammed and sunk by Schr Oceana Vance off Race Rocks in fog.
Sea Lion was built by John Dialogue at Camden,
N.J. Was a speedy vessel and very hanson [sic]."
102
1/13
Tug Pioneer
circa 1891-1917
103
1/13
Tug Wanderer
circa 1891-1917
104
1/13
Tug boat towing sail
boat
circa 1891-1917
105
1/13
Tug Reliance
circa 1891-1917
106
1/13
Tug Wyadda
circa 1891-1917
2 copies
Tug Tatoosh
107-108
1/14
Launching of tug
Tatoosh at Moran Brothers shipyard,
Seattle
1900 February 2
109
1/14
Tug Tatoosh flying ten different flags
circa 1900-1917
110
1/14
Tug Tatoosh at sea
circa 1900-1917
Anders B.
Wilse
3 copies
111-113
1/15
Motorship Alabama on ways and launching
circa 1891-1917
Note on verso indicates that the machinery on the
Alabama was installed by Robert B. Ross
Steamships
S.S. Higho
1919-1920
Ross served as Chief Engineer aboard the steamship
Higho.
Photographs depicts the steamship Higho, and Ross and other officers visiting ports in
China, Brazil and Italy.
114
1/16
S.S. Higho in Portland
1919 June
115-119
1/17
Officers of the S.S.
Higho
1920
5 photographs
3 of the images depict 8 officers on the deck of the Higho:
1st Mate Meadows, 2nd Mate Phillips, Chief Engineer Robert B. Ross, 1st
Assistant Engineer H.O. Halvorsen, 2nd Assistant Engineer R. Billings, 3rd
Assistant Engineer B. Hubble, and an unidentified Radio Operator and 3rd
Mate.
2 of the images depict 4 of the officers listed above.
Hong Kong and China
tours
1920
120
1/18
Chinese men unloading coal
from the Higho in Honk Kong
1920
121
1/18
Chinese junks in Hong
Kong
1920
122
1/18
Junks and sampans in Hong
Kong
1920
123
1/18
Great Wall
1920
124
1/18
Great Wall and city of
Shan-Hai-Kuan
1920
125-126
1/18
Streets in
Shan-Hai-Kuan
1920
127
1/18
Five men from the
Higho, including R.B. Ross, in front of tower on
top of Great Wall
1920 April
128
1/18
Five men from the
Higho, including R.B. Ross, and 8 Chinese men near
temple built on top of Great Wall
1920
129
1/18
Prison with Great Wall in
background
1920
130
1/18
Higho officer Hubble standing with Chinese
family
1920
131
1/18
Chinese man
squatting
1920
132-134
1/18
Chow puppies
1920
Brazil tour
1920
135
1/19
Engineering crew on deck of
the Higho
1920 July 5
"Panama Canal, July 5, 1920, S.S. Higho"
Identifications on verso. Left to right: Chief Engineer
Robert B. Ross, 1st Engineer H.O. Halvorsen, 2nd Engineer R. Billings, 3rd
Engineer B. Hubbel
136
1/19
Man on deck of
Higho with Rio de Janeiro and Sugar Loaf Mountain
in distance
1920
Identified on verso as L. Weltgen
137
1/19
Two men on deck of
Higho with Rio de Janeiro and Sugar Loaf Mountain
in distance
1920
Identified on verso as D. Brunea and L. Weltgen
138
1/19
Two men on deck of
Higho
1920
Identified on verso and Robert B. Ross and "McCurdy"
139
1/19
Higho officer "Sparks" in front of hotel in Santos,
Brazil
1920
140
1/19
Hotel in Santos,
Brazil
1920
141-143
1/19
Train tracks between Santos
and Santa Paula
1920
144
1/19
Statue and pond in Santa
Paula
1920
145-150
1/19
Horse racing track in Santa
Paula
1920
151-153
1/19
Robert B. Ross, H.O.
Halverson and R. Billings on auto road along beach outside Rio de
Janeiro
1920
Note on 153: "Drive along cliffs out of Rio de Janeiro.
This road was built to entertain King Albert of Belgium."
154
1/19
Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio de
Janeiro
1920
155-157
1/19
Cable cars at Sugar Loaf
Mountain
1920
Italy tour
circa 1920
158-162
1/20
Leaning tower at
Pisa
circa 1920
Includes images of the tower from the ground and views
from the top of the tower. Robert B. Ross appears in some images, along with
"McCurdy" and "Daniellson."
163-165
1/20
Pisa Cathedral
circa 1920
166-170
1/20
Higho officers, including Robert B. Ross, in
Pompeii
circa 1920
171
1/20
"Weltgen" at café table in
Genoa
circa 1920
172
1/20
Columbus House,
Genoa
circa 1920
173
1/20
Steamship
undated
This photo was together with the Higho tour photos but the location of the steamship is
unknown
The Diamond Cement
circa 1930-1942
Dates are estimated based on the dates that Ross served as
Chief Engineer on the Diamond Cement.
174-175
1/21
Diamond
Cement loading ore at View Cove, Alaska
circa 1930-1942
176-177
1/22
Seattle waterway bridges (?)
open for passage of Diamond Cement (view from deck
of Diamond Cement)
circa 1930-1942
178-180
1/23
Stormy sea from the
Diamond Cement showing water on deck, views
forward and aft
circa 1930-1942
"S.S. Diamond Cement with 6500
tons lime rock cargo in Hekita Straits"
181
1/23
Diamond
Cement discharging cargo in Seattle
circa 1930-1942
182
1/23
View of deck and water from
bridge of Diamond Cement
circa 1930-1942
183
1/23
View of Laurada (?) Channel
from Diamond Cement
1940 April 29
184
1/23
View of Principe Channel,
B.C. from Diamond Cement
1940 April 30
185
1/23
Men on deck near
lifeboat
1940 May 3
"Fire drill on the S.S. Diamond
Cement"
186
1/23
Man near winch on deck
circa 1930-1942
187
1/23
Robert B. Ross, Joe Brugger,
S.M. Anderson, 2nd mate Larsen and two female passengers on deck
circa 1930-1942
188
1/23
Robert B. Ross and young girl
passenger on deck
circa 1930-1942
189
1/23
Radio operator "Bears" on
deck
circa 1930-1942
190
1/23
2nd Officer Clark, 1st Office
Peterson and Chief Engineer Robert Ross on deck
circa 1930-1942
191
1/23
Captain Guptill, Chief
Engineer Robert Ross and six passengers on deck
circa 1930-1942
192
1/23
Robert B. Ross on
deck
1940 May 3
193
1/23
Captain Einer Thomsen on
deck
1940 May 3
194
1/23
2nd Assistant Joe Brugger on
deck
1940 May 3
195
1/23
1st Officer Delbert Kelly on
deck
1940 May 3
196
1/23
Robert B. Ross and "Biers" of
S.S. Diamond Cement standing near cactus on San
Marcos Island, Mexico
circa 1930-1942
197-201
1/24
Limestone quarry at View
Cove, Dall Island, Alaska
circa 1930-1942
Showing quarry, power plant, crusher house, wharf, and
conveyer.
The Diamond Cement carried
loads of limestone between the View Cove quarry and Seattle for the Pacific
Coast Coal Company.
202
1/25
Diamond
Cement in Inside Passage from Alaska to Puget Sound
undated
Other steamships
62
1/4
S.S. Garonne
undated
78-79
1/6
S.S. Victorian; unidentified steamer
undated
203
1/26
Steamer Fairhaven at sea
undated
204
1/26
Steamer Prince Robert in pass
undated
205
1/26
Steamer Sehome loading passenger at dock
undated
Crain's Instantaneous
Photographics
206
1/26
Steamer Flyer at sea
undated
"Built at Portland-famous for performances as ferry between
Seattle & Tacoma for many years"
207
1/26
Steamer Michigan loaded with passengers, Port
Blakely
undated
Peiser
"Jas Nugent owner. Wm. Primrose master"
208
1/26
Steamer Egremont at dock, Seattle
1912
209
1/26
Steamer Zephyr with passengers at dock
undated
Stereograph
210
1/26
Steamer Beaver near coast
undated
"Beaver first steam vessel on
the Pacific Ocean"
211
Steamship at sea
undated
5" x 7"
negative
212
1/27
Crew of steamer
Hyak
circa 1910
Studio portrait of 4 men in uniform. Left to right: Ole
Hansen, Engineer; Alfred Welfare, Mate; Gus Johnson, Purser; Henry Hansen,
Captain.
Wrecks
213-214
1/28
Men and women posed on top of
wreck of the tug Lorne
undated
215
1/28
Men near wreck of the tug
Lorne
undated
216-217
1/28
Wrecks of the tug
Lorne and sailing ship America
undated
218
1/28
Wrecks of the tug
Lorne and sailing ship America with tugs Prosper
and Tyee in background
undated
219
1/28
Figurehead on wreck of the
sailing ship America
undated
220
1/28
Steamer Ohioan aground near Seal Rocks, San
Francisco
undated
221
1/28
Remains of S.S. Islander near Juneau, Alaska
circa 1934
The steamship Islander of the
Canadian Pacific Steam Navigation Co. Pacific sunk in 1901 after hitting an
iceberg. Repeated salvage efforts have failed to yield strong boxes of gold
bullion that were expected to be on board.
"S.S. Islander after being raised
from bottom of sea after being under water about 25 years."
222
1/28
Buildings at Observation Point
(now Prospect Point), Vancouver, near the site of the steamship
Beaver's remains
undated
The steamship Beaver, owned by
the Hudson Bay Company, was run aground off Prospect Point, then called
Observation Point, Vancouver, in 1888. The wreck site is currently used to
train divers in underwater archaeology techniques.
Cartes de visite
undated
223-224
1/29
Captain Tug Wilson of the
Tidal Wave
undated
Vaughan's First Premium Photographic
Gallery
, San Francisco
Runnels & Co.
, San Francisco
"Captain [of] Tidal Wave-sailing
between Port Madison [and] San Francisco"
225-226
1/29
Captain Jeremiah Farmham of the
Northwest
circa late 1800s
Vaughan's First Premium Photographic
Gallery
, San Francisco
227
1/29
Alec Wood, former captain of
the West Seattle ferry
circa 1880s
Theo. E. Peiser
, Seattle
228
1/29
Wife of Captain McGuire of the
bark Nonantum
circa late 1800s
Morse
, San Francisco
Miscellaneous
229
1/30
Steamer Prosper towing 5 whales: 4 humpback and 1 sulphur
bottom
1909
230
1/30
Sulphur bottom whale and 5 men
on slip
1909
231-232
1/30
Unidentified
lighthouse
undated
5"x7"
Negatives
233
1/30
Six people in canoe
undated
5"x7"
Negative
Photographic postcards
Includes postcards written between Robert B. Ross and his family
and friends
231-235
1/31
Sailing ships
circa 1912
undated
5 postcards
Numbers 231-233:
O. Beaton
Includes bark Everett G. Griggs,
the Horzogin Cecelie, and the barks
St. Paul and Star of
Finland
236-240
1/31
Tugboats
circa 1912
undated
5 postcards
Number 236:
O. Beaton
Includes the Tatoosh, the
Pioneer, the Tyee and
the Lorne.
"Tug Lorne--British tug and one of
the Puget Sound Tugboat Cos. fleet. Wrecked on San Juan Island and later salved
and repaired."
241-249
1/31
Steamships
undated
9 postcards
Numbers 241-242:
Renfeld's
Photo
Includes the Harvard, the
Northwestern, the H.B.
Kennedy and two images of the Congress near
Coos Bay during and after a fire on board. One image shows the
Congress being towed by the tugs
Tyee, Oneonta and
Granger.
Wrecks
250
1/31
Wreck of steamer
Santa Clara on Coos Bay Bar
1915 November 2
Renfeld's Photo
, Marshfield, Oregon
251
1/31
Wreck of the S.S.Czarina, Coos Bay
undated
A.M. Prentiss
, Marshfield, Oregon
252
1/31
Wreck of S.S.
Mariposa near Bella Bella, B.C.
1915 October 8
253
1/31
Wreck of the
Prince Rupert
1917 March 23
254
1/31
S.S. Edith sinking off Alaska coast
circa 1910s
John E.
Thwaites
255
1/31
Tatoosh Island showing Cape
Flattery lighthouse and cedar-planked Makah buildings
circa 1895
256-257
1/31
Panorama of Hong Kong
undated
2 panoramas composed of 4
postcards each
Albums
undated
Albums of ship photographs, depicting sailing ships, tugs and
steamers.
258
2/1
Album 1
undated
6
photographs
3.25" x 3.25"
Six photographs of sailing ships: the Santa Clara, Gatherer, and
unidentified ships. The photographs were probably taken from a tugboat; the end
of a tugboat is visible in one of the images.
259
2/1
Album 2
undated
34
photographs
4" x 5.5"
31 photographs of sailing ships,2 photographs of steamships, and
1 photograph of a tugboat. Includes sailing ships
Highland, Griffiths, and
Admiral and the steamer Victoria. Photographs probably taken from a tugboat.
260
2/2
Album 3
undated
48
photographs
3.5" x 3.5"
Sailing ships depicted include the Eclipse, Wm. J. Rotch, Occidental, Drenna, Lamorna, Okanogan,
Nokomis, Spartan, Angerona, Eric, Tanner, Grant, Mayflint, Vidette, Glendoon,
Trongate, Coryphene, Manila, Harry Morse, Colbert, Highland Light, Honoipu,
Quickstep, J.M. Coleman and Imberhorn.
Tugs depicted include the J.E. Boyden,
Wallula, and Puget Sound Tug Boat Co. tugs Pioneer, Sea Lion, Tacoma, and Holyoke.
Steamships depicted include the Victorian,
Mayflower, Prosper, Bloemfontein, Angeles, Milos, Glenogil, Flyer, Sehome,
Walla Walla, survey steamer Pathfinder, and
transport ships Sheridan, Lawton and
Victoria.
Other ships: hospital ship Iroquois.
Photographs probably taken from tugs, with tug or tow line
visible in some
261
2/2
Album 4
undated
60
photographs
3.5" x 3.5"
Sailing ships depicted include the Inca, Wm. H. Smith, Courser,
Highland Light, John A. Briggs, J.M. Griffith, Drenna (a German ship),
St. Robert, Eric, Florence, Rickmers, and
Colorado.
Tugs depicted include the Tyee,
Walula and Puget Sound Tug Boat Co. tugs Pioneer and Tacoma.
Steamship depicted include the Prosper,
Queen City, Victorian, Mayflower, Morgan City, Angeles, and
Discovery.
Also includes images of Neah Bay; the Skagway waterfront showing
the Pacific Coast Co. dock; Fort Wrangel; a view from Ross's home of a sandspit
at Port Madison; people atop a large rock at Tracyton; men and horses on a
logging road; people at a cabin; Crystal Springs; women and children with
horses; a large house ("home, sweet home"); a horse and buggy on a dirt road;
women and children on house steps ("coming home from school"); women posed on
porches, on a dock, and in other outdoor scenes; and a cemetery.
Images of Port Madison depict the Port Madison Hotel, a Port
Madison stable, cookhouse and mill, a cabin, and McClallam House in Port
Madison. Two cyanotypes depict the Port Madison Post Office, Masonic Hall and a
store; and a schoolhouse in Port Madison.
262
2/3
Album 5
undated
48 photographs
Sailing ships depicted include the Spartan, Reaper, Silo, Occidental, Okanogan, Expansion,
Mermaid, Portland, Santa Clara, Gatherer, Meteor, Emilie, Abner Coburn, W.H.
Smith, May Flint, Tanner, Helene, Standard, Honoipu, Maggie Russ, J.M.
Griffith, News Boy, Battle Abbey, Admiral, Benicia, Isaac Reed, Robert R. Hind,
Monitor, Brinhilda, General Banning, Inca, Florence and
Fred D. Sander.
The Tug Tacoma is visible towing
ships J.D. Peters, Pengwern, Expansion and
Yola.
263
2/4
Album 6
undated
48 photographs
This album consists of the same photographs as Album 5, arranged
in a different order.
Papers
Writings
Handwritten manuscripts, mostly signed by Robert B. Ross, with
one signed by "Geo. Wish."
264
3/1
"Record of the Tug
Tacoma" by Robert B. Ross
undated
4 pages
Ross notes at the end of the manuscript that he served as
Engineer on the Tacoma for about 10 years.
265
3/2
"Record of the Tug
Tacoma" by Robert B. Ross
undated
9 pages
266
3/3
"About the Tug
Tyee - the Grand Old Lady" by Robert R.
Ross
undated
7 pages
267
3/4
Poem "S.S.
Higho," probably by Robert B Ross
undated
8 pages
268
3/5
Drawing and account by Robert
B. Ross of the S.S. Diamond Cement listing at a
Baltimore wharf
undated
2 pages
269
3/6
"The Ross Family - Port
Madison"
undated
1 page
The top of the page reads "C.T. Conover history" and the page
appears to be signed "Geo. Wish."
272
3/9
Engineering notes
1919-1940
Includes a handwritten reference guide of formulas, and a list
of distances traveled by the Diamond Cement from
1928-1940.
Correspondence
270
3/8
Outgoing correspondence from
Robert B. Ross as Chief Engineer of the S.S. Higho
1920-1921
Ephemera
3/7
Postcard advertising Puget
Sound Tug Boat Company
undated
3/7
Inspection certificate for tug
Pioneer
1890
3/10
Invitations
1904
1908
Invitations to the launching of the Battleship
Nebraska and the arrival of the U.S. Battleship
Fleet from the tug Tyee.
3/11
Flyers for a strike by the crew
of the S.S. Diamond Cement in
Baltimore
undated
3/12
Clippings
1935-1961
Includes Ross's retirement announcement; articles on early
Puget Sound vessels; and articles on Einer Thomsen, captain of the
Diamond Cement.