Historic Hood River
“Taking Oil From Water”
10-8-2015
Notes
I’ve been trying to find this negative for four years. It was one of the first Alva Day negatives I saw when I started looking through the box of his material in 2011. It must have made an impression because I kept asking Matt if he’d seen it as we scanned the collection. I must not have been paying attention when we finally scanned it in July 2012.
This is from Alva Day’s visit to Alaska in 1917. He came upon this collapsed dock of oil barrels, possibly in Ketchikan, and shot a few frames. It’s been “hiding in plain sight” since then. Because it never got the tags “Alaska” or “oil” it evaded my subsequent searches until I stumbled upon it today.
L.E.
I remember when you posted photo 761 there was some discussion as to cause of collapsed dock.
I’m stilling going with the idea of a storm.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=761
Buzz
If this is Ketchikan, or any community located within the "inside passage", I doubt if storm caused dock collapse. Water is too protected from ocean storms by other islands.
Longshot
Maybe a tsunami or maybe a ship rammed the dock or maybe just shoddy building techniques.
L.E.
I have looked all over for some history of Alaska docks in 1917. Evidently the winter of 1917 was a heavy snow, rain and ice winter. Maybe that was the cause.
Not sure what town this is. I have been up and down this route a few times, but not enough to recognize towns.
I think these barrels were brought in. Not Alaska oil being shipped out.