The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-10
Chamber of Commerce
Sfirs Up Home Fires
Dsrmer and Farrell
Get a Job
And thereby Hangs, Not
One Tale. But Many
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In the latter part of 1884 and
early in 1885 business was not
so good In Tacoma. In the
opinion Of the newly organized
Chamber of Commerce there
was only one thing to be done
about II and that was to stir
up the home fires, create some
enthusiasm and give substan-
tial evidence of the faith that
was in the builders Of the city.
The first thing the members Of
the organization did was to dig
down in their pockets for money
to put up their own building.
Because of this and SO many
other interesting episodes asso-
ciated with the development Of
this city in the eighties, the as
ISOLATION of Tacoma architects
has asked c. A. Darmer, pioneer
member of the profession. to
prepare a series of sketches that
will tell the story of the build
ing of Tacoma. The first of the
series. dealing with the building
of the Chamber of Commerce
home, is herewith presented as
read by Mr.. Darmer at a recent
meeting of the association:
On the second of January,
1882, landed in San Francisco.
I had left Sidney, Australia, on
a sailing vessel named "Khora-
san" bound for the English cham
mel by way OF San Francisco,
but the appearance of the coun-
try. the opportunities offered
and the friendliness Of the peo-
pie there SO impressed me that
I decided to settle on the Pacific
coast.
The building construction of
wood which prevailed there was
new to me, so I worked about
two months on some buildings to
gain experience. After that I
worked in the offices of Curt
lett, Mooser & Macy, San Fran
cisco architects. They were in
teresting men of English, French
and American birth.
In the fall of 1883 the
Northern Pacific transconti-
mental line was finished to
Portland, which created
quite a boom for that part
Of the Northwest. was
one of many who went to :.
Portland, and being pleased
with the chances offered,
took up a piece of land near
Portland and built q log
house.
expected to work in the
office of one of the Portland
architects in the spring but
Architect William Farrell, of
Tacoma. needed an assistant so
L accepted the position and
started work in Tacoma April
8, 1884. I also worked in the
office of Daniels & Proctor.
Some of the buildings we con-
structed are still occupied.
That fall I worked in the Of
flee Of one of Portland's lead
ing architects, but as I had
agreed to return to Farrelrs
office the next spring, I decided
In the winter of 1884 to visit
my parents in Liverpool.
In the winter of 1SS4-s5 most
of the buildings in the 700 block
on Pacific avenue were burned.
had intended to return to Ia
coma in the spring of 1885 but
IN January Farrell urged me to
return and I arrived in Tacoma
the last of February. 1885.
On looking over the situation
IN Tacoma 1 found it was more
talk than anything else. so I
investigated the situation in
other Puget Sound cities, in
GLIDING Victoria, but found no
immediate encouragement there.
Staying over night in a Victoria
hotel I was aroused during the
night to find my room full of
smoke and the fire engines out
side.
I seized my clothes and
made my way to the dining
room where the other guests