100 YEARS AGO TODAY
December 21, 1912
Six Japanese now held at the city jail, the police believe, are the principal members of a Japanese “black hand” society who have threatened different Japanese merchants of this city in the past two weeks. Merchants had complained to the police last week and since that time detectives, specially detailed on the case by Capt. John Fitzgerald, have kept a close watch for the men. Because of the fear of the merchants, who refuse to appear against the prisoners, the police are able to do nothing more than place vagrancy charges against the alleged members of the society.
50 YEARS AGO TODAY
December 21, 1962
Tacoma’s community Christmas tree apparently reigns as the nation’s tallest. Utilities officials who confidently issued the original claim that the 112-foot Douglas fir is the highest reported today that not a single qualified challenge has been received to date. A Portland newspaper had reported that a tree in Hillsboro-Moreland district is the tallest but the claim proved a bit short in comparison to the towering sentinel presented by Fort Lewis’ soldiers to our town. The claim expressed by Tacoma City Light carefully limited the downtown Douglas fir as the tallest Christmas tree cut. It is 40 feet taller than the White House tree which grew in Colorado forests.
25 YEARS AGO TODAY
December 21, 1987
While the cities of Seattle and Olympia plan to begin home pickup of recyclables to save money, the only curbside recycling in Tacoma is handled by a new company that started collection Nov. 20. City-County Recycling is headed by Michael Slagle, an environmentalist, entrepreneur and curbside recycling pioneer, who began a drive in early November to get Tacoma residents used to recycling before rising garbage costs make it an economic necessity for many.
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