A letter dated August 4, 1971 from the Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY, to Julian Hinds stated: "This is addressed to you as an Honorary Member of the Society at the request of the ASCE Committee on the History and Heritage of American Civil Engineering to bring attention to the possibility that you may wish to place papers of historical significance to the civil engineering profession in the Biographical Archives of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. There such material would become available to scholars for historical research. It is hoped that these archives would grow through a systematic and continuing program of gathering such papers from files of contemporary leaders of the civil engineering profession."
The collection consists of correspondence with the curator and members of the group of consultants for various dam projects, reports by various municipalities, reports by consulting firms, copies of papers published by the American Society of Civil Engineers, technical magazine articles, and Federal Government publications.
Since the investigation of the location for dams, the analysis of the feasibility of the project, and the final construction of dams was the main thrust of the professional work of Julian Hinds, his alphabetical listing of dams that he had some activity with forms the basis for referencing most of the collection. There was a fire that destroyed some of the material he had collected over the years, and that may account for the fact that some listed dams have no recorded reports etc.. The collection contains, however, a 124 page summary by Julian Hinds entitled "A Descriptive Listing Of The Writer's Dams" that does briefly refer to all dams in
Series 2.
In addition to the reports on dams, the collection included publications on the subjects of aqueducts, linings for canals, steel and concrete pipe, research and design, international meetings, and books/pamphlets on the dams in California and Washington.
Biographical / Historical:
Julian Hines (1881 - 1975) was born at Warranton, Alabama, grew up on a farm in Bullard, Texas, and without a High School Diploma entered the University of Texas, Austin, Texas, the fall of 1904 and was graduated with a B.S. Engineering Degree in 1908.
After graduation he was an instructor at the Univ. of Texas for one year then went with private industry designing precast concrete railway bridges. That design work lead to engineering concrete irrigation works with the Bureau of Reclamation in Sunnyside, Washington, and then later at various other locations involving the construction of dams. He resigned from the Bureau in 1926 to work in Mexico on dams and irrigation systems. The Calles Dam was notable among early "trail load" arches. In 1929 he became Assistant General Manager and Chief Engineer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. In that capacity he assumed charge of planning and design work on the Colorado River Aqueduct, a $40 million dollar project. He retired in 1951 as General Manager and Chief Engineer.
Post retirement (1951 - 1971) consulting with the Bechtel Corporation, Department of the Army (U.S.E.D.), the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the World Bank involved many of the dams constructed on the Columbia and Colorado Rivers, and in the States of Montana, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and south of the border, Mexico. It is estimated that he was employed on 150 dam projects.
During his engineering career he wrote many technical articles and was a co-author of "Engineering for Dams" by Creager, Hinds, and Justin and contributed to references on hydraulics and dams.
Among honors received was the "Distinguished Aluminus" citation given by the University of California in 1957; Member of Tau Beta Pi (an Engineering Honor Society); member of Sigma Xi; Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers; and Honorary L.L.D., University of California, 1957.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Julian Hinds, 1974.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 03-070, National Museum of History and Technology. Division of Preindustrial Cultural History, Exhibition Records
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 03-070, National Museum of History and Technology. Division of Preindustrial Cultural History, Exhibition Records
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 03-070, National Museum of History and Technology. Division of Preindustrial Cultural History, Exhibition Records
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of Search this
Extent:
3 Cubic feet (10 boxes, 7 map-folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1860-1970
Scope and Contents:
Mainly forms, manuals, federal regulations, accounting instructions, and personnel materials. Included are labor agreements, an employee handbook, and information on the employees' sick benefit association. Other materials include drawings of property owned; and photographs, engineering drawings, technical publications relating to railroad passenger car brake equipment; also a public relations publication, "The Pony Express Story."
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into eight series.
Series 1, Adams Express Company, 1899-1913
Series 2, Railway Express Agency Printed Material, 1914-1965
Series 3, Engineering drawings and publications, 1898-1952
Series 4, Air and Mail Forms, 1954-1964
Series 5, Personnel materials, 1864-1879
Series 6, Schedules and routes, 1929-1967
Series 7, Rates, Rules, and Regulations, 1860-1962
Series 8, Notebook--Bulletins and Circulars, 1929-1958
Series 9, Drawings, 1873-1970
Biographical / Historical:
In 1860 there were three principal transcontinental mail and express routes: By ship from New York to Panama then by portage across the Isthmus to the West Coast and finally back to sea for the last leg to San Francisco; Second, the Butterfield and Fargo Stageline operating from St. Louis through the Indian Territory along the Santa Fe Trail and up to Los Angeles to San Francisco; and third the stageline of Russell, Majors, and Waddell, which traveled from Ft. Levenworth, Kansas to Denver, then over the mountains to Salt Lake City and California terminating in San Francisco. Early in 1860 the Pony Express concept was formed and operated from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacremento, California. The end of the Pony Express came in 1861 when the telegraph line connected Omaha and San Francisco and officially ended on October 26, 1861.
On November 1, 1866, Wells Fargo & Co. purchased the stage and Pony Express operations from Ben Holladay. At this time there were several express companies; however, by 1914 there were only seven. During World War I these seven companies were consolidated at the direction of the Federal Government into one nationwide organization, the American Railway Express Agency. In 1929 the nations railroads bought the express business and changed the name to Railway Express Agency, Inc. In November 1960, REA Express was adopted as the Company's trade name. In October 1960, they acquired Fast Service Shipping Terminals Inc. In January 1961, formed REA Leasing Corp a trailer leasing company. In February 1965 formed with Seven Arts Associated Corp. and Travel Theaters Inc. REA Express Seven Arts Transvision, Inc. In 1965, they sold 32 terminals and leased them back. In April 1967, REA Express Canada, Ltd., was formed. In May 1967, Rexco Supply Corp. formed to conduct tire recapping and automotive parts distribution business. In February 1970, The Express Co. Inc. was founded as a subsidiary of REA Holding Corp to conduct an international air freight forwarding business.
On February 21, 1975, the Company filed a petition under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act in Federal Court in New York County listing assets of $41,000,000 and liabilities of $55,000,000. Company said the reasons for the petition included losses created by years of railroad domination as well as high rate of inflation, a recent decline in express shipments, and limited availability of credit.
Provenance:
Gift from Roger F.R. Karl, consulting engineer.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Mechanical and Civil Engineering Glass Plate Negatives
Creator:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
2.5 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
1915 - 1980s.
Scope and Contents note:
Photographs documenting civil and mechanical engineering activities, equipment, facilities, and projects. Some of the subjects are boilers, engines, turbines, lighthouses, aqueducts, bridges, factories, roads, hydroelectric stations, kilns and mills. Few of the images are identified.
Arrangement:
1 series.
Provenance:
Date and source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Schuylkill Construction and Supply Company. Search this
Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva), 1847-1931 Search this
Former owner:
Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of Search this
Extent:
6.3 Cubic feet (6 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business records
Papers
Place:
Shenandoah (Pa.)
Bloomsburg (Pa.)
Date:
1909-1938
Summary:
The collection documents E.R. Beers's business records, his personal collection of Edison trivia, and correspondence between Beers and General Electric (1909-1922).
Scope and Contents note:
This collection consisting of records of the Schuylkill Electric Construction & Supply Co. and the E.R. Beers Electric Co. and includes correspondece, advertisements, sales receipts, limited cash statements, and bids for electrical modifications. The bulk of the data is from the period from 1909 through the 1920's and mid 1930's. The collection contains advertisements that reflect the introduction of the electrical appliance to the home. Important transitions in the electrical industry are represented. For example, in July 1910 there is an acceptance by Lehigh Valley Railroad of rewiring of the Shenandoah Station according to "the rules and regulations of the Underwriter's Association" and agreement to furnish certificate of approval. Further, in February 1922 there the statement "Service for direct current motors is gradually being eliminated and will eventually be discontinued ... ."
Biographical/Historical note:
The Schuylkill Electric Construction & Supply Co., a small electrical operation in a very important period of time, 1909 to 1938, particularly for electrical appliances reflecting the conversion of gas lighting to incandescent lighting to decorative and arc lighting. At first there were two stores, one in Reading, Pennsylvania and one in Shenandoah, PA. The partnership was dissolved January 1911, resulting in the closing of the Reading, Pennsylvania store and the continued operation of the Shenandoah, Pennsylvania store. The Kauffman Electric Co., Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania was purchased in 1919 and named the E.R. Beers Electric Company.
Provenance:
Collection donated by E.R. Beers, December 1985.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Annual Reports for 1961-1962 including Department of Armed Forces History, Department of Science and Technology, Division of Medical Sciences, Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of Physical Sciences, Department of Civil History,
