George H. Mendell Correspondence: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Katrina Denman.

Manuscripts Department

The Huntington Library

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2203

Fax: (626) 449-5720

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Overview of the Collection

Title: George H. Mendell Correspondence

Dates: 1894-1899

Bulk dates: 1897-1899

Collection Number: mssHM 77770-77910

Creator: Mendell, George H. (George Henry), 1831-1902

Extent: 141 items in 2 boxes

Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens Manuscripts Department

The Huntington Library

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2203

Fax: (626) 449-5720

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Abstract: This collection consists of letters from George H. Mendell to D.D. Clarke, engineer of the Water Board for Portland, Oregon, between 1897 and 1899. Mendell writes detailed letters of instruction and advice for engineering issues raised by Clarke, particularly regarding drainage, wells, and the sinking of shafts.

Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. George H. Mendell Correspondence, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Purchased from Ian Brabner, Bookseller on May 1, 2012.

Biographical Note

Colonel George Henry Mendell was born in Pennsylvania in 1831 and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1852. Mendell joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and served with a variety of topographical surveys before the Civil War, including the survey of the Northwestern Lakes (1852-1854) and various posts in the Oregon and Washington Territory (1855-1858). He was also an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy from 1859-1863. During the Civil War he served under Colonel Miles in the Manassas Campaign (1861) and carried on siege operations in the Petersburg, Virginia area (1864); was Assistant Engineer of Defenses of Baltimore (1864); and was Superintending Engineer of the construction of the Defenses of New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts (1865) and the Preservation of Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts (1866). He was made a Colonel for his war service in 1865 and subsequently became superintending engineer in charge of fortifications of Alcatraz Island and Lime Point, San Francisco Harbor (beginning 1867) and for defenses of the Columbia River (1867-1871). He later served on the board of engineers for fortifications of the Pacific Coast (1867-1886); on the commission for a system of irrigation for the San Joaquin, Tulare, and Sacramento Valleys (1873-1874); was Supervising Engineer of Districts in California, Oregon, and Washington in charge of junior officers (1884-1888); was Division Engineer for Inspection of Engineer Works in the Pacific territory (beginning in 1888); was Division Engineer of the Pacific Division (until 1895); and was in charge of construction of defenses of San Francisco Harbor (1890-1895). In civilian life he worked as Engineer to the Water Commissioners of San Francisco (1876-1878), was the author of a report on water supply for San Francisco (1877), and was Consulting Engineer for the State of California (1878-1880). Mendell retired from the Engineering Corps due to mandatory age requirements in 1895. Following his military retirement he worked as a consulting engineer in San Francisco, where he died in 1902. The Battery Mendell at Fort Barry was named in his honor.

Scope and Content

Collection of letters from George H. Mendell to D.D. Clarke - who was Engineer of the Water Board for Portland, Oregon – written between 1897 and 1899. Mendell writes detailed letters of instruction and advice for engineering issues raised by Clarke, particularly regarding drainage, wells, and the sinking of shafts. The majority of the letters were written from Mendell’s office in San Francisco, although some originated in Los Angeles or Springfield, Illinois, where Mendell had traveled “on account of mental illness of a relative” in 1897. He also mentions meeting with Clarke in Portland on his return trip from Illinois in September 1897. Also included in the collection are a few other pieces of miscellaneous correspondence from 1894-1899 relating to water engineering in Portland.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically in two boxes.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.

Personal Names

Clarke, D.D.

Mendell, George H. (George Henry), 1831-1902.

Subject

Drainage.

Shafts (Excavations)

Water-supply--Oregon.

Water-supply engineering--Portland--Oregon--History.

Wells.

Geograhic Areas

Oregon--History--19th century.

Portland (Ore.)--History.

Genre

Letters (correspondence)--Oregon--19th century.

Box 1

Correspondence, 1894-1898, Apr. HM 77770-77847.

1894, October 13. Letter to Henry Failing. Portland, Ore. [Incomplete] HM 77770

1895, January 5. A.N. Gambell. Letter to Frank T. Dodge. Portland, Ore. HM 77771

1895, January 7. M.N. Baker. Letter to Frank T. Dodge. New York, NY. HM 77772

1895, January 30. Moore, ? Letter to the Subcommittee on Construction. Portland, Ore. HM 77773

[1895, September 27]. R.R. Giltner. Letter to Isaac Smith. Portland, Ore. HM 77774

1895, October 15. R.R. Giltner. Letter to Isaac Smith. Portland, Ore. HM 77775

1896, June 22. Letter to the Water Committee of the City of Portland, Oregon. Portland, Ore. [Appears to be incomplete]. HM 77776

1896, December 8. Robert A.A. Miller. Letter to Banin & Ward. Oregon City, Ore. HM 77777

1897, July 27. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77778

1897, August 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77779

1897, August 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77780

1897, August 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77781

1897, August 7. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77782

1897, August 9. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77783

1897, August 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77784

1897, August 12. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77785

1897, August 14. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77786

1897, August 16. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77787

1897, August 16. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77788

1897, August 17. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77789

1897, August 21. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77790

1897, August 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77791

1897, August 26. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77792

1897, August 27. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77793

1897, September 2. Mendell. Letter to D. D. Clarke. Springfield, Ill. HM 77794

1897, September 2. Mendell. Letter to D. D. Clarke. Springfield, Ill. HM 77795

1897, September 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. Springfield, Ill. HM 77796

1897, September 16. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77797

1897, September 23. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77798

1897, October 2. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77799

1897, October 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77800

1897, October 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77801

1897, October 12. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77802

1897, October 16. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77803

1897, October 18. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77804

1897, October 21. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77805

1897, October 23. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77806

1897, October 28. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77807

1897, November 2. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77808

1897, November 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77809

1897, November 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77810

1897, November 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77811

1897, November 18. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77812

1897, November 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77813

1897, December 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77814

1897, December 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77815

1897, December 17. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77816

1897, December 20. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77817

1897, December 27. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77818

1897-1898. Tabulated statement of Rainfall and Drainage…from area…west of Reservoir #3 and #4, City Park…between August 1897 and June 1898. HM 77819

1898, January 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77820

1898, January 14. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77821

1898, January 20. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77822

1898, January 27. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77823

1898, January 28. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77824

1898, February 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77825

1898, February 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77826

1898, February 11. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77827

1898, February 11. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77828

1898, February 19. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77829

1898, February 22. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77830

1898, February 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77831

1898, March 2. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77832

1898, March 2. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77833

1898, March 9. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77834

1898, March 17. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77835

1898, March 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77836

1898, April 2. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77837

1898, April 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77838

1898, April 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77839

1898, April 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77840

1898, April 9. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77841

1898, April 11. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77842

1898, April 13. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77843

1898, April 15. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77844

1898, April 18. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77845

1898, April 25. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77846

1898, April 26. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77847

Box 2

Correspondence, 1898, May-1899. HM 77848-77910.

1898, May 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77848

1898, May 16. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77849

1898, May 19. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77850

1898, May 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77851

1898, May 31. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77852

1898, June 9. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77853

1898, June 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77854

1898, June 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77855

1898, June 16. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77856

1898, June 29. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77857

1898, July 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77858

1898, July 11. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77859

1898, July 13. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77860

1898, August 5. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77861

1898, August 15. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77862

1898, August 18. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77863

[1898], August 27. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77864

1898, August 29. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77865

1898, August 30. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77866

1898, August George Henry Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77867

1898, September 3. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77868

1898, September 8. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77869

1898, September 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77870

1898, October 1. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77871

1898, October 5. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77872

1898, October 11. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77873

1898, October 18. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77874

1898, October 31. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77875

1898, November 9. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77876

1898, November 15. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77877

1898, December 5. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77878

1898, December 14. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77879

1898, December 19. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77880

1898, December 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77881

1898, December 26. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77882

1899, January 3. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77883

1899, January 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77884

1899, January 5. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77885

1899, January 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77886

1899, January 13. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77887

1899, January 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. Los Angeles, Calif. HM 77888

1899, February 13. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. Los Angeles, Calif. HM 77889

1899, February 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77890

1899, February 25. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77891

1899, February 27. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77892

1899, February 28. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77893

1899, March 4. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77894

1899, March 6. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77895

1899, March 8. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77896

1899, March 10. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77897

1899, March 15. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77898

1899, March 15. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77899

1899, March 18. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77900

1899, March 20. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77901

1899, March 21. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77902

1899, March 24. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77903

1899, March 25. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77904

1899, March 29. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77905

1899, March 30. Mendell. Letter to D.D. Clarke. San Francisco, Calif. HM 77906

1899, August 17. J.M. Long. Letter to Frank T. Dodge. Portland, Ore. HM 77907

1899, November 22. Testimony of G.H. Mendell in case of King Real Estate Company vs. The City of Portland. Portland, Ore. HM 77908

1899, December 19. Mendell. Letter to H.W. Corbett. Portland, Ore. HM 77909

Undated. Testimony of D.D. Clarke. HM 77910