Guide to the Frank Elwin Weymouth Papers, Water Resources Collection

Finding aid created by Russell Michalak

Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library 2009

Claremont University Consortium

Libraries of The Claremont Colleges

800 N. Dartmouth Avenue

Claremont, CA 91711

Phone: (909) 607-3977

Fax: (909) 621-8681

Email: spcoll@libraries.claremont.edu

URL: http://libraries.claremont.edu/sc/default.html

Descriptive Summary

Title: Frank E. Weymouth Papers, Water Resources Collection

Creator: Weymouth, F. E. (Frank Elwin), 1874-1941

Dates: 1894-1941

Quantity: 5 boxes

Repository: Libraries of the Claremont Colleges. Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library.

800 N. Dartmouth Ave.

Claremont University Consortium

Libraries of the Claremont Colleges

Claremont, California 91711

Abstract: This collection contains Weymouth's personal papers including correspondence, his publications and speeches, and photographs all relating to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the construction of Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam) and the Colorado River Aqueduct from 1894-1941.

Collection Number: h19xx.29

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Physical location: Special Collections. Honnold/Mudd Library.

Information for Researchers

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Property rights resides with Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please contact Special Collections staff.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Frank Elwin Weymouth Papers, Water Resources Collection. Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library, Claremont University Consortium.

Acquisition Information

Acquired from the Weymouth family.

Processing Information

Arranged and processed by Russell Michalak in 2009.

Accruals

No additions to the collection are anticipated.

Biography of Frank Elwin Weymouth

Frank Weymouth was born in Medford, Maine in 1874. He died in California in 1941.

Mr. Frank E. Weymouth was General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, a governmental subdivision of California which is now engaged in the construction of the Colorado River Aqueduct.

Mr. Weymouth is recognized as one of America's foremost reclamation and hydraulic engineers. He has been in charge of the construction of most of the great dams built by the United States Government during the past 30 years in the reclamation of the arid sections in Western United States.

He entered the U.S. Reclamation Service in 1902 and was continuously connected with it from that date until 1924. During his early years in the Service he was in charge of the surveys and investigations in connection with reclamation projects in Montana and North Dakota.

In 1908 he became Supervising Engineer in charge of the Idaho District, in Northwestern United States, and in this capacity he directed irrigation projects in the Snake River region, an engineering work affecting more the 400,000 acres of land. The project also included the erection of large storage dams at Jackson Lake, Wyoming, and on the upper branches of the Snake River and Boise River.

During this period, Mr. Weymouth was in charge of the building of the famous Arrowrock Dam, in Idaho, 349 feet high, the highest in the world at that time of its construction. Between 1916 and 1920 he served as Chief of Construction in the Reclamation Service and was placed in charge of all work handled by the organization in the Western United States.

In 1920 Mr. Weymouth was made Chief Engineer of the United States Reclamation Service, a post which he held until his resignation in 1924.

One of Mr. Weymouth's outstanding achievements as an engineer for the Reclamation Service was his work, with late Arthur P. Davis, on surveys and the preparation of plans and estimates on the Boulder Canyon project on the Colorado River.

Upon leaving the Reclamation Service, Mr. Weymouth became president of the engineering firm Brock and Weymouth. Shortly after that he was offered the position of Chief of the J. G.White Engineering Corporation in Mexico, and immediately thereafter took charge of all engineering work being handled by that organization for the Republic of Mexico. A s Chief Engineer of the White Corporation, he worked with the National Irrigation Commission of Mexico was in active charge of the irrigation and reclamation project that were carried forward during the administration of President Calles.

Mr. Weymouth was graduated from the University of Maine in 1896. One of his first jobs after leaving the University was that of constructing water works systems for the (Boston) Massachusetts Metropolitan Water District. Immediately thereafter he became Assistant City Engineer of the City of Winnipeg and held this office until early in 1899. In June 1899, Mr. Weymouth joined the Isthmus Canal Commission of the United States Government and was engaged in making detailed surveys and studies in connection with the proposed Nicaraguan Canal for the United States government.

In 1929, following his years of service with the United States Reclamation Service and in the Republic of Mexico, Mr. Weymouth was retained by the City of Los Angeles as Chief Engineer of Water Works, and was placed in charge of Colorado River Aqueduct studies then being carried forward by the city.

Late in 1929 Mr. Weymouth was appointed Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. In 1931 he was appointed General Manager and Chief Engineer of the District and made the District's chief administrative officer as well as its chief engineer.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The papers in collection consist of 60 field books, legal cases on water rights, maps, photographs, records of rainfall and wells, engineer's reports.

Arrangement

Series 1 Personal papers

Series 2 Correspondence

Series 3 Photographs of Boulder Dam and Colorado River Aqueduct

Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms

Weymouth, F. E. (Frank Elwin), 1874-1941

Boulder Dam

Colorado River Aqueduct.

Hoover Dam (Ariz. and Nev.)

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Calif.)

Water rights--California--Los Angeles County.

Water-supply California

Western Americana -- 1900 - 1999

Series 1 Personal papers

Box 1, folder 1

Colorado Dam construction, 1930s

Box 1, folder 1

Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Boulder Canyon Project, 1930s

Box 1, folder 1

Photographs of Pouring of first concrete in Boulder Dam, June 6, 1933, 1933

Box 1, folder 1

Construction photos, Don Martin Dam, Mexico,

Box 1, folder 1

Material on conferring of Doctor's Degree, University of Maine, 1934

Box 1, folder 1

Material re: Safety at Boulder Dam, 1934

Box 1, folder 2

American Society-Correspondence: Election of Mr. Weymouth to Honorary Membership in American Society of Civil Engineers, 1939

Box 1, folder 3

Personal Biographical Material: Correspondence, Clippings, Press data, biographical material, photographs, 1920-1939

Box 1, folder 4

Personal Letters : Correspondence including several from U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson and the Metropolitan Water District, 1920s and 1940, 1920-1940

Box 1, folder 5

Personal Letters : Correspondence including several from U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson and the Metropolitan Water District, 1920s and 1940, 1920-1940

Box 1, folder 6

Personal Letters : Correspondence including several from U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson and the Metropolitan Water District, 1920-1940

Box 1, folder 7

Personal : Award and certificate from Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, aerial photographs of Boulder Dam and Mexico, 1930-1939

Box 1, folder 7

Personal: Papers and Speeches, 1920-1939

Box 1, folder 7

"Proposed Colorado River Aqueduct and Metropolitan Water District, [typescript, mss., map], 1930

Box 1, folder 7

"Present Statues of the Metropolitan Water District Aqueduct Project", 1930

Box 1, folder 7

"Summary of Chief Engineer Weymouth's Report and Recommendations on Colorado River Aqueduct's Route", 1930

Box 1, folder 7

"Southern California's Need for Additional Water" [mss], 1931

Box 1, folder 7

"Present Status of Colorado River Aqueduct", 1932

Box 1, folder 7

"Tunnel Construction on the Colorado River Aqueduct" [typescript],

Box 1, folder 7

"Colorado River Aqueduct", 1933

Box 1, folder 7

"Colorado River Aqueduct: Route Selected for Metropolitan Water District Requires Pumping", 1931

Box 1, folder 8

Personal: Papers and Speeches, 1920-1939

Box 1, folder 8

"Notes of talk made at banquet of Associated General Contractors at Biltmore Hotel on December 11, 1934", 1934

Box 1, folder 8

"Featuring Colorado River Aqueduct" from Earth Mover, June 1935, 1935

Box 1, folder 8

"the Colorado river Aqueduct" from Earth Mover, May, 1935, 1935

Box 1, folder 8

"the Colorado river Aqueduct" from Earth Mover, May, 1935,

Box 1, folder 8

"Chief Engineer Weymouth" by John Scales from Engineering Magazine,

Box 1, folder 8

Metropolitan Water District's "The Relation of the Colorado River Aqueduct to California Industries", 1935

Box 1, folder 8

"Economic Status of the Engineer" by Royal W. Sorenson,

Box 1, folder 8

"Pumping System of the Colorado River Aqueduct" by J. M. Gaylord, 1938

Box 1, folder 8

"Conception and Economics of the Colorado River Aqueduct by Weymouth", 1938

Box 1, folder 8

"Planning and Building of the Colorado River Aqueduct" by Julian Hinds, 1938

Box 1, folder 9

Metropolitan Water District Board Organization, 1941

Box 1, folder 10

Correspondence re: Position in Russia Government, 1920s-1930s

Box 1, folder 11

Correspondence and other information including ledgers regarding apple orchard owned by Frank Weymouth in Council, Idaho. "Farm Sale to Frank Galey.", 1920s-1930s

Box 1, folder 12

Letters to Hildreth Meiere from H. B. Alexander, April 26, 1936; Photograph of Frank E. Weymouth, 1941. Photograph of part of Parker Dam., 1941

Box 2, folder 1

J.G. White Engineering Corporation, Mexico, 1926-1929; Comision Nacional de Irrigacion, The Don Martin Dam Project. [engineering maps],

Box 2, folder 2

J.G. White Engineering Corporation, Mexico, 1926-1929; Rio Mante 1927. [engineering maps] 3. J.G. White Engineering Corporation, Mexico, 1926-1929; Specifications for Rio Mante, 1927

Box 2, folder 3

J.G. White Engineering Corporation, Mexico, 1926-1929; Rio Mante [engineering maps], 1927

Box 2, folder 4

Publications regarding the Colorado River Aqueduct, 1927

Box 2, folder 5

Water Softening and Filtration Plant of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California by James M. Montgomery and William W. Aultman, 1939

Box 2, folder 5

Colorado River Aqueduct News, 1941

Box 3, folder 1

Colorado River Boulder Dam: Correspondence, reports, pamphlets, graphs, maps, 1928-1931

Box 3, folder 2

Colorado River Boulder Dam: Correspondence, reports, graphs, tables, pamphlets, photograph of drawing of proposed Boulder Dam site, 1929

Box 3, folder 2

"Methods of Construction",

Box 3, folder 2

"Engineering Investigations of Colorado River Problems",

Box 3, folder 2

"Digest of the Boulder Canyon Project Act for the Development of the Colorado River Basin", 1929

Box 3, folder 2

"Soil Survey, the Foundation of Successful Reclamation Development", 1929

Box 3, folder 2

"Boulder Canyon Project: Questions and Answers issued by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Service",

Box 3, folder 3

"Boulder Canyon Project: Questions and Answers issued by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Service",

Box 3, folder 2

Magazines With Metropolitan Water District articles about the Colorado River Aqueduct, 1938-1940

Box 3, folder 3

"Los Angeles Chapter: Metropolitan Water District Day" from American Right of Way Association News, 1940

Box 3, folder 3

"High Tension" by William Wister Haines from the Saturday Evening Post,

Box 3, folder 3

"A Collection of Data for Diesel Engine Instruction, 1938

Box 3, folder 3

"Colorado River Aqueduct Complete Review" from Excavating Engineer, 1939

Box 3, folder 3

"Safety on the Aqueduct" by Mel Wharton, 1939

Box 3, folder 3

"The Water Utility and Public Relations" by Reeves Newsom from Cast Iron Pipe News, 1939

Series 2 Correspondence

Box 3, folder 4

Operation and Maintenance San Diego Annexation: Correspondence and Tabulations, 1941

Box 3, folder 5

Correspondence with Jesse Jones and Frank Crowe of the Metropolitan Water District, 1941 and group photographs; Maine Alumnus p. 13 is a photograph of Frank E. Weymouth, 1941

Box 3, folder 6

Correspondence between Frank E. Weymouth and Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District and construction schedule and costs, 1940-1941, 1940-1941

Box 3, folder 7

Photographs of Rancho La Brea Scene movie"13 Golden Cities" released by the Metropolitan Water District in 1938 , 1938

Box 3, folder 8

Draft of Answer to Whitsett's Letter regarding Softening Plant, May -June 1, 1939, 1939

Box 3, folder 9

Burkholder Banning, San Jacinto Tunnel Correspondence, 1935

Box 3, folder 10

Press Release, Clippings, Correspondence about Completion of Colorado River Aqueduct, 1941

Box 3, folder 11

Press Release, Clippings, Correspondence about Completion of Colorado River Aqueduct, 1941

Series 3 Photographs of the Boulder Dam and the Colorado River Aqueduct

Box 4, folder 1

Framed Seal of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (in color)

Box 4, folder 2

Photograph of "MSC" football teams, 1894 (probably Maine)

Box 4, folder 3

4 Photographs-Intake Celebration; A Dam and pipe, 1941; Weymouth by a car in the desert in California, 1941 1941

Box 4, folder 4

6 photographs-Frank E. Weymouth and Mr. Tom Walsh at a plant (indoors), May 7, 1941, 1941

Box 4, folder 5

6 photographs-Frank E. Weymouth and Colorado River Aqueduct, May 8, 1941, 1941

Box 4, folder 6

4 photographs-Portrait of Frank E. Weymouth, 1910s-1920s

Box 4, folder 7

2 photographs-Portrait of Frank E. Weymouth, 1941

Box 4, folder 8

6 photographs-Portrait of Frank E. Weymouth as a young man, 1900s

Box 4, folder 9

5 photographs of portraits of Maude Long Weymouth (Frank's mother) and 2 negatives; 1 photograph of Mabel Weymouth (Frank's sister),

Box 4, folder 10

2 photographs of the marriage of Frank Weymouth to Barbara Turne in Honolulu, Nov. 10, 1938; 1 Engineering secretarial office, 1937, 1937-1938

Box 4, folder 11

4 photographs -portrait of Frank E. Weymouth, 1930s

Box 4, folder 12

19 photographs of Frank E. Weymouth and others at Parker Dam, 1938

Box 4, folder 13

4 envelopes of photographs, 1938

Box 4, folder 13

2 photographs of Frank E. Weymouth, 1910s; 1 photograph of desert view as seen through a large water pipe, 1910s

Box 4, folder 13

6 photographs- Early Water project and [unidentified] dam, 1910s

Box 4, folder 13

2 photographs of Frank E. Weymouth and Mr. and Mrs. Julian Hinds, 1930s

Box 4, folder 14

5 photographs-portraits of Frank E. Weymouth, 1940-1941

Box 4, folder 15

3 photographs portraits of Frank E. Weymouth, 1922

Box 4, folder 16

3 oversized photographs of Frank E. Weymouth and 2 photographs of Frank E. Weymouth, 1920s-1930s

Box 4, folder 17

1 photographs of Frank E. Weymouth, W. P. Whitsett, Thaddeus Merriman, Richard R. Lyman, A. J. Wiley; 1 photograph of Frank E. Weymouth, W. P. Whitsett, William L. Honnold, and others,

Box 4, folder 18

3 photographs-portrait of Frank E. Weymouth,

Box 4, folder 19

5 photographs and 3 negatives-portrait of Frank E. Weymouth, 1920s-1930s

Box 4, folder 20

Hand colored photographs [matted]of Colorado River Aqueduct: Boulder Dam, Parker Dam, Intake Pumping Plant, Lake Mathews,

Box 4, folder 20

Diploma from the American Society of Civil Engineers