David E. Hughes papers

Finding aid prepared by James Ryan.
Special Collections & University Archives
The UCR Library
P.O. Box 5900
University of California
Riverside, California 92517-5900
Phone: 951-827-3233
Fax: 951-827-4673
Email: specialcollections@ucr.edu
URL: http://library.ucr.edu/libraries/special-collections-university-archives
© 1999
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.


Descriptive Summary

Title: David E. Hughes papers
Date (inclusive): 1856-1942
Date (bulk): 1920-1935
Collection Number: WRCA 083
Creator: Hughes, David E., 1861-1942
Extent: 1.67 linear feet (4 boxes)
Repository: Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Riverside, CA 92517-5900
Abstract: The collection consists of correspondence and reports pertaining to Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro Harbor, Long Beach Harbor, Los Angeles River, Newport Bay, San Diego Harbor, Santa Monica breakwater, and the Point Fermin landslide (1929). Also included are materials on tides and boundaries.
Languages: The collection is in English.

Access

The collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the University of California, Riverside Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [date if possible]. David E. Hughes papers (WRCA 083). Water Resources Collections and Archives. Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside.

Acquisition Information

The collection was given to the Water Resources Collections and Archives in March 1977 by Richard O. Eaton, of Sun City, Arizona. Mr. Eaton worked with Hughes at the office of the Los Angeles District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Processing History

Processed by Water Resources Collections and Archives staff, 1999.

Collection Number

Collection number updated February 2019. Legacy collection number was MS 77/1. This change was part of a project in 2018/2019 to update the collection numbers for collections in the Water Resources Collections and Archives.

Biographical Note

David Edward Hughes was born on September 21, 1861 at Palmyra, Ohio, the son of Evan and Ann Johns Hughes. His youth was spent in that locality attending school, farming for his widowed mother, and working in sandstone quarries. At the age of sixteen he moved to Dunigan in Northern California.
He was largely self-educated, devoting every spare moment to study in both medicine and engineering. He taught in country schools and at Pierce College, College City, California, and, although still in his early twenties, became a professor of mathematics. Hughes was one of the finest applied mathematicians of his generation. He evolved, calculated, and published a table on the perfect transition ("Sickle") curve, or American spiral, which was used on the construction of the Chicago elevated railroad, as well as on other projects.
In 1893, he accepted employment with the U.S. Engineer Department, remaining with that service until his retirement in 1932. His first work for the War Department was on the improvement of Humboldt Bay, California, stabilizing the entrance by jetty construction. In 1902 he was transferred to the newly created Los Angeles Engineer District and, for the following thirty years, was its ranking civilian engineer. He built jetties and fortifications at San Diego, Calif., and breakwaters and fortifications for Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbor. For a year he served as engineer for a board appointed by President Taft to determine the site and the design for San Carlos Dam, later Coolidge Dam, in Arizona. His was the guiding hand in the establishment of federal harbor lines along the Southern California coast. These lines determined the development of the harbors.
Hughes investigated tideland law and ownership and became an authority on the subject. Typically, he urged and aided in the litigation that restored the local tidelands to the people and resulted in municipally owned harbors. He experimented and wrote on surge and seiche. He evolved the idea of substitution of waste dredging for the costly stone in the strengthening of breakwaters, and the vast chain at San Pedro, or Los Angeles, Harbor, built from this design is a monument to him.
Hughes was married to Lydia Wiklund in 1913 at Florence, Arizona. He was elected a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers on September 6, 1905. He died on November 19, 1942.
Excerpted from: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, v. 109 (1944), p. 1495-1497.

Collection Scope and Contents

The collection consists of correspondence and reports pertaining to Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro Harbor, Long Beach Harbor, Los Angeles River, Newport Bay, San Diego Harbor, Santa Monica breakwater, and the Point Fermin landslide (1929). Also included are materials on tides and boundaries.

Collection Arrangement

The collection is arranged topically into 8 series.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Los Angeles District
Long Beach Harbor (Calif.)
Los Angeles Harbor (Calif.)
Los Angeles River (Calif.)
Newport Bay (Calif.)
San Diego Bay (Calif.)
Shore protection -- California
Submerged lands -- Law and legislation -- California
Tide-waters -- Law and legislation -- California
Tide-waters -- Law and legislation -- United States

Genres and Forms of Materials

Correspondence
Reports


 

Series 1. Early Surveys and Property Line Arguments, Los Angeles Harbor; Tidal Phenomena; Los Angeles-Long Beach Breakwaters; Political Problems 1880-1941

Box 1, Item 1

Random notes on lands and tides undated

Box 1, Item 2

Norway, W. H. Field notes of the Mormon Island lines of Township 5 South, Range 13 West, San Bernardino Meridian, California 1880

Box 1, Item 3

Extracts from legal proceedings: City of Los Angeles vs. Borax Consolidated, Ltd., January 14, 1935; The People vs. Banning Company, undated; DeGuyer vs. William Banning, 1881?

Box 1, Item 4

Traverse on Mormon Island October 31, 1899

Box 1, Item 5

Correspondence and extracts of correspondence re Mormon Island 1908-1937

Box 1, Item 6

Retrospection re Mormon Island April 10, 1929

Box 1, Item 7

Memorandum on resurvey of Mormon Island July 4. 1916

Box 1, Item 8

Note on ordinary high water mark October 14, 1935

Box 1, Item 8.5

"Now what did Hughes testify or write or say about datum and high water?" 1930-1936?

Box 1, Item 9

Handwritten notes re Mormon Island, Wilmington Harbor tides 1936

Box 1, Item 12.5

The City of Los Angeles, respondent, v. San Pedro, Los Angeles Salt Lake Railroad Co., appellant April 8, 1920

Box 1, Item 14

History of the inner Bay of San Pedro, California, bearing upon the ownership thereof, together with the author's views on the right of retaining it entire for general federal and public uses 1908

Box 1, Item 15

On navigability of San Pedro Inner Harbor 1908 June 11

Box 1, Item 16

Letters, 1908 August 6 and August 11, to Joseph H. Call, Los Angeles, Calif. re Inner Bay of San Pedro and boundary of Rancho Dan Pedro 1908

Box 1, Item 17

Memorandum re harbor line surveys and titles to shorelines and islands of San Pedro Bay November 30, 1915

Box 1, Item 17.5

United States Harbor Lines for Inner and Outer Harbors, San Pedro, Calif July 29, 1908

Box 1, Item 18

Memorandum of survey for Los Angeles Harbor fortifications July 4, 1917

Box 1, Item 19

Letter, 1921 September 18, to John Doe, et. al., Long Beach, Calif. Re "ordinary high tide" as limit of navigable water and claims of Long Beach to former tide and submerged lands in the San Pedro and Los Cerritos grants 1921

Box 1, Item 20

Random remarks advising against early breakwater extension January 14, 1923

Box 1, Item 21

Comment re San Pedro Chamber of Commerce report on extension of breakwater September 27, 1923

Box 1, Item 22

Notes as to location and width of channel in front of San Pedro July 2, 1924

Box 1, Item 23

About the "vara." 1925

Box 1, Item 24

Timorous commentary from first impressions on reading proposed bill for unification of harbor control February 15, 1925

Box 1, Item 25

Memoranda sic on conditions attached to breakwater construction March 21, 1925

Box 1, Item 26

Memorandum on Reservation Point re channel widening, dredging, Deadman's Island September 21, 1925

Box 1, Item 26.5

Letter, 1925 October 4, to "Any who may care to read" re "east basin" Los Angeles Harbor 1925

Box 1, Item 28

Memo, U.S. Public Land Survey of Deadman's Island "along ordinary high water mark" by Thompson in 1868 November 16, 1925

Box 1, Item 29

S.W. Corner sec. 19 re mistake by Stevenson in survey of San Pedro area in 1885 December 21, 1925

Box 1, Item 30

Letter, 1926 April 4, to Mr. Hale re Lecouvereur's survey of 1870 1926

Box 1, Item 31

Views on breakwater conditions March 27, 1927

Box 1, Item 33

Views of breakwater conditions March 17, 1928

Box 2, Item 37.5

Union Pacific Railroad appendices nos. 1 to 6 inc. by D.E. Hughes, Civil Engineer re San Pedro Bay, Los Angeles Harbor; physical history, history of ownership, surveys, high water marks, bench marks February 1936

Box 2, Item 38

Notes on high water mark January 5, 1936

Box 2, Item 38.5

Letter, 1937 June 24, to Easton re legal aspects 1937

Box 2, Item 39

Letter, 1937 November 16, to A. L. Sonderegger, Los Angeles, Calif. re East Jetty, Deadman's Island 1937

Box 2, Item 40

Recollections, pertaining to the southerly portion of Los Cerritos Rancho, derived from observations, readings and hear-says; and of contemplation for Nature's work in the vicinity; and interference by works of man; also a Surveyor's thoughts of acquired status of land titles November 29, 1937

Box 2, Item 41

ABC's re tides inside and outside harbors December 9, 1937

Box 2, Item 42

Letter, 1937 December 25, to Major Theodore Wyman Jr., Los Angeles, Calif. re harbor lines desired by Long Beach 1937

Box 2, Item 42.5

Additional coordinates, etc. for harborline map Long Beach inner harbor undated

Box 2, Item 43

Letter, 1938 January 25, to U. S. Engineer Office, Los Angeles, Calf. re Long Beach harbor mouth 1938

Box 2, Item 44

Reproduced picture and rehashed remarks re Los Angeles River and San Gabriel River mouths February 27, 1938

Box 2, Item 45

Channel and harbor lines between LaGoleta and Timms Point in San Pedro May 6, 1938

Box 2, Item 46

Last squawk re height of ordinary high water in the state of nature near Long Beach pre-1896 June 30, 1938

Box 2, Item 47

Memorandum re partition lines between Los Cerritos and San Pedro Ranchos September 20, 1938

Box 2, Item 48

Was the San Gabriel River and any of its branches navigable in the state of nature? November 22, 1938

Box 2, Item 49

Los Cerritos Rancho meander lines along its southerly boundary March 1, 1939

Box 2, Item 50

Ocean shore of Terminal Island between city limits and entrance to Long Beach inner harbor August 25, 1939

Box 2, Item 50.5

Sonderegger, S. L. Shore line of easterly portion of Terminal Island and mouth of old San Gabriel River map December 1905

Box 2, Item 51

Notes re the Bates (?) report on early surveys September 1 and 9, 1939

Box 2, Item 52

Partition between San Pedro and Nieto grants as seen by the man in the moon September 9, 1939

Box 2, Item 53

Los Cerritos B San Pedro patent common boundary October 4, 1939

Box 2, Item 54

Miscellaneous: patents, correspondence, maps, notes, re early surveys and property line problems; Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro breakwater controversy 1887-1938

Box 2, Item 54.5

Terminal Island, Calif April 1941

 

Series 2. Diversion of Los Angeles River from Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbors 1914-1938

Box 2, Item 55

Memoranda 1914-1920

Scope and Contents

Contents: no. 1. Diversion of silt from Los Angeles Harbor. December 22, 1914 -- no. 7. Untitled. March 24, 1915 -- no. 9. Flood control. September 5, 1915 -- no. 16. Untitled. February 11, 1917 -- no. 22. Untitled. May 20, 1919 -- no. 25. Untitled. September 19, 1919 -- no. 34. Untitled. November 11, 1920 .
Box 3, Item 56

Discussion and estimates on river diversion along different routes and different grades, based on topographic map and recent profiles, furnished by Mr. Reagan, County Engineer 1916

Box 3, Item 57

Reminiscences on breaking ground for harbor protection work October 27, 1919

Box 3, Item 58

Correspondence, re flood control and Los Angeles River 1917-1938

Box 3, Item 59

Miscellaneous notes, maps, re silt diversion 1919

 

Series 3. Santa Monica Breakwater 1933-1934

Box 3, Item 60

Letter report addressed to Board of Commissions of the City of Santa Monica re breakwater under contract for construction. Recommends change in contract, substitution of random stone April 13, 1933

Box 3, Item 61

Correspondence re Santa Monica breakwater 1933-1934

 

Series 4. Point Fermin Landslide 1929

Box 3, Item 62

Data pertaining to the Point Firmin sic land slide August 31, 1929

Physical Description: Includes the report of F.L. Ransome on geological conditions near Point Fermin; maps, graphs, drilling logs
Box 3, Item 63

Arnold, Ralph, Malcolm H. Bissell, and William J. Miller Report on the Point Fermin landslide, San Pedro, California August 28, 1929

Box 3, Item 64

Correspondence re the landslide July-October 1929

 

Series 5. Los Angeles County Sewer Outfall 1925-1934

Box 3, Item 65

Correspondence re Los Angeles County "Whites Point Sewer Outfall" controversy 1925-1934

 

Series 6. Newport Bay, California 1924-1925

Box 3, Item 66

Memorandum re proposed improvement of entrance to Newport Bay February 3, 1924

Box 3, Item 67

Beach, Lansing H. Newport Bay, Calif. preliminary report March 14, 1925

Box 3, Item 68

Beach, Lansing H. Orange County Harbor Commission report to the Board of Supervisors April 14, 1925

 

Series 7. San Diego and Vicinity 1905-1939

Box 3, Item 69

Memorandum on proposed revisions of San Diego Harbor lines September 15, 1911

Box 3, Item 70

Memorandum on reservation for dike in Pueblo lot 219 July 6, 1926

Box 3, Item 71

Pertaining to False Bay re San Diego River delta in False Bay, course of the river and title to tidelands, in litigation as State vs. City of San Diego July 28, 1939-August 20, 1939

Box 3, Item 72

Correspondence and letter reports re Coronado sea wall; San Diego Harbor; proposed LaJolla breakwater 1905-1935

 

Series 8. Miscellaneous 1856-1942

Box 4, Item 73

Correspondence re concrete in seawater 1903-1932

Box 4, Item 74

Correspondence; notes; reprint of Hughes' article "The Sickle, or perfect railway curve," from Transactions of the Technical Society of the Pacific Coast, vol. IX, no. 3, April 1892, p. 63-81.; notes re lemniscate and cubic parabola 1920-1942

Box 4, Item 75

Correspondence and notes re stone specification 1903-1917

Box 4, Item 76

Correspondence, memos, and sketches re breakwater design 1908-1938

Box 4, Item 77

Correspondence re surge 1922

Box 4, Item 78

Correspondence and memo re rangefinder 1903-1917

Box 4, Item 79

Miscellaneous correspondence re papers by colleagues; proposal for a submarine detector; engine vibration in dredge "Seattle"; mathematical puzzles 1916-1942

Box 4, Item 81

Unidentified coordinates

Box 4, Item 82

Miscellaneous materials pertaining to Rancho Los Cerritos 1856-1890

Box 4, Item 83

Miscellaneous materials pertaining to Rancho Los Palos Verdes 1856