Guide to the Letcher railroad collection,
1887-1889
Department of Special Collections
Green Library
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, CA 94305-6004
Phone: (650) 725-1022
Email: specialcollections@stanford.edu
URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc
© 1999
The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Letcher railroad collection,
1887-1889
Collection number: M0317
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, California
Contact Information
- Department of Special Collections
- Green Library
- Stanford University Libraries
- Stanford, CA 94305-6004
- Phone: (650) 725-1022
- Email: specialcollections@stanford.edu
- URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc
- Processed by:
- A.B. Covici
- Date Completed:
- 1980 May 17
© 1999 The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Letcher railroad collection,
Date (inclusive): 1887-1889
Collection number: Special Collections M0317
Creator:
Letcher, Howard T., d. 1974.
Extent:
.25 linear ft.
Repository:
Stanford University. Libraries. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
None.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain
permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.
Provenance
Gift of Gerald M. Best, 1980.
Preferred Citation:
[Identification of item] Letcher railroad collection, M0317, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford University Libraries,
Stanford, Calif.
Biographical Note
Dr. Howard T. Letcher worked for the Shasta Division of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1940 and 1941; he was a noted railroad
historian and in 1971 was asked by then California Governor Ronald Reagan to serve on the board of directors of the Transportation
museum in Sacramento, California.
Scope and Content
The addenda to the Letcher Railroad Collection consists of business correspondence of the Southern Pacific Company between
Dec. 1887 and May 1889. The majority of the letters are addressed to William McKenzie, Asst. Genl. Master Mechanic, Sacramento,
and H.J. Small, Supt. M.P.&M., Sacramento. The letters include daily reports of the operations of the railroad, employee problems,
maintenance, and purchases. Of special interest are the three letters by G.J. Perkins, Engineer, about the engine El Governador
No. 237, a large engine that Andrew Jackson Stevens, Supt. of Motive Power, was concerned with. A.J. Stevens was born in Vermont
Sep. 14, 1833. In 1869 he was hired by Leland Stanford, President of Central Pacific (parent organization of Southern Pacific)
as Master Mechanic. He was responsible for many locamotive inventions until his death in 1888. More information about the
man and the El Gobernador is available in the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin 65, pp 7 - 26.
Other company correspondents include:
Folders 13 through 18 have more complete listings of the correspondents inside each folder.
Additional Note
M 317 Letcher Railroad Collection Addenda
Box 1, Folder 1
[J. A. Gillmar?] to W. McKenzie
Dec. 24, 1887 - Feb. 15, 1888
Physical Description: 10 TLS (10)
Scope and Content Note
Employee Problems; Engines; Repairs.
Box 1, Folder 2
[J. A. Gillmar?] to H. J. Small
Aug. 14, 1888 - March 14, 1889
Physical Description: 24 TLS (38)
Physical Description: 1 ALS (1)
Scope and Content Note
Repairs; Train Delays; Jobs.
Box 1, Folder 3
G. Gregg to W. McKenzie
Feb. 1, 1888 - April 21, 1888
Physical Description: 6 ALS (7)
Scope and Content Note
Employee Problems; Engines; Fuel.
Box 1, Folder 4
G. Gregg to W. McKenzie
Oct. 8, 1888 - March 6, 1889
Physical Description: 13 ALS (19)
Scope and Content Note
Engines; Car, Bad Order; Employee Problems.
Box 1, Folder 5
G. W. Carrole to W. McKenzie
Feb. 1889 - March 11, 1889
Physical Description: 5 ALS (7)
Scope and Content Note
Employee Problems; Passes; Engines.
Box 1, Folder 6
[W. G. Crintis?] to W. McKenzie
Oct. 22, 1888 - March 13, 1889
Physical Description: 26 TLS (29)
Scope and Content Note
Water; Brakes; Supplies; A. N. Towne; Fuel; Rates Pay.
Box 1, Folder 7
R. M. Pratt to W. McKenzie, H. J. Small
Feb. 8, 1888 - March 1, 1889
Physical Description: 4 TLS (4)
Physical Description: 3 ALS (3)
Scope and Content Note
Engines; Accidents.
Box 1, Folder 8
A. N. Towne to W. McKenzie, H. J. Small
Jan. 6, 1888 - Feb. 5, 1889
Physical Description: 8 TLS (9)
Scope and Content Note
Passes; Scales; Jobs; Fuel.
Box 1, Folder 9
C. C. Bronte to H. J. Small
Nov. 7, 1888 - March 11, 1889
Physical Description: 3 TLS (3)
Physical Description: 5 ALS (7)
Scope and Content Note
Supplies; Coal; Rates Pay; Jobs; J. W. Pedler.
Box 1, Folder 10
M. W. Cooley to H. J. Small
Feb. 27, 1889 - March 14, 1889
Physical Description: 8 ALS (9)
Scope and Content Note
Passes; Employee Problems; Repairs.
Box 1, Folder 11
M. J. Crosby to H. J. Small
Feb. 22, 1889 - March 1, 1889
Physical Description: 3 ALS (5)
Scope and Content Note
Engines; Rates Pay.
Box 1, Folder 12
H. Stillman to H. J. Small
Nov. 5, 1888 to March 1, 1889
Physical Description: 5 ALS (7)
Scope and Content Note
J. Thorne; Supplies.
Box 1, Folder 13
Letters to W. McKenzie
Jan. 4, 1888 - April 8, 1888
Physical Description: 9 ALS (12)
Scope and Content Note
Jobs; Employee Problems.
Box 1, Folder 14
Letters to H. J. Small
Feb. 26, 1888 - May 10, 1889
Physical Description: 7 TLS (7)
Physical Description: 47 ALS (62) approximately
Scope and Content Note
Employee Problems; Supplies; Jobs; Train Delays; Supplies; Engines.
Box 1, Folder 15
Letters from G. J. Perkins
Dec. 6, 1887 - April 21, 1888
Physical Description: 3 ALS (6)
Scope and Content Note
Engines; Repairs.
Letter to A. J. Stevens
Box 1, Folder 16
Letters from [J. Barmer?], [G. C. Falent?], [N. M. Foster?], J. Harrington, J. W. Heintzelman, N. B. Kellogg, W. McKenzie,
F. A. Steoins
Jan. 16, 1888 - March 15, 1889
Physical Description: 5 TLS (5)
Physical Description: 14 ALS (20)
Scope and Content Note
Engines; Mr. Stevens dies; Accidents; Rates Pay; Passes; Repairs; Supplies; Employee Problems (Mr. Yale).
Box 1, Folder 17
Letters, Notes, Misc.
Feb. 1, 1888 - Feb. 27, 1889; Feb. 20, 1957
Physical Description: 4 TLS (5)
Physical Description: 8 ALS (12)
Scope and Content Note
Employee Problems; Jobs; Supplies.
Letter to A. J. Stevens.
Box 1, Folder 18
Incomplete Letters
Physical Description: 3 ALS (5)
Scope and Content Note
Repairs; Employee Problems (Mr. Yale).