George P. Hurst collection of Risdon & Union Iron Works records, circa 1890-1980

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Summary

Creators:
Hurst, George L.
Abstract:
Collection of photographs, catalogs, notebooks, blueprints and other material from the Risdon Iron Works and Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California, particularly concerning the manufacture of dredges.
Extent:
12 Linear Feet (22 boxes, oversize folders, tube)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], George P. Hurst Collection of Risdon & Union Iron Works Records (M0358). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection of photographs, catalogs, notebooks, blueprints, and other records from the Risdon Iron Works and Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California, particularly concerning the manufacture of dredges and mining machinery.

This material was given to Stanford by George P. Hurst, who is probably the son of George L. Hurst, a mechanical engineer for the Risdon Iron Works who became head of the Dredging Division of Union Iron Works when that company acquired Risdon. Both companies were later absorbed into Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation and there is also a little Bethlehem material in the collection.

Biographical / historical:

"In 1897 the Risdon Iron Works, adjoining the Union Iron Works and soon to merge with it, built the first successful gold dredge in America. It was called the Archimedes and was designed by and built for R. H. Postlethwaite, chief dredging engineer for the Risdon Iron Works, who operated it in the Yuba River east of Marysville, Calif. The dredge was a success during its first year of operation. Then disaster struck. The Yuba River flooded and the Archimedes was lost. A year later the Risdon Works also built a second successful gold dredge. This was known as the Couch No. 1 and was built for Captain Couch and W. P. Hammon, founder of the Yuba Consolidated Gold Fields. It operated for many years in the Oroville Gold Fields and set the pattern for gold-dredging operations in California.

From 1897 to 1911 the Risdon Iron Works designed and built 63 gold dredges, many of which were shipped to mining fields in other parts of the world. During one year of this period Risdon was competing with Union Iron Works, right next door, in the construction of gold dredges. Union Iron Works turned out its first dredge in 1910, and in 1911 the two concerns merged. From that year up until 1929 Union Iron Works built 20 dredges, including a single order for five for the U. S. Smelting, Refining & Mining Company at Fairbanks, Alaska. These latter five were built during the two-year period 1927 to 1929.

In 1929 the San Francisco Yard, successor to Union Iron Works and then a part of Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd., built its last hydraulic suction dredge, the Captain Chadwick Thompson, now the Papoose. In World War Il this dredge saw service in the Pacific for the U.S. Army Engineers. All told, Bethlehem has constructed five dredges of this type, which are used primarily for harbor work.

Reverting to Union Iron Works and its history, by 1900 the yard had 1,785 feet of waterfront space and among its facilities were a machine shop, iron foundry, boiler shop, two blacksmith shops, joiner shop, copper shop, four building slips with overhead cranes and a hydraulic-lift drydock. On August 25, 1902, the Union Iron Works was sold to the United States Shipbuilding Company, but this company failed and two years later the Union Works was sold to a reorganization committee, from which it was acquired January 19, 1905 by Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Charles M. Schwab made the purchase for $1,000,000 at a public sale by the referee in bankruptcy, conducted from the steps of the office building at Georgia and 20th Streets in San Francisco."

--from Bethlehem Steel anniversary booklet 1949

Acquisition information:
Gift of George P. Hurst, 1982 and 1989.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. Most of these materials are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], George P. Hurst Collection of Risdon & Union Iron Works Records (M0358). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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