Charles S. Sprague Co. Papers and Addenda: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth A. Logan, May 3, 2010. Addenda added by Katrina Denman, April 1, 2011.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2011
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


Overview of the Collection

Title: Charles S. Sprague Co. Papers and Addenda
Dates (inclusive): 1907-1920
Collection Number: mssSprague Co
Creator: Charles S. Sprague Co.
Extent: 139 items in 2 boxes
Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists mainly of letters between investors and employees of the Charles S. Sprague Company of Goldfield, Nevada, from the mid-1910s regarding their investments in mining stocks, including the Goldfield Merger, as well as correspondence about the business failures before and after Harry Schwaikert’s sale of the stock brokerage firm Sprague & Schwaikert to Robert Byars & Co., dating from 1913-1916.
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]. Charles S. Sprague Co. Papers and Addenda, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Purchased from Talisman Press, March 24, 1978 and Holabird-Kagin auction, October 29-30, 2010.

Historical Note

The Charles S. Sprague Company was a stock brokerage company in Goldfield, Nevada, specializing in buying and selling mining shares in the early 1900s.

Scope and Content

The collection is divided into two series, Correspondence (arranged in alphabetical order, by author) and Ephemera. The Correspondence consists mainly of letters between investors and employees of the Charles S. Sprague Co. from the mid-1910s regarding their investments in mining stocks, including the Goldfield Merger. The letters indicate that many of the mining operations were not yielding profits. The Ephemera includes receipts and blank buy order forms.
The addenda includes business correspondence from 1913-1916 regarding business failures before and after Harry Schwaikert’s sale of the stock brokerage firm Sprague & Schwaikert to Robert Byars & Co., who refused to honor stock existing stock contracts. The majority of the correspondence is from Harry Schwaikert to Charles Sprague and includes references to Schwaikert’s nervous breakdown over the business failures and his unhappiness with what he calls Sprague’s “extravagance.” Other letters were written by various clients and regard disputes over the non-transmittal of stock certificates purchased from Sprague & Schwaikert.

Arrangement

Arranged in the following order:
  • Box 1: Correspondence and Ephemera
  • Box 2: Correspondence - Addenda

Indexing Terms

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

Subjects

Charles S. Sprague Co.
Gold mines and mining -- Nevada.
Mines and mineral resources -- Nevada.
Securities -- Nevada.
Goldfield (Nev.)
Nevada -- History -- 20th century -- Sources.

Forms/Genres

Letters (correspondence) -- Nevada -- 20th century.

Additional Contributors

Schwaikert, Harry.
Sprague, Charles S.


 

Correspondence and Ephemera

Box 1

Correspondence and Ephemera

Folder 1

Cassel, -----. 1 letter (1920, Sept. 30) to Jumbo Extension Mining Co.

Folder 2

Charles S. Sprague Co. 1 letter (1913, May 5) to Jones & Baker.

Folder 3

Charles S. Sprague Co. 1 letter (1913, May 10) to S---- Lebel.

Folder 4

Charles S. Sprague Co. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 19) to Fred C. Squire.

Folder 5

Charles S. Sprague Co. 3 letters (1913) to Mrs. E. H. Witzel.

Folder 6

Charles S. Sprague Co. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 15) to Mrs. Herman Witzel.

Folder 7

C----, -----. 1 letter (1920, Aug. 15) to Ben Gill.

Folder 8

Dellinger, L.L. 1 letter (1920, Aug. 14) to Ben Gill.

Folder 9

Donohoe, Kelly Banking Co. 1 letter (1915, May 6) to Goldfield Great Bend Mining Co.

Folder 10

Gill, Ben. 1 letter (1918, Nov. 22) to W.J. Tobin.

Folder 11

Goldfield Great Bend Mining Co. 1 letter (1912, Jan. 31) to Finninger & Co. Includes attached letter from Finninger & Co.

Folder 12

Hartzell, Benjamin. 1 letter (1913, July 13) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 13

Hasman, C.J. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 11) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 14

Hatton, C.R. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 8) to Harry Schwaikert.

Folder 15

Helbo, L.A. 2 letters (1913) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 16

Herrin, H.M. 1 letter (1912, June 15) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 17

Hoag, Gael S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 17) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 18

Hooper, Thomas. 1 letter (1907, Nov. 17) to F.H. Begole.

Folder 19

Johnson, Iver. 2 letters (1913) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 20

Jones & Baker. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 29) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 21

Kirtley, George G. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 30) to First National Bank.

Folder 22

Kleybolte, Rudolph. 1 letter (1910, Dec. 22) to ----- Dyer.

Folder 23

Kritzer, ----- 1 letter (1920, Aug. 19) to Ben Gill.

Folder 24

Lebel, S----. 1 letter (1913, May 5) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 25

LeGrand, R.V. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 11) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 26

Lymn, Charles. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 20) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 27

McCord, J.S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 21) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 28

McKay, Richard A. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 28) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 29

O’Connell, Ben. 1 letter (1913, Feb. 24) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 30

Odenthal, H----. 1 letter (1919, Mar. 21) to Goldfield Great Bend Mining Co. Includes attached letters from company.

Folder 31

Pontius, George W. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 7) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 32

Pope, C.W. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 23) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 33

Reber, J. Howard. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 9) to Harry Schwaikert.

Folder 34

Rogers, Norton & Co. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 21) to Harry Schwaikert.

Folder 35

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 6) to Benjamin Hartzell.

Folder 36

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, May 7) to C.R. Hatton.

Folder 37

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 24) to Herrin & Rhodes.

Folder 38

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 1) to Iver Johnson.

Folder 39

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 6) to J.B. Kendall.

Folder 40

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 18) to Frances J. Klamt.

Folder 41

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 13) to Fred Miner.

Folder 42

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 12) to Will E. Walker.

Folder 43

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 13) to William H. Ward.

Folder 44

Schwaikert, Harry. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 21) to Mrs. E.H. Witzel.

Folder 45

Shaw, George E. 1 letter (1913, Feb. 14) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 46

Shutterly, O.C. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 28) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 47

Sosso, Lorenzo. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 5) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 48

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 5) to L.A. Helbo.

Folder 49

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1912, Aug. 28) to Herrin & Rhodes.

Folder 50

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 14) to Industrial Dividend Securities Co.

Folder 51

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 15) to W.E. Johns.

Folder 52

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 15) to Iver Johnson.

Folder 53

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Feb. 25) to L.R. Mueller.

Folder 54

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 28) to New York Mining Age.

Folder 55

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 15) to Ben O’Connell.

Folder 56

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 14) to George W. Pontius.

Folder 57

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 3) to Frank W. Rasch.

Folder 58

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, May 3) to B.A. Rives.

Folder 59

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 17) to John C. Rodden.

Folder 60

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Feb. 25) to George E. Shaw.

Folder 61

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 28) to D---- Smith.

Folder 62

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 14) to Fred C. Squire.

Folder 63

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 22) to E. L. Trask.

Folder 64

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 27) to Will E. Walker.

Folder 65

Sprague, Charles S. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 22) to M.J. Wallace.

Folder 66

Squire, Fred C. 2 letters (1913) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 67

S----, M.M., “The Mining Age.” 1 letter (1913, Apr. 1) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 68

Trask, E.L. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 15) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 69

Walker, Will E. 4 letters (1913) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 70

Wallace, M.J. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 18) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 71

Ward, William H. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 6) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 72

Weir Brothers & Co. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 8) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 73

Witzel, E.H., Mrs. 3 letters (1913) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 74

Zadig, Herman. 1 letter (1913, Apr. 23) to Charles S. Sprague Co.

Folder 75

Zadig, Herman. 2 letters (1913) to Charles S. Sprague.

Folder 76

-----. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 18) to C.J. Hasman.

Folder 77

-----. 1 letter (1913, Mar. 22) to Frances A. Klamt.

Folder 78

Ephemera: Receipts and Buy Order Forms (1919). 3 items.

Box 2

Correspondence - Addenda

Folder 1

Ball, W.H. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, June 10. Kissimmee, Fla.

Folder 2

Ball, W.H. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. Undated. Kissimmee, Fla.

Folder 3

Board of Education. Letter to C. Kosich. Undated

Folder 4

Greenberger, M. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, May 17. East Las Vegas, N.M.

Folder 5

Hardinger, W.A. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, June 14. Chicago, Ill.

Folder 6

Hays, G Southey. Letter to Charles S. Sprague & Co. 1915, May 5. Clinton, La.

Folder 7

Hays, G. Southey. Letter to Charles S. Sprague & Co. 1915, May 8. Clinton, La.

Folder 8

Hays, G. Southey. Letter to Charles S. Sprague & Co. 1915, May 19. Clinton, La.

Folder 9

Hays, G. Southey. Letter to Zadig & Co. 1915, May 3. Clinton, La.

Folder 10

Howard, James A. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, May 16. Bridgeport, Conn.

Folder 11

Hudson, Charles E. Letter to Hugh Brown. 1914, Dec.31. San Francisco, Calif.

Folder 12

Jarvis, George. Letter to R.A. Hopper (list of expenses). 1916, July 1. Goldfield, Nev.

Folder 13

Johnson, C.S. Letter to Sprague & Schwaikert. 1915, June 8. West Mentor,Ohio.

Folder 14

Russell, T.J. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, May 28. St. Louis, Mo.

Folder 15

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Sep.12.

Folder 16

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.17. New York, N.Y.

Folder 17

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.17. New York, N.Y.

Folder 18

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.20. New York, N.Y.

Folder 19

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.27. New York, N.Y.

Folder 20

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.28. New York, N.Y.

Folder 21

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.29. New York, N.Y.

Folder 22

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Oct.30. New York, N.Y.

Folder 23

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.3. New York, N.Y.

Folder 24

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.5. New York, N.Y.

Folder 25

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.7. New York, N.Y.

Folder 26

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.10. New York, N.Y.

Folder 27

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.15. New York, N.Y.

Folder 28

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.18. New York, N.Y.

Folder 29

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1913, Nov.25. New York, N.Y.

Folder 30

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1914, Jan.5. New York, N.Y.

Folder 31

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1914, Jan.5. New York, N.Y.

Folder 32

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1914, July 25. New York, N.Y.

Folder 33

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1916, May 1. New York, N.Y.

Folder 34

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1916, May 23. New York, N.Y.

Folder 35

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1916, May 23. New York, N.Y.

Folder 36

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. Undated. New York, N.Y.

Folder 37

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. Undated.

Folder 38

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. Undated.

Folder 39

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. Undated. Page 2-4 only.

Folder 40

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. Undated. Page 3-4 only.

Folder 41

Schwaikert, Harry. Letter to Charles S. Sprague Company. 1913, Nov.5. New York, N.Y.

Folder 42

Sprague, Charles S. Letter to Milton M. Detch. 1915, June 15.

Folder 43

Sprague, Charles S. Letter to Benjamin Mitchell. 1915, Sep.28.

Folder 44

Sprague, Charles S. Letter to Robert C. Morris. 1915, June 18.

Folder 45

Verick, A.A. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, May 31. Wausau, Wis.

Folder 46

Wiggins, George H. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, Nov.17. Houlson, Me.

Folder 47

Wise, P.A. Letter to Charles S. Sprague. 1915, Nov. 3. Bellaire, Ohio.

Folder 48

Unknown. Letter to Robert C. Morris. 1915, June 23. First page only.