Finding Aid to the California Street Cable Railroad Company records, 1884-1952
Finding Aid written by George Miller and Rebecca Kim; revised and encoded by Lara Michels
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
© 2007
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid to the California Street Cable Railroad Company records, 1884-1952
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-G 254
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
- Finding Aid Written By:
- George Miller and Rebecca Kim; revised and encoded by Lara Michels
- Date Completed:
-
July 2012
© 2012 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: California Street Cable Railroad Company records
Date (inclusive): 1884-1952
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-G 254
Creators :
California Street Cable Railroad Co. (San Francisco, Calif.)
Extent:
Number of containers: 8 boxes, 9 cartons, 3 oversize boxes, 36 volumes
Linear feet: 23
Repository: The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract:
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Information for Researchers
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head
of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The
Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright
owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research
and educational purposes.Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition,
the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor
restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected
by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of without permission of the copyright owner.
Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], California Street Cable Railroad Company records, BANC MSS C-G 254, The Bancroft Library, University
of California, Berkeley.
Alternate Forms Available
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Separated Material
Photographs have been transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
California Street Cable Railroad Co. (San Francisco, Calif.)--Archives
Stanford, Leland, 1824-1893
Borel, Antoine, 1840-1915
Transportation--California--San Francisco
Railroads, Cable-California--San Francisco
Street-railroads-California--San Francisco
San Francisco (Calif.)
Minutes-California--San Francisco
Stock certificates-California--San Francisco
Ledgers-California--San Francisco
Online Archive of California
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
The California Street Cable Railroad Co. (San Francisco, Calif.) Records were given to The Bancroft Library by W. P. Wreden
and Dr. John O. Hanan in December 1959.
Accruals
No additions are expected.
System of Arrangement
Arranged to the folder level.
Processing Information
Processed by George Miller and Rebecca Kim in 1999. Additional processing by Lara Michels in 2012.
Biographical Information
In 1874, Leland Stanford set out to promote the idea of a cable car for California Street, the principle ascent of Nob Hill
from the east, with a more reasonable grade than Clay Street. In 1876, in collaboration with several associates in the Central
Pacific Railroad, he secured the franchise, and construction was begun on July 5, 1877. The line ran between Kearney Street
at the foot of Nob Hill to Fillmore Street in the Western Addition, a distance of about 1.7 miles, and a power house, designed
by W.W. Hanscom, was put in at Larkin Street. Initially, the line operated with 25 grip cars and trailers built by the Kimball
Manufacturing Company and the Central Pacific shops.
Service was initiated on April 10, 1878, at a ceremony attended by over six thousand people. The route duplicated the Clay
Street Hill Railroad on its ascent of Nob Hill, but the western route was the first cable car service into the Western Addition.
In the spring of 1879, the track was moved west by 0.8 miles, from Fillmore to Central (Presidio) Avenue. The extension was
cheaply built of wood framing and planks in an effort to finance the project out of earnings. The new tracks were ready for
service on May 30, 1879, but the right-of-way was so unsatisfactory it had to be rebuilt with standard conduit in 1884.
In 1884, Stanford sold his interest in the company to Antoine Borel, a Swiss-born San Francisco banker. Borel and President
James B. Stetson initiated an expansion of the property in 1889. Included in the extension was a new powerhouse at California
and Hyde Streets, an extension of about a half mile east to Market Street in 1890, and a new cross-town route on O'Farrell,
Jones and Hyde Streets which opened February 9, 1891. This line of ca. 2.5 miles was intended to provide a direct connection
between the Russian Hill area and the shopping district south of Union Square. A shuttle on Jones Street served the Tenderloin
district. Howard C. Holmes was in charge of track construction.
The company was quite successful at the beginning of the 20th century, but like the rest of San Francisco's cable operators,
the company suffered terrible damage in the earthquake and fire of 1906. Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, with which the
company had some common ownership, was so hard hit by the disaster that the company settled for 50% of its claims. Management
had the system back in operation by August 1906, but full restoration of the physical plant was not finished until July 1908.
The company maintained its independence of the Market Street Railway and of the Municipal Railway throughout the first half
of the century, but the forces acting against the transit industry generally began to afflict the company seriously in the
late 1940's. Traffic held up fairly well, but costs rose disproportionately. In 1949, a legal judgement, in which the company
was held liable, caused Lloyd's of London to cancel the company's insurance contract and brought operations to an end on July
31, 1951. The City and County of San Francisco bought the company for $138,000 and restored operation on January 13, 1952.
Scope and Content of Collection
Board of Directors files, including articles of incorporation and related documents, as well as minutes of meetings; stock
records, including minutes of annual stockholder meetings, correspondence, certificates, dividend statements, notices, and
transfer records; general files arranged alphabetically by subject; operations records, including daily car records (chiefly
receipts from the California and Hyde St. lines), accident reports (which list the date, time, line, and parties involved),
and records of personal injuries resulting from accidents; personnel records, including weekly, monthly, and half-monthly
time books (which record hours worked by each employee, hourly pay rate, and wages paid each week to conductors and gripmen),
payroll ledgers and reports, and records of the employees benefit fund; financial records, including journals of daily purchases,
cash books (chronological record of cash receipts and payments), ledgers, and trial balances; and Railroad Commission files.
Series 1:
Board of Directors.
1884-1951
Oversize Box 1, Folder 1
Articles of Incorporation,
1884 March 31
Oversize Box 1, Folder 2
Declaration of Surrender and operating permit (Legal copy of original 1884 document),
1931 March
Oversize Box 1, Folder 3-13
Minutes of meetings,
1884 July 31-
1898 June 8
Carton 1, Folder 1
Minutes of meetings,
1949-1951
Series 2:
Stock Records.
1878-1951
Carton 1, Folder 2-8
Minutes of annual stockholder meetings,
1915-1916,
1933-1936,
1944-1948
Carton 1, Folder 10
Correspondence,
1908-1919
Carton 1, Folder 12
Stock miscellaneous,
1918
Volume 1-2
Transfer book and stock journal,
1878-1884,
1884-1906
Volume 3
Cancelled certificates,
1932-1945
Oversize Box 2, Folder 1
Loose pages from volume 3,
1937
Series 3:
General Files.
1887-1951
Carton 1, Folder 15
Active accounts,
1909-1951
Carton 1, Folder 16-21
Advertising,
1907,
1949-1951
Carton 1, Folder 22-26
Agreements with other railway companies,
1887,
1890-1891,
1894-1895
Carton 1, Folder 27
American Express,
1939-1940
Carton 1, Folder 28-29
Andrews, F.T. & Co.,
1932-1951
Carton 1, Folder 30
B miscellaneous correspondence,
1942-1951
Carton 2, Folder 1
C miscellaneous correspondence,
1945-1951
Carton 2, Folder 3
Cable inspections,
1942-1944
Carton 2, Folder 4
Car hours and mileage,
1941-1949
Carton 2, Folder 8
Copies of printed forms and letters,
1932-1943
Carton 2, Folder 9
Corporation business,
1946-1951
Carton 2, Folder 10
Correspondence from concerned customers,
1951-1952
Carton 2, Folder 11
Cypress Lawn Cremation Company,
1933-1934
Carton 2, Folder 12
D miscellaneous correspondence,
1946-1950
Carton 2, Folder 13
Department of Commerce,
1919-1935
Carton 2, Folder 14
Department of Motor Vehicles,
1934-1951
Carton 2, Folder 15
Depreciation, taxes and insurance,
1933-1951
Carton 2, Folder 16
Employee bulletins,
1943-1950
Carton 2, Folder 20
F miscellaneous correspondence,
1944-1949
Carton 2, Folder 21
Federal reports,
1918-1930
Carton 2, Folder 22-24
Fielder, Sorenson and Davis,
1940-1951
Carton 2, Folder 25
G miscellaneous correspondence,
1946-1951
Carton 2, Folder 26
H miscellaneous correspondence,
1943-1950
Carton 2, Folder 27
Hammond, J. and Company,
1906-1907
Carton 2, Folder 28
I miscellaneous correspondence,
1946-1951
Carton 3, Folder 6
K miscellaneous correspondence,
1947-1951
Carton 3, Folder 7
L miscellaneous correspondence,
1941-1949
Carton 3, Folder 11-12
Labor statistics,
1939-1951
Carton 3, Folder 14
The "Let Go" official publication,
1948-1949
Carton 3, Folder 15
M miscellaneous correspondence,
1949-1951
Carton 3, Folder 16
Market Street Railway,
1933-1942
Carton 3, Folder 17
Marsh and McLennan inspection reports,
1942-1947
Carton 3, Folder 19
N and O miscellaneous correspondence,
1948-1950
Carton 3, Folder 20
Operating permits,
1910-1951
Carton 3, Folder 21
P miscellaneous correspondence
1932-1951
Carton 3, Folder 22
Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company,
1941-1951
Carton 3, Folder 23
Property description,
1914
Carton 3, Folder 24-27
Public Utilities Commission,
1912-1948
Carton 4, Folder 1-3
Public Utilities Commission,
1912-1951
Carton 4, Folder 10
R miscellaneous correspondence,
1950-1951
Carton 4, Folder 11-18
Reports,
1910-1913,
1934,
1946-1951
Carton 4, Folder 19
Safety materials,
1911,
1942
Carton 4, Folder 20-24
San Francisco, City and County of,
1909-1951
Oversize Box 2, Folder 2
San Francisco, City and County of, newspaper clipping,
1926
Carton 4, Folder 25
Sales to the City,
1947-1948
Carton 4, Folder 27
Superior Steel Company
1924
Carton 4, Folder 28
T miscellaneous correspondence,
1950
Carton 5, Folder 2
Termination of service,
1942-1943
Carton 5, Folder 3
U miscellaneous correspondence,
1944
Carton 5, Folder 4
Uncalled for payroll checks,
1945-1948
Carton 5, Folder 5-6
Unemployment claims and strikes,
1948-1949
Carton 5, Folder 7-8
Union agreements,
1907-1951
Carton 5, Folder 9
Union Trust Company of San Francisco,
1914-1915
Carton 5, Folder 10
W miscellaneous correspondence,
1944-1951
Carton 5, Folder 11
Wage and salary adjustments,
1942-1946
Carton 5, Folder 12-14
Wells Fargo Bank,
1923-1951
Carton 5, Folder 15
Wells, Lester K. (Corporate Secretary),
1896-1948
Carton 5, Folder 16
Worksheets and reports,
1949-1950
Carton 5, Folder 17
Wright, Wright and Stetson
1911-1950
Carton 5, Folder 18
Y and Z miscellaneous correspondence,
1946-1950
Carton 5, Folder 19-21
Outgoing correspondence steno notebooks (in shorthand),
1949-1950
Series 4:
Operations.
1907-1951
Box 1, Folder 1-3
Daily car record,
1907 July-
1910 Dec.
Volume 4
Daily car record,
1918 Jan-
1922 Dec.
Box 1, Folder 4-6
Daily car record,
1917 Jan.-
1938 Dec.
Carton 5, Folder 22
Daily car record,
1915, 1950 July
Oversize Box 2, Folder 3
Daily car record,
1951, Jan-Feb,
April, June
Oversize Box 2, Folder 4
Cash fares,
1947 May 16-20
Oversize Box 2, Folder 5
Token fares,
1947 May 16-20
Carton 5, Folder 24
Tickets, passes, and transfers,
1942,
1948-1950
Carton 5, Folder 25
Visitors record,
1948-1950
Carton 5, Folder 26
Accident report forms,
undated
Carton 5, Folder 27-30
Accident reports,
1908-1909,
1913-1914
Box 1, Folder 7-8
Accident reports,
1916 Oct. 1-
1920 Dec. 31
Box 2, Folder 1-7
Accident reports,
1921 Jan. 1-
1931 Dec. 31
Box 3, Folder 1-4
Accident reports,
1932 Jan. 1-
1945 Dec. 31
Carton 5, Folder 32
Accident reports,
1937-1938
Carton 6, Folder 1-2
Accident reports,
1947 April 1-30
Carton 6, Folder 3-6
Accident reports: Analysis of claims, correspondence, and miscellaneous,
1915-1950
Box 3, Folder 5-6
Personal injury records,
1927 Sept. 1-
1930 Nov. 29
Series 5:
Personnel Records.
1906-1951
Box 4, Folder 1-7
Weekly time books,
1906 Oct. 6-
1927 May 21
Box 5, Folder 1-4
Weekly time books,
1927 May 28-
1938 Nov. 26
Box 5, Folder 5
Monthly time book,
1926 Jan. -
1938 March
Box 5, Folder 6
Half-month/two week time book,
1942 Jan.-Aug.
Box 5, Folder 7
Employee benefit fund: Trustees meeting minutes,
1942-1951
Carton 6, Folder 7
Payroll ledger,
1906 June-Sept.
Carton 6, Folder 8
Payroll reports,
1917,
1941-1944
Carton 6, Folder 9
Payroll reports,
1945 Sept., Dec.
Carton 6, Folder 10
Payroll reports,
1948-1949
Carton 6, Folder 11-18
Miscellaneous,
1907-1915,
1945,
1950-1951
Series 6:
Financial Records.
1884-1951
Box 6, Folder 1
Daily purchase journal,
1885 Aug.-
1898 May
Volume 19
Daily purchase journal,
1904 Jan.-
1907 Sept.
Box 6, Folder 2-4
Daily purchase journal,
1907-1915
Box 7, Folder 1-4
Daily purchase journal,
1916-1933
Oversize Box 2, Folder 6
Conductor list (loose from daily purchase journal),
1923 Nov. 23
Box 8, Folder 1-3
Daily purchase journal,
1933-1938
Volume 20
Cash book,
1905 July 1-
1906 July 31
Volume 21
Cash book,
1906 July 2-
1910 May 31
Volume 22
Cash book,
1910 June 1-
1914 May 31
Volume 23
Cash book,
1914 June 1-
1918 June 29
Volume 24
Cash book,
1918 July 1-
1922 April 16
Volume 25
Cash book,
1922 April 17-
1925 Sept. 24
Volume 26
Cash book,
1925 Sept. 25-
1928 Dec. 19
Volume 27
Cash book,
1928 Dec. 20-
1932 April 23
Volume 28
Cash book,
1932 April 24-
1936 June 29
Oversize Box 2, Folder 7
Loose fragments removed from volume 28,
1894
Volume 29
Cash book,
1936 June 30-
1940 Sept. 9
Volume 30
Cash book,
1940 Sept. 10-
1944 Dec. 30
Volume 31
Cash book,
1945 Jan. 1-
1949 April 30
Volume 32
Cash book,
1949 May 1-
1951 Aug. 1
Volume 35
Ledger,
1906 July-1915 June
Volume 36
Ledger,
1915 July-1948 March
Oversize Box 3, Folder 1-8
Trial balances,
1889 Oct.-
1952 June
Carton 6, Folder 19
Monthly financial reports,
1904 July-1905 June
1905 Jun
Carton 6, Folder 20-59
Monthly financial reports
1909 July-1951 May
Carton 6, Folder 60
Annual statements
1906 June-1931 Dec.
Carton 7, Folder 1-20
Annual statements,
1932 Jan.-1951 June
Carton 7, Folder 21-30
Auditor's reports,
1917-1925,
1928
California State Tax Board
Carton 7, Folder 31-33
Correspondence,
1911-1942
Carton 7, Folder 34-37
Income tax returns,
1914-1934
Carton 7, Folder 38-46
Financial statements,
1933-1950
Carton 7, Folder 47-48
Real estate tax returns,
1916-1934
Carton 7, Folder 49-50
Franchise tax returns,
1934-1950
United States Internal Revenue Service
Carton 7, Folder 51-52
Correspondence,
1913-1934
Carton 7, Folder 53-57
Income tax returns,
1911-1950
Carton 7, Folder 58
Tax withheld at source returns,
1914-1916
Carton 7, Folder 59
Capital stock tax returns,
1916-1926,
1934-1945
Series 7:
Railroad Commission.
1912-1951
Carton 8, Folder 1-30
Annual reports,
1912-1940
Carton 9, Folder 1-9
Annual reports,
1941-1949
Carton 9, Folder 10-12
Correspondence,
1914-1951
Carton 9, Folder 18-24
Application #24, 486 for fare increase,
1942-1944
