Collection Guide
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A guide to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, records (Subcollection 1, Series 1-7), 1850-1978, undated
HDC0345.01 (SAFR 17494)
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Title: Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, records (Subcollection 1, Series 1-7)
Date: 1850-1978, undated
Date (bulk): 1892-1956
Identifier/Call Number: HDC0345.01 (SAFR 17494)
Creator:
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation (San Francisco, Calif.)
Physical Description:
213 boxes.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, subcollection 1 (HDC0345.01, SAFR 17494) are business
records that date from 1850 to 1978 inclusively and are contained in 213 boxes. The business records include order books,
cost books, scrapbooks, sales books, specifications, correspondence, official documents, order records, catalogs and employee
card files. The records contain detailed information about orders placed, project-associated costs and sales records. Of note,
is a scrapbook (Series 3, file unit 1) documenting the activities and events of the Vigilance Committee by Col. John S. Ellis
(former Sheriff and Colonel of the First California National Guard). Also, Series 7 - the Employee Card Files, 1908 to 1918,
contain a wealth of demographic data ranging from native country to local address, job titles and appraisal notes.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English
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The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], HDC0345.01 (SAFR 17494), Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, records (Subcollection
1, Series 1-7), San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-00001
SAFR-01682
The collection was created by the Union Iron Works (incorporated into Bethlehem Steel Corp.'s Shipbuilding Division in January
1905) at three sites, primarily the main yard at 20th & Illinois on the bay side of San Francisco's Potrero district, but
also at Bethlehem's Alameda yard and the Hunter's Point yard in San Francisco. The bulk of the collection was donated to the
Maritime Unit of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area on September 21-22, 1982, by Gayne Marriner, General Manager, Bethlehem
Steel Corporation, S.F. Shipyard. The accession number is GOGA-00429. Another sizable increment was received in 1980 by the
J. Porter Shaw Library of 46 cartons of office records. The library accession number is 80-154, the Park accession is SAFR-00001/GOGA-00735.
Historical or Biographical Note
Beginning at San Francisco, California in 1849 with the blacksmith shop of Peter Donahue and Brothers and later the establishment
in 1856 of the Union Iron Works, these companies grew into one of the major west coast shipbuilding companies with the creation
of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division in 1938.
Union Iron Works Chronology
1849 - Peter Donahue and Brothers [James & Michael], blacksmiths
NW corner Jackson/Montgomery Streets, San Francisco, California.
1850-1853 - dba Donahue's Union Iron and Brass Foundry, NE corner First & Mission Streets, San Francisco, California. March
1850: company produces first iron casting in the State [spring bearing for the shaft of steamer JOHN S. MCKIM].
1853 - James and Michael sell out to Peter, who becomes sole owner.
1856-1862 - dba Union Iron Works, Peter Donahue, Proprietor. Products include "steam engines, saw mills, threshing machines,
grist mills, gearing, malt rollers and all kinds of mill work. They also advertised building castings, iron fronts and columns
for stores, railings for balconies and stairs, door and window sills, staircases, etc. ... [UIW] also had a hand in building
[assembling from components constructed in the East] the second war vessel constructed on the Pacific Coast, the monitor COMANCHE."
1863 - Peter Donahue sells two-thirds interest in UIW to Henry J. Booth and Charles S. Higgins.
1863-1865 - dba Donahue, Booth and Company. Irving M. Scott [formerly in Drafting Department], superintendent. Company turns
to construction of mining machinery -- builds estimated 90% of all machinery used in Comstock Bonanza. Peter Donahue involved
in construction of 50-mile railroad and its equipment [San Francisco and San Jose Railway, sold to Southern Pacific in 1871]
1865 - Peter Donahue and Charles Higgins sell their interest in the company. Henry J. Booth, George W. Prescott and Irving
M. Scott go into partnership.
1865-1875 - dba H. J. Booth & Company. Irving M. Scott, general manager. Company produces "locomotives, marine and stationary
boilers, flue, tubular, Cornish and marine boilers, hoisting machines, pumps and pumping machinery, quartz mills, concentrators,
stamps, mortars, hydraulic machinery and distributors, screens, Blake quartz crushers, pattern making, oil machinery, as well
as plans and specifications for mill work furnished free of cost."
1875-1883 - Henry J. Booth retires in June of 1875. Company dba Prescott, Scott & Company. Construction of "large hoisting
and pumping plants for the Comstock Lode, machinery for Alaska Treadwell Mines, large scale pumping machinery for Union Consolidated
Mine, machinery for gas works, power stations, water turbines, cable railroads, beet sugar plants, for oil extraction from
castor beans, roasting and smelting of ores, etc." In 1880, Scott takes an extended trip around the world, visiting shipyards;
on his return, he decides to reorganize company and make shipbuilding its principal business. Company purchases 32 acres of
bayside land in Potrero District [20th and Illinois Streets] and begins construction of plant that includes a hydraulic lift
drydock, 300-ton and 600-ton hydraulic flange presses, electric and hydraulic traveling cranes, numerous other hydraulic tools,
mills, generators and motors for independent drive.
1883-1902 - dba Union Iron Works. Irving M. Scott, general manager; brothers George W. Dickie [formerly of Risdon Iron Works]
and James Dickie oversee the shipbuilding operations as superintendent and manager. Thanks to its major expansion program,
UIW is equipped to manufacture in its own plant everything that it heretofore had to purchase from vendors outside of the
region. In 1884, keel laid for first major project: collier ARAGO, the first steel merchant ship built on the Pacific Coast.
1884 also saw the company's first Navy contract: construction of a caisson for the Mare Island Navy Yard dry dock, seen as
the forerunner of the yard's warship contracts. In 1886, UIW awarded the first of these contracts, for the cruiser CHARLESTON.
During this period, UIW built some 75 vessels, many of which have gone down in Naval history: cruisers OLYMPIA and SAN FRANCISCO,
battleships OREGON, WISCONSIN, OHIO and CALIFORNIA, destroyers FARRAGUT, PAUL JONES, PERRY and PREBLE, gunboats WHEELING and
MARIETTA, and
monitors MONTEREY and WYOMING.
June 17, 1902 - UIW is sold, together with five other companies, to the United States Shipbuilding Company.
1904 - United States Shipbuilding Company separately sells all six of the companies to a Reorganization Committee.
January 19, 1905 - UIW is acquired from the Reorganization Committee of the United States Shipbuilding Company by The Bethlehem
Steel Corporation of New Jersey, having been incorporated in New Jersey as the Union Iron Works Company on January 7, 1905.
November 11, 1908 - Union Iron Works Dry Dock Company is incorporated and purchases the entire property [three floating docks
at the foot of Second Street and 48 acres of land and two graving docks at Hunter's Point] of the San Francisco Dry Dock Company.
January 13, 1916 - Union Iron Works Company purchases the Alameda shipyard of the United Engineering Company.
October 1916 - Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd. comes into being and leases the Alameda and Potrero plants.
November 15, 1938 - Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd. changed to the Bethlehem Steel Company, Shipbuilding Division.
Potrero Yard changed to the San Francisco Yard.
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, subcollection 1 (HDC0345.01, SAFR 17494) are business
records that date from 1850 to 1978 inclusively and are contained in 213 boxes. The business records include order books,
cost books, scrapbooks, sales books, specifications, correspondence, official documents, order records, catalogs and employee
card files. The records contain detailed information about orders placed, project-associated costs and sales records. Of note,
is a scrapbook (Series 3, file unit 1) documenting the activities and events of the Vigilance Committee by Col. John S. Ellis
(former Sheriff and Colonel of the First California National Guard). Also, Series 7 - the Employee Card Files, 1908 to 1918,
contain a wealth of demographic data ranging from native country to local address, job titles and appraisal notes.
- 1. Order Books, 1884-1906
- 2. Cost Books, 1892-1904
- 3. Scrapbooks, 1850-1947
- 4. Sales Books, 1895-1906
- 5. Specifications, 1898-1922
- 6. Business-Related Documents, 1892-1972 with subseries: Risdon Iron Works Dredger Parts Ledgers, Correspondence, Documents, Order Records, Catalog of Risdon Iron and Locomotive Works and Miscellaneous Business-Related Documents
- 7. Employee Card Files, 1908-1918
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Scott Jr., Irving Murray
Union Iron and Brass Foundry
Prescott, Scott & Company
Union Iron Works Co.
Donahue, Booth and Company
United States Shipbuilding Company
Union Iron Works Dry Dock Company
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Bethlehem Steel Corporation
Account books
Correspondence