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).