Washington Water Power Company Records

Washington Water Power Company Records, 1888-1964

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Washington Water Power Company
Title: Washington Water Power Company Records
Dates: 1888-1964 (inclusive)
18881964

1893-1914 (bulk)
18931914
Quantity: 19.1 linear feet
Collection Number: SPC 972-0006 (collection)
Summary: Records, in various formats, selected by Mr. Kimball Jack, used in writing a company history. Material covers a wide variety of topics related to the history of WWP, Spokane and Washington State, including electric street cars, Natatorium Park, and the Central Basin irrigation canal project among others.
Repository: Eastern Washington University
Archives & Special Collections
Eastern Washington University Libraries
320 Media Lane - 100 LIB
Cheney, WA
99004-2453
Telephone: 5093592475
archives@ewu.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks and publications maintained as a portion of the company library. The material spans the years 1888-1964. Most of the correspondence is from 1893-1914 and most of the publications from 1930-1960. A large portion of this material relates to the public vs. private utility ownership controversy.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Use of this collection is subject to the rules concerning access to archival and manuscript collections at Eastern Washington University. For more information, see: http://www.ewu.edu/Library/Services/Archives.xml

Copyright restrictions may apply. For more information or permission to publish, contact Eastern Washington University Libraries, Archives & Special Collections at (509) 359-2475, or archives@ewu.edu

Preferred Citation

Washington Water Power Company Records; SPC 972-0006; box number; folder number; Archives & Special Collections, Eastern Washington University.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Correspondence has been arranged in four series: general correspondence from 1889-1907; incoming correspondence from 1893-1907; outgoing correspondence from 1901-1902; and classified correspondence from 188-1964.

Acquisition Information

SPC 972-0006: Gift; Kimball Jack; 1972.

SPC 982-0183: Gift; Robert Shotwell of Coons, Shotwell & Associates; 1972.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

SPC 972-0006: Washington Water Power Company Records, 1888-1964, (bulk 1893-1914) Return to Top

12 cu. ft., 12 reels of microfilm, 29 containers

Gift; Kimball Jack; 1972.

Previous accession number for SPC 972-0006: 72-4.

The Washington Water Power Company records in the Archives at Eastern Washington University are drawn from portions of the records no longer needed for use by this active corporation. Much of this material was selected by Kimball I. Jack for use on writing a short historical essay on the company. The collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and a number of publications maintained as a portion of the company library. The material spans the years 1888 to 1964. Most of the correspondence is from 1893 to 1914, and most of the publications from 1930 to 1960. A large portion of this material relates to the public vs. private power ownership controversy.

The correspondence has been arranged into four series. To some degree these series overlap, and the user of this collection is advised to cross check between them. The four series, are: General Correspondence from 1889 to 1907; Incoming Correspondence from 1893 to 1907; Outgoing correspondence regarding orders for equipment and supplies from 1901 to 1902; and Classified Correspondence. The Classified Correspondence has been arranged according to subject, and spans from 1888 to 1964.

Use of this collection is subject to the rules concerning access to archival and manuscript collections at Eastern Washington University.

Records no longer required for daily operations of this corporation. Selection was apparently done by Mr. Kimball Jack, an executive who used the material to write a history of the firm.

The scrapbooks were maintained by the WWP Company's Department of Public Relations, for use in developing public relations and publicity programs. These have been microfilmed, and are stored in the microfilm cabinet, not with the rest of the collection. Also on microfilm is a copy of a report by the WWP to the Federal Power Commission in 1939, stored in the microfilm cabinet.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		I: Historical and Descriptive
		1: Newspaper Clippings This clipping file was maintained by the Public Relations Department of the Washington Water Power Co. for use in the development and implementation of public relations activities and programs. Much of the 1930-52 material deals with the public power issue.	1930-1966
Box/Folder
1/1-21			1930-1939
2/1-18			1938-1951
3/1-18			1940-1952
4/1-8			1943-1966
		2: Scrapbooks These scrapbooks were maintained by the Public Relations Department of the Washington Water Power Co. There are two types of scrapbooks, the first arranged chronologically, while the rest are classified according to subject.	1894-1965
		2.1: Chronological	1894-1957
		Book 1: Spokane papers The major subject is Spokane's street railway system.	1894-1911
		Book 2: Spokane papers The major subject is the Merchants Central Heating Co. franchise controversy.	1914-1916
		Book 3: Spokane papers The major subject is the Merchants Central Heating Co.	1916-1917
		Book 4: Spokane and regional papers The major subject is a proposed street car fare hike.	1921
		Book 5: Spokane and regional papers The major subject is public power.	1929-1936
Oversize
		Book 6: Washington and Oregon papers The major subjects are public power and the demise of the street car.	1935-1936
		Book 7: Spokane and regional papers The major subject is public power.	1936-1938
		Book 8: Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland papers The major subject is public power.	1936
		Book 9: Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland papers The subject is hydroelectric power around the state and the nation.	1938
		Book 10: Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland papers The major subject is public power in Washington State.	1936-1938
		Book 11: Spokane papers The subject is the Spokane municipal power election.	1940-1941
		Book 12: Spokane papers The subject is the Spokane municipal power election.	1941
		Book 12: Spokane papers The subject is public power.	1940-1941
		Book 14: Local papers The subject is an Adams County PUD election.	1942
		Book 15: Spokane and regional papers The subject is the Spokane Natural Gas Co. prior to its merger with the Washington Water Power Co.	1952-1957
		2.2: Classified	1941-1965
		Companies and Agencies "A - K"
		Companies and Agencies "L - V"
		Inland Empire Industrial Research, Inc.
		Metals, Minerals, & Mining "A - C"
		Metals, Minerals, & Mining "D - M"
		Metals, Minerals, & Mining "'N - Z"
		Various Subjects "A - D"
		Various Subjects "E - H"
		Various Subjects "I - J"
		Various Subjects "K - M"
		Various Subjects "N - P"
		Various Subjects "R"
		Various Subjects "S - Z"
Box/Folder	Box/Folder
4/9-24	5/1-39	3: Customer Service Advisor's Handbook Working and copy files from a handbook designed to aid employees in public relations and sales work.	1939
		4: Reclassification of Electric Plant - Statements A - I Inclusive A report to the Federal Power Commission by the Washington Water Power Co. It includes a brief history of the company and its operations written by Lou Throilkill.	1939
Box/Folder	Box/Folder
5/40	6/1-9	5: Technical Reports & Data Material describing the company's electrical power distribution system in the city of Spokane, and studies on the feasibility of a municipal power system in Spokane.	1938-1941
		II: Correspondence This sub group consists of general correspondence, incoming correspondence, outgoing correspondence, and classified correspondence.
Box/Folder
7/1-3		6: General Correspondence General correspondence from the files of the Washington Water Power Co. and some of its predecessors. Arranged alpha-chronologically.	1889-1926
		7: Incoming Correspondence Arranged alpha-chronologically.	1893-1907
Box/Folder
7/4-15		"A - Br"
8/1-23		"Bu - Franklin Trust Co. 1901"
9/1-20		"Franklin Trust Co. 1902 - General Electric 1899"
10/1-17		"General Electric 1900 - March 1903"
11/1-18		"General Electric April 1904 - Rep"
12/1-15		"Rev - Y"
		8: Outgoing Correspondence Consists of one item - the WWP Co. letter book for the period from January 1, 1901 to August 12, 1902. It records equipment and supplies ordered by General Manager David L. Huntington.	1901-1902
		9: Classified Correspondence General correspondence arranged by topic or subject, and chronologically.	1888-1964
Box/Folder
13/1		9.1: Electric Bond & Share Co. (EBASCO) EBASCO is the electric utilities holding company which controlled WWP through its subsidiary, the American Power & Light Co.	1939-1964
13/2		9.2: Experimental Electric Vehicles WWP promoted electric automobiles and trucks operated by rechargeable storage batteries, but had limited success.	1901-1918
		9.3: David L. Huntington Huntington was General Manager from 1896 to 1911, and President from 1910 to 1912. This correspondence has been divided into two categories: That concerning the WWP Co, and that concerning the University of Washington when Huntington was a member of the Board of Regents.	1894-1927
Box/Folder
13/3-5		9.31: Huntington - WWP Co.	1894-1927
13/6-16		9.32: Huntington - U. of W. Much of this correspondence deals with construction of the steam heating and lighting plant at the U. of Washington.	1906-1909
Box/Folder
14/1-6		9.4: Natatorium Park This was the amusement park and swimming pool operated by the 7UP at the end of one of their city trolley lines. Mostly concerns booking performers by John W. Pace, park manager.	1909-1916
14/7-8		9.5: National Electric Light & Power Association (NELPA) A business organization for the electric utility industry. Most correspondence is pertaining to the convention held in Seattle in 1912.	1912-1916
	Box/Folder
14/9	15/1-2	9.6: Okanogan District Primarily a file maintained by J. F. Farquhar, the WWP's General Agent, on accounts in that district.	1923-1930
15/3-6	16/1-19	9.7: Street Railways Correspondence relating to the construction and operation of the street railways and interurban lines in and around Spokane. The bulk of the material pertains to lines merged with the Washington Water Power Co.	1888-1945
		9.8: WWP - Interdepartmental Inter office general correspondence which has been divided into four categories.	1907-1928
Box/Folder
17/1		9.81: General Operations	1907-1928
17/2-5		9.82: Irrigation Accounts	1923-1924
17/6-10		9.83: Collections	1913-1919
17/11-14		9.84: Payroll	1917-1918
Box/Folder
17/15		9.9: Kimball Jack Miscellaneous correspondence and writings of Kimball I. Jack, including some of his research notes, short essays on historical topics (usually WD related), and a few selected items of correspondence from the TTWP files which he retained.
		III: Financial and Legal Documents
Box/Folder
18/1-4		10: Financial Documents Bond contracts, sales contracts, and cancelled checks.	1889-1939
		11: Legal Documents Transcripts from three hearings concerning the activities and operations of the Washington Water Power Co.	1910-1936
		11.1: Re: Permit	1910
Box/Folder
18/5-6		Volumes 4 and 5
19/1-3		Volumes 6, 10 and 18
Box/Folder
19/4		11.2: Cause No. 6616 Volume 1	1933
19/5-8		11.3: Cause No. 6736 Volumes 1-4	1936
		IV: Publications
Box/Folder	Box/Folder
19/9-11	20/1-11	12: Electric Bond & Share Co. (EBASCO) Technical publications concerning the operation of an electric utility company.	1933-1943
20/12-30		13: Northwest Electric Light & Power Association (NELPA) Reports of proceedings at annual meetings.	1911-1929
20/31-40		14: Newcomen Society Published copies of addresses given at their meetings. This is a society composed mostly of business men, dealing with the study of technological and business history.	1955-1960
21/oversize		15: New York State Barge Canal Plans This book of engineering drawings and plans would have been used in designing the Central Basin irrigation canal, a project supported by WUP. It would have brought water from north eastern Washington to the Columbia basin. The project died when the Federal government approved the Grand Coulee project.	1920
20/41-54		16: Washington Water Power Co. Miscellaneous publications including annual reports, employee hand books, publicity materials, reports on local Public Utility District and municipal power elections. Note: Several large format photo books, and small photo posters designed for publicity work were too large to store here. They are in Container No. 20.	1911-1964
		17: Classified Publications Publications from various sources, including atomic power, public power, miscellaneous, and oversize publications. Arranged by subject.	1914-1962
Box
22		17.1: Atomic Power Publications pertaining to the generation of electric power by nuclear steam plants.	1956-1960
23		17.2: Public Power Publications dealing with the controversy over public or private ownership of electric utilities. Tennessee Valley Authority, Grand Coulee Project, and Public Utility Districts are covered.	1935-1961
	Box
24	25	17.3: Miscellaneous Publications Publications from a variety of sources, on a variety of subjects. They include technological items, trade journals, advertising and publicity materials. Note: Several publicity books too large to file here are in Container No. 26, and two volumes of Scientific American supplements are stored with the oversize items.	1914-1960
		17.4: Oversize Publications Materials too large to store in the boxes containing the series that they belong to.
Box/Folder
26/oversize		Publicity Materials
		Scientific American Supplements
Box/Folder
27/oversize		Volume 78	July 1914-December 1914
28/oversize		Volume 79	January 1915-June 1915
		V: Photographs
Box/Folder
29/1-6		18: Photographs Photos of employees and employee activities, executives, operations and plant in Spokane, and out of Spokane, Natatorium Park, and the street railway.	1899-1964
		VI: Materials Removed from the Chronological Scrapbooks
Box/Folder
17/16		1: Correspondence Incoming, 1909-1911, 1930 These pieces were removed from books 1 and 5. Arranged alphabetically by author.	1909-1911; 1930
18/7		2: Stock Ledger Book 1 was done over the pages of an 1896 stock ledger - several pages of which have been retained.	1896
		3: Promotional Literature These materials include leaflets, pamphlets, mass mailings, posters, advertisements, and statements from the following' political campaigns. Each piece is arranged alphabetically according to source.	1916-1942
Box/Folder
26/1		a: Merchants Central Heating Co. franchise	1916
26/2-5		b: Spokane Municipal Power Ordinance	1940-1941
26/6		c: Adams County Public Utility District	1942
		4: Photographs
Box/Folder
29/7		a: Book 11 Photographs of Washington Water Power Co. advertisements used during the 1941 campaign against the proposed Spokane. Municipal Power Ordinance.
29/8		b: Book 15 Spokane Natural Gas Co. Building.
		5: Miscellaneous Materials
Box/Folder
26/7		a: Book 4 Spokane Chamber of Commerce bulletin, June 28, 1921 discussing the raising of streetcar fares by the Washington Water Power Co.
26/8		b: Book 5 Map showing Public Utility Districts in Washington State after the 1936 election.

SPC 982-0183: Washington Water Power Company Collection, 1959-1969, 1972Return to Top

0.1 cu. ft. (2 reels)

Consists of two motion picture prints advertising prepared for WWP Co. by Coons, Shotwell & Associates, a Spokane advertising agency.

Two groups of television commercials for the Washington Water Power Company prepared by Coons, Shotwell & Associates. One reel contains of WWP commercials for the period 1959-1969, in black & white; the other reel consists of WWP natural gas commercials in color from 1972.

Mr. Robert Shotwell of Coons, Shotwell & Associates; 1982.

Previous accession number for SPC 982-0183: 82-244.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Power resources--Research
Public utilities--Law and legislation--Washington (State)
Street-railroads--Washington (State)--Spokane

Personal Names

Huntington, David L.

Corporate Names

Ebasco Services Incorporated
National Electric Light Association
Newcomen Society of the United States
Washington Water Power Company--Records and correspondence (creator)

Geographical Names

Natatorium Park (Wash.)
New York State Canal System (N.Y.)--Records and correspondence
Spokane (Wash.)--History

Form or Genre Terms

business records
clippings (information artifacts)
correspondence
scrapbooks

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Jack, Kimball I. (contributor)

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents