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Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports, 1895-1931

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
Title
Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports
Dates
1895-1931 (inclusive)
Quantity
.8 cubic ft., ((2 boxes))
Collection Number
1802-I7
Summary
Annual reports of the Seattle Department of Streets and Sewers including narratives and statistics, inspectors' reports, and information on maintenance and repair.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are 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.
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Historical Note

The Department of Streets and Sewers was responsible for the planning, construction, repair and cleaning of the City’s streets, sidewalks and sewers. City Council appointed the first Street Commissioner in 1875. The position came under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Works in 1890. The position of Superintendent of Streets, Sewers and Parks was established in 1896, although authority over Parks was removed in 1904. The department was abolished in 1936 and became the Maintenance Division of the Engineering Department.

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Content Description

The Streets and Sewers Annual Reports date from 1895 to 1931; there is not a report for every year in this series. Additional copies can be found at the Seattle Public Library and in the Engineering Department Unrecorded Subject Files (located on microfiche at the Seattle Municipal Archives and in hard copy at the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the State Archives).

The earliest report, for 1895, is an itemized list of new construction for the year. The next report, for the year 1903, is a breakdown of costs for the department, including dollars spent for repairing, cleaning, and supplies, for paved streets, planked streets, dirt streets, and in other areas are listed. The 1904 reports includes both narrative and statistics, and includes reports of the street inspector, sidewalk inspector, sewer inspector, and a report on work of the chain gang. The 1905, 1908 and 1909 reports are primarily statistical; the 1908 report includes suggested amendments to ordinances relating to streets and sewers, such as moving buildings through any public place. Reports from 1896 to 1900 include parks. Discussion of the benefits of paving streets and the problems of planked roads is a common thread through these reports. Reports in the 1910s have more narrative than earlier reports and discuss the huge increase in motor driven vehicles and the implications for the department, as well as the effect of war activities on streets and sewers.

Reports in the 1920s continue to have narrative and many statistical reports. Root bound sewers and snow storms are some of the issues that arise. Maintenance and repair costs are a constant theme throughout the reports. The last report in this series is 1931.

Records were originally filed with the City Clerk in the Comptroller/Clerk's Files (CFs) and were removed to create this record series.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

Additional copies of the reports can be found in the Engineering Dept. Unrecorded Subject Files, located on microfiche at the Seattle Municipal Archives.

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports, Record Series 1802-I7. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Reports are arranged chronologically by year.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Municipal engineering--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Sanitary engineering--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Sewerage--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Streets--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Streets--Washington (State)--Seattle--Maintenance and repair

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and goverment

Form or Genre Terms

  • Annual reports

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names

    • Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Streets and Sewers (creator)

Finding aid prepared by Anne Frantilla
2004

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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