Daniel H. Gilman Papers, 1882-1903

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Gilman, Daniel H
Title
Daniel H. Gilman Papers
Dates
1882-1903 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.89 cubic ft. (5 boxes)
Collection Number
2730
Summary
Early Washington publisher and promoter of railroads, mining, real estate, and utilities.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all users.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Daniel Hunt Gilman was born in Levant, Maine, in 1845. After serving in the Civil War, he worked in New York City's mercantile houses. He received a law degree from Columbia College of Law in 1877 and entered private practice in New York City. In 1883, he moved to Seattle, where he began promoting some major businesses, including railroads. Gilman helped to found the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway in 1885. Among the railroad's objectives were to cross Snoqualmie Pass and exploit the real and perceived mineral resources of the Cascade Mountains. Working with Thomas Burke, he secured capital from East Coast investors to finance the railroad's construction. The first tracks were laid in 1887. The line ran from downtown Seattle, around the northern shores of Lake Union, and to the east of Lake Washington. By 1889 the railroad reached as far as Snoqualmie Falls, where it was linked by a northern branch to the Canadian Pacific in Sumas, Washington, and track was laid in Spokane for a line heading west. However, the railroad never succeeded in crossing the Cascade Mountains. Due to the highly speculative nature of its financing and management, the venture ran into financial difficulties and the Nothern Pacific Railway assumed control in 1890.

Gilman helped to found the Seattle and Montana Railroad (part of the Great Northern system) and the West Street and North End Electric Railway in Seattle. He was also involved with various ventures, from real estate to construction to coal mining, connected with his railroad business. Gilman was among the first to recognize the potential of Snoqualmie Falls as a hydroelectric generation source, and he worked to cultivate interest in it.

Gilman was an active Democrat. He was chairman of the Democratic Party's Central Committee from 1890 to 1892. In that capacity he helped to establish the Seattle Telegraph as the newspaper of the party.

Some time following his marriage in 1888, Gilman moved to New York but returned to Seattle in 1906. He died on April 27, 1913.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Daniel H. Gilman Papers document his career from 1886 to 1903 but concentrate on the period 1890 to 1894.

Accession 2730-1, which includes corresondence, agreements, writings, and financial records, documents Gilman's activities as a business promoter and Democratic Party stalwart. The heart of the accession is the incoming letters. They date from 1889 to 1894 and discuss Gilman's various activities. Discussions of Gilman's railroad ventures can be found in letters from Franklin M. Jones, James Dickinson Smith, James B. Witherow, and Jacob F. Wyckoff. The Lake Washington Ship Canal is documented in letters from Watson C. Squire. Letters from George Hazzard, George W. Van Fossen, and Chester H. Warner concern Democratic Party politics. This accession includes only a small quantity of outgoing letters. The remainder of the accession includes miscellaneous financial and legal documents.

Accession 2730-2 consists mainly of letters from Gilman to Franklin M. Jones of the New York bankers Jameson, Smith and Cotting dating from 1883 to 1890. The letters concern Gilman's attempts to promote the development of coal mining in the Black Diamond and Newcastle areas of King County. In association with this enterprise was the attempt to find iron ore in Snoqualmie Pass. The accession also includes proposals for railroads, drafts of promotional statements, financial records, and clippings related to his railroad ventures.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The creator's literary rights were not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 2730-001, Daniel H. Gilman papers, 1886-1902
  • Accession No. 2730-002, Daniel H. Gilman papers, 1883-1890

Acquisition Information

Accession 2730-1 was acquired from the Thomas Burke Estate in 1935. Accession 2730-2 was a gift from F.S. Bayley in 1977.

Processing Note

The Gilman Papers were part of an gift from the Thomas Burke Estate that also included the Thomas Burke Papers and John J. McGilvra Papers. The Gilman Papers and the McGilvra Papers were grouped into separate accessions.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 2730-001: Daniel H. Gilman papers, 1886-1902Return to Top

1.68 cu. ft.

Scope and Content: Papers, 1886-1902. Correspondence, agreements, proposals, writings, financial records, and clippings concerning Gilman's activities as a promoter of railroads, mines, real estate, and utilities, and as president of the Seattle Montana Railroad, the West Street and North End Electric Railway, and the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad, and as editor of Seattle Telegraph, a Democratic newspaper, and chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, 1890-92.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming Letters
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 2730-001
Albertson, Robert B.
1891-1892
1/2 2730-001
Allen, F.E.
1891
1/3 2730-001
Allen, John Beard
1892
1/4 2730-001
"A" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
1/5 2730-001
Baker, Charles Hinkley
1891, 1894
1/6 2730-001
Ballard, William Rankin
1891
1/7 2730-001
State Bank of New York
1890-1893
1/8 2730-001
Begg, Alexander
1891
1/9 2730-001
Black, Chauncey F.
1890, 1892
1/10 2730-001
Boston National Bank of Seattle
1891-1892
1/11 2730-001
Boyle, R.H.
1890
1/12 2730-001
Brainerd, Erastus
1892-1894
1/13 2730-001
Brouwer & McGown, Brokers, New York
1890
1/14 2730-001
Bryan, S.H.
1891-1892
1/15 2730-001
Bryant, John H.
1892
1/16 2730-001
Burke, Thomas
1892
1/17 2730-001
Byllesby, Henry M. (1859-1924)
1892
1/18-19 2730-001
"B" Miscellaneous
1890-1894, n.d.
1/20 2730-001
Cassil, W.B.
1892
1/21-22 2730-001
Chace & Butts
1890-1894
1/23 2730-001
Chrystie & Janney
1892
1/24 2730-001
Clothier, Harrison
1890
1/25 2730-001
Conover, Charles T.
1892
1/16 2730-001
"C" Miscellaneous
1890-1893
1/27 2730-001
Daft, Leo
1894
1/28 2730-001
Davidge, F.C.
1893
1/29 2730-001
Davies, Griffith
1894
1/30 2730-001
De Garis, F.
1894
1/31 2730-001
Democratic Party, Washington State, Pierce County Central Democratic Club
1890-1891
1/32 2730-001
Democratic Party, Democratic Society of Washington, George Hazzard, Secretary
1890-1893
1/33-36 2730-001
Democratic Party, Washington State, Central Committee
1892
1/37 2730-001
Democratic Party Miscellaneous
1890-1894
1/38 2730-001
Democratic Party
1890-1894
1/39 2730-001
De Wolf, George
1894
1/40 2730-001
Dorffel, George
1890
1/41 2730-001
Drew, Thomas F.
1892-1894
1/42 2730-001
Dudley, Augustus Palmer
1890-1891
1/43 2730-001
Durie, David E.
1890-1891
1/44 2730-001
"D" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
1/45 2730-001
Earle, Thomas
1891-1894
1/46 2730-001
Eastwick, Philip G.
1892-1893
1/47 2730-001
Edmiston, J.K.
1891-1892
1/48 2730-001
Eshelman (J.F.) Lewellyn & Company
1890-1894
1/49 2730-001
Estee, Morris M.
1890
1/50 2730-001
Ewing, Thomas
1893-1894
1/51 2730-001
"E" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
1/52 2730-001
Fahestock & Company
1890-1893
1/53 2730-001
Fairhaven Land Company
1893-1894
1/54 2730-001
Falls, Thomas J.
1890-1894
1/55 2730-001
Ferry, Elisha P.
1891-1892
1/56 2730-001
Forbes, A.B. (and agent)
1893-1894
1/57 2730-001
Ford, A.
1890
1/58 2730-001
"F" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
1/59 2730-001
General Electric Company
1893-1894
1/60 2730-001
Gilman, Luthene Clairmont
1890-1893
1/61 2730-001
Glen Iron Mining Company
1894
1/62 2730-001
Goode, H.W.
1891-1892
1/63 2730-001
Gray, Charles C.
1891-1893
1/64 2730-001
Great Northern Railway Line
1890-1894
1/65 2730-001
Green, Joshua
1892
1/66 2730-001
Griggs, Chauncey Wright
1892
1/68 2730-001
Guilfoil, O.D.
1890-1894
1/67 2730-001
"G" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
2/1 2730-001
Halsey, N. Wetmore
1890
2/2 2730-001
Hardin, Thomas B.
1892
2/3 2730-001
Harris (E.W. and T.H.), law firm
1892-1893
2/4 2730-001
Haskell, C.F.B.
1893-1894
2/5 2730-001
Hazzard, George
1890-1893
2/6 2730-001
Hewitt-Lombard Bank
1892
2/7 2730-001
Hills, James Jerome
1891-1893
2/8 2730-001
Hoadly, Lauterback & Johnson
1891
2/9 2730-001
Hoit, Homer A.
1890-1891
2/10 2730-001
Horner, A.L.
1892
2/11 2730-001
Hosmer, Charles R.
1891
2/12 2730-001
Hutchings, George L.
1891
2/13 2730-001
"H" Miscellaneous
1889-1894
2/14 2730-001
Illinois Steel Company
1890
2/15 2730-001
"I" Miscellaneous
1890-1891
2/16 2730-001
Jameson, Smith & Company
1890
2/17 2730-001
Jenner, Charles J.
1892
1/18 2730-001
Jesup, Charles M.
1891
1/19 2730-001
Jones, F.M. (Franklin M.)
1890-1894
1/20 2730-001
"J" Miscellaneous
1890-1893
2/21 2730-001
Kimball, James P.
1894, n.d.
1/22 2730-001
King, Charles
1893-1894
2/23 2730-001
Kittinger, C.H.
1894
2/24 2730-001
"K" Miscellaneous
1890-1893
2/25 2730-001
Leary, John
1890-1891
2/26 2730-001
Lewis, James Hamilton
1892-1893
2/28 2730-001
McDonald, J.R.
1891, 1894
2/29 2730-001
McNaught, James
1892-1894
2/30 2730-001
Martin, Alfred
1890-1893
1/31 2730-001
Merchant's National Bank, Seattle
1890-1894
1/32 2730-001
Metropolitan Trust Company
1891-1893
2/33 2730-001
Midland Pacific Railroad
1892
2/34 2730-001
Moran Brothers
1890
2/35-36 2730-001
"M" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
2/37 2730-001
Nelson, J.T.
1894
2/38 2730-001
New York Bank Note Company
1890-1891
2/39 2730-001
New York Engraving & Printing Company
1892
2/40 2730-001
Northern Pacific Railroad
1888-1893
1/41 2730-001
Northern Pacific Roadroad, Attorney's Office
1892-1893
1/42 2730-001
Northwest General Electric Company
1892-1893
2/43 2730-001
Northwest Thomson-Houston Electric Company
1891-1892
2/44 2730-001
"N" Miscellaneous
1890-1892
2/45 2730-001
O'Dell, Daniel, broker
1890-1894
2/46 2730-001
Olympia Hotel
1892
2/47 2730-001
Orvis Brothers & Company
1890
2/48 2730-001
"O" Miscellaneous
1891-1893
2/49 2730-001
Page, J.A.
1890-1892
2/50 2730-001
Pettigrew, Richard
1893
2/51 2730-001
Pratt, G.E.M.
1892-1893
2/52 2730-001
Puget Sound Iron Company
1894
2/53-54 2730-001
"P" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
2/55 2730-001
Quinn, David A.
1890
3/1 2730-001
Rainier Club
1890-1893
3/2 2730-001
Rochester, Junius
1890-1891
3/3 2730-001
Rockwood, George G.
1890-1893
3/4 2730-001
"R" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
3/5 2730-001
Schulze, Paul
1894
3/6 2730-001
Seattle Chamber of Commerce
1890-1894
3/7 2730-001
Seattle National Bank of Commerce
1891-1894
3/8 2730-001
Seattle University (Baptist)
1891-1893
3/9 2730-001
Seattle & Eastern Construction Company
1890-1892
3/10 2730-001
Seattle & Montana Railraod Company
1890-1894
3/11 2730-001
Seattle Coal and Iron Company
1890-1894
3/12 2730-001
Seattle Democrat
1892
3/13 2730-001
Seattle Journal
1890, n.d.
3/14 2730-001
Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Company
1890-1892
3/45 2730-001
Seattle National Bank
1891-1893
3/16 2730-001
Seattle Safe Deposit & Trust Company
1893-1894
3/17 2730-001
Seattle Telegraph
1890-1893
3/18 2730-001
Seattle Trust Company
1890-1893
3/19 2730-001
Semple, Eugene
1891, n.d.
3/20-22 2730-001
Smith, James Dickinson
1890-1893
3/23 2730-001
Smith (James D.) & Company
1891-1894
3/24 2730-001
Smith, Stewart K.
1892-1894
3/25 2730-001
Smith Cove Land Company
1890-1892
3/26 2730-001
Spalt, (Mrs.) F.R.
1894
3/27 2730-001
Spencer, Robert T.
1892-1894
3/28-29 2730-001
Squire, Watson C.
1891-1894
3/30 2730-001
Stone, C.
1892-1894
3/31 2730-001
Street, Ogden
1893-1894
3/32 2730-001
Sullivan, John C. and wife
1892-1893
3/33 2730-001
Symons, Thomas William
1892
3/34-36 2730-001
"S" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
3/37 2730-001
Thomson, Reginald Heber
1893-1894
3/38 2730-001
Thornell, William R.
1890-1894
3/39 2730-001
Torkelson, C.S.
1893-1894
3/40 2730-001
"T" Miscellaneous
1890-1894, n.d.
3/41 2730-001
"U" Miscellaneous
1890-1894, n.d.
3/42 2730-001
Van Fossen, George W.
1891-1893
3/43 2730-001
"V" Miscellaneous
1892-1894
4/1 2730-001
Warner, Chester H.
1891-1892
4/2 2730-001
Washington State Board of Trade
1891
4/3 2730-001
Weed, Smith Mead
1894, n.d.
4/4 2730-001
Wenatchee Development Company
1894
4/5-6 2730-001
West Street & North End Electric Railway Company
1891
4/7 2730-001
Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company
1890-1892
4/8 2730-001
Wilson, John Lockwood
1892
4/9 2730-001
Winchell, Horace Vaughn
1894
4/10 2730-001
Witherow, James P.
1893-1894
4/11 2730-001
Wood, W.D.
1890
4/12-14 2730-001
Wyckoff, Jacob F.
1890-1894
4/15-16 2730-001
"W" Miscellaneous
1890-1894
4/17 2730-001
"Y" Miscellaneous
1893
4/18 2730-001
Anonymous and Unidentifiable
1891-1892, n.d.
Box/Folder Accession
4/19 2730-001
Correspondence Enclosures
1889-1893
4/20 2730-001
Outgoing Letters
1886-1902
4/21-22 2730-001
Financial Miscellany
1890-1894, n.d.
4/23 2730-001
Memoranda
1890, n.d.
4/24 2730-001
Printed Miscellany
1890-1894, n.d.
4/25 2730-001
Map of Skagit County
1891
4/26 2730-001
Legal Documents - Miscellany
1888-1891
4/27 2730-001
Miscellany - Large
1893, n.d.
4/28 2730-001
Subject Series - Tideland Matters
1890-1892, n.d.
4/29 2730-001
Documents - Miscellaneous
1889-1902

Accession No. 2730-002: Daniel H. Gilman papers, 1883-1890Return to Top

.21 cu. ft.

Scope and Content: Letters by Gilman mainly to Franklin M. Jones of Jameson, Smith and Cotting, NY bankers, plus related items; 1883-1890. Gilman was a business promoter. These are mainly letters (ALS) by Gilman to Jones regarding development of coal lands in the Black Diamond Area, King County, along with prospect for a steel industry. He was also interested in railroading, being associated with the Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Railway. These papers have been arbitrarily named the Gilman papers because of the nature of their acquisition, being divorced from their origins, and intended by donor to be considered the "Gilman papers".

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 2730-002
Incoming Letter from Frederick H. Whitworth
1883
1/2-8 2730-002
Outgoing Letters
1883-1890
1/9 2730-002
Correspondence of Others - Letters to Franklin M. Jones
1886
1/10 2730-002
Draft of Agreement
1882
1/11 2730-002
Proposals for Railroads
1885, n.d.
Drafts of Promotion Statements
Box/Folder Accession
1/12 2730-002
Favoring Puget Sound over Portland
n.d.
1/13 2730-002
For Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway
n.d.
Box/Folder Accession
1/14 2730-002
Financial Status Statement
1886
1/15 2730-002
Business Statements
1882-1886
1/16 2730-002
Clippings
1882, 1886, n.d.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Businessmen--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Coal mines and mining--Washington (State)--King County
  • Politicians--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Promoters--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Railroad companies--Washington (State)
  • Railroads--Washington (State)

Personal Names

  • De Wolfe, George
  • Drew, Thomas F
  • Earle, Thomas
  • Gilman, Daniel H.--Archives
  • Goode, H. W
  • Haskell, Charles Frederick Beals, 1856-1895
  • Hazzard, George, 1845-
  • Jones, F. M. (Franklin M.)
  • Kimball, James P. (James Putnam), 1836-1913
  • Kirk, Peter
  • Rockwood, George Gardner, 1832-1911
  • Smith, James Dickinson, 1832-1909
  • Squire, Watson C. (Watson Carvosso), 1838-1926
  • Thornell, William R
  • Weed, Smith Mead, 1833-1920
  • Wyckoff, Jacob F

Corporate Names

  • Democratic Party (Wash.). Central Committee
  • Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway Company

Geographical Names

  • Lake Washington Ship Canal (Seattle, Wash.)

Other Creators

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)