Lillian S. Spear papers, 1931-1963

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Spear, Lillian Sylten, 1897-1963
Title
Lillian S. Spear papers
Dates
1931-1963 (inclusive)
Quantity
6.09 cubic feet (20 boxes)
Collection Number
0381 (Accession No. 0381-001)
Summary
Papers of a teacher, civic leader, and activist in the public power movement in Washington State.
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 papers are open to all users.

Request at UW

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

Lillian Sylten, born in 1895, was a dedicated crusader for public power. She became acquainted with power issues through her position as a district Grange Master. Her work in this field began in 1938 when she helped members of the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) win re-election against challengers funded by the Puget Sound Power and Light Company (Puget Power). This campaign spurred the formation of the Snohomish County Public Utilities Association, which publicized the activities of the PUD and led pro-public power electoral campaigns. Sylten served as secretary of the Association. After the 1938 campaign, Sylten quit her jobs as principal of the Silver Lake Grammar School and president of the Snohomish County Parent-Teacher Association, and was hired as the auditor of the Snohomish PUD. In 1944 Sylten helped found the Snohomish County Legislative Council, a liberal group which discussed and made recommendations on all aspects of county government, especially public power.

Snohomish PUD was created by a county-wide vote in 1936. Its primary objective was to lower power costs by acquiring Puget Power’s Snohomish County properties and running them on a non-profit basis. A group of seven PUDs, including Snohomish, began negotiations to buy Puget Power in 1939. Sylten was secretary of the negotiating group, the Puget Sound Utility Commissioners’ Association (PSUCA). Puget Power’s actions soon convinced the PUDs that the company was not bargaining in good faith: in 1940 Puget Power co-sponsored Initiative 139, which made it more difficult for PUDs to finance purchases of private companies. The Washington Public Ownership League (WPOL) and the state-wide association of PUDs, the Washington Public Utility Commissioners’ Association, led a victorious fight against the measure. Sylten served as the secretary of WPOL, which was formed in 1939.

When negotiations with Puget Power stalled, Snohomish PUD filed a condemnation suit, a procedure to force the company to sell its assets at what the county court determined to be a fair price. The court set a $9.5 million price for Puget Power’s Snohomish County electrical distribution system in 1943. Snohomish PUD thought this was an inflated price and declined purchase. It then sought to join with other PUDs and condemn the entire company in a single suit. However, state law did not authorize this type of joint action. Accordingly, the WPOL sent Initiative 12, allowing joint suits by PUDs, to the state legislature in 1943. The legislature passed the measure, but private firms collected enough signatures to hold a referendum (Referendum 25) on the law in 1944. The measure divided public power advocates. Some opposed it since they thought PUDs should acquire property only through negotiated sales; others fought it because they disliked WPOL, which contained many socialists (although Sylten was not a socialist). Sylten played a prominent part in the fight for Initiative 12/Referendum 25, acting as president of the Women’s Committee for Referendum 25 and as secretary of the newly-created Reference and Information Service of the Washington Public Utilities Commissioners’ Association. Sylten also printed a great deal of material in favor of the measure in Public Power News, WPOL’s semimonthly journal which Sylten edited. Nonetheless, Referendum 25 went down to a narrow defeat.

With the attempt to sue Puget Power out of existence blocked, the PUDs revived PSUCA and its efforts to negotiate a sale. Lillian Sylten (who had married and become Lillian Spear in 1944) once again served as secretary of PSUCA. Negotiations remained on track despite private utilities’ sponsorship of Initiative 166 in 1946. This measure was essentially a re-run of Initiative 139, and it failed as well. PSUCA and Puget Power concluded a deal in 1946, but the agreement was nullified by a 5-4 vote of the Washington Supreme Court in 1947 on the grounds that PUDs could not take joint action of this nature. Lillian Spear left the public power movement in 1947 after a personality clash with leaders of the Snohomish PUD and after more conservative leaders took over the Washington Public Utility Commissioners’ Association. She moved to the East Coast in 1949. She later relocated to California and became active in anti-pollution campaigns there. She died in 1963.

Snohomish PUD bought Puget Power’s electrical distribution system in Snohomish County for an expensive $16.5 million in 1949. This was the last major sale of private power company property in Washington. Nonetheless, Snohomish PUD made more than enough revenue to pay off the purchase, and the agency rapidly became the largest public utility district in the state.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Contains correspondence, minutes, financial records, ephemera, a tape recorded interview, and other materials concerning Spear's activities on behalf of the public power movement and public utility districts in Washington State. There are materials from her work with the Snohomish County Public Utility Association, Snohomish County Legislative Council, Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County,Washington Public Ownership League, Public Power News, Women’s Committee for Referendum 25, Washington Public Utility Commissioners’ Association, Public Utility Districts’ Reference and Information Service (a subsidiary of the Washington Public Utilities Commissioners’ Association), Puget Sound Utility Commissioners’ Association, and the King County Public Utility District Association.

Major correspondents include Homer T. Bone; Henry M. Jackson; Joseph E. McGoran; Malcolm M. Moore; Carl D. Thompson; Monrad C. Wallgren; Adolph Ziebell; Bonneville Power Administration; Houghton, Cluck, and Coughlin; Public Ownership League of America; Puget Sound Power and Light Company; and the Washington Water Power Company.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The creator's literary rights have been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Preferred Citation

[Title of item], [date of item if known], [box/folder number], Lillian S. Spear Papers, Accession No. 0381-001, University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in 14 series:

  • Personal papers
  • Snohomish County Public Utility Association
  • Public Utility District #1, Snohomish County
  • Washington Public Ownership League
  • Public Power News
  • Democratic Party
  • Grange Cooperative Wholesale
  • Moore, Malcolm M.
  • Women's Committee for Referendum 25
  • Washington Public Utility Commissioners' Association
  • Washington Public Utility Districts' Association
  • Puget Sound Utility Commissioners' Association
  • Snohomish County Legislative Council
  • King County Public Utility District Association

Acquisition Information

Gift of Lillian S. Spear and her family, August 1, 1963.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Personal papersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Biographical data
5 items
See also: Speeches and writings subseries
undated
1/2
Clippings - Spear personal
undated
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
1/3
Alston, Emma
1 item
1963 April 19
1/3
Billingsley, Kirby
2 items
1958, 1960
1/3
Billington, Ken
1 item
1962
1/3
California Department of Fish and Game
1 item
1961
1/3
California. Department of Insurance
1 item
1963
1/3
California Health Association, Hoopa, Calif.
1 item
1958
1/3
Netboy, Anthony
1 item
1961
1/3
Parker, (Mrs. H. J.) Veva
1 item
1940
1/3
Seaboard Life Insurance Company
1 item
1963
1/3
Snohomish Co. Public Utility District #1
1 item
1958
1/3
Sylten, Karsten
1 item
undated
1/3
American Federation of Teachers, Local 476, Everett
1 item
1938
1/3
United States Department of Interior (Davidson, C. Girard)
1 item
1950
1/3
United States National Park Service
1 item
1938
1/3
University of Washington Library
1 item
1963
1/3
Washington Mutual Savings Bank
1 item
1938
1/3
Washington Pension Union, Snohowish County Council
1 item
1954
Box/Folder
1/4
Outgoing correspondence
8 items
1935, 1941, 1946, 1961, 1963, undated
1/9
Financial records (life insurance policy)
undated
Notes
Box/Folder
1/10
League of Women Voters (California)
Regarding pollution control
undated
1/11
Patrons of Husbandry
undated
1/12
Public power
undated
1/13
Miscellaneous topics
undated
Box/Folder
1/14-14a
Photographs
4 loose items and 1 ring-binder
undated
Speeches and writings
Box/Folder
1/15-16
Miscellaneous by Lillian Spear
undated
1/17
Public power (profiles, reminiscences, etc.)
undated
1/18
"Twenty-two Public Utility Districts and How They Grew" (public power history )
undated
1/19
Regarding Snohowish County Parent Teacher Association Dental Clinic
1933
1/20
United Producers of Snohomish County
"The Story of a Wood Working Shop...", by Alice Elinor Lambert
undated
1/21
Fiction by Irene Hibbs Sykes
undated
Box/Folder
1/22-24
Interview and transcript of Spear by Rich Berner
2 reel-to-reel sound tapes
undated
Ephemera
Box/Folder
1/5
League of Women Voters, California
undated
1/6
Political campaigns
undated
1/7
Public ownership, Public utility districts
Includes initiative campaigns.
undated
1/8
Ephemera: miscellaneous Spear personal
undated
Box
2
Miscellaneous and Spear personal
Includes clippings and a scrapbook of clippings and political campaign materials.
undated
3
Public power topics
Includes annual reports from Public Utility Districts and Seattle City Light.
undated
4
Public Ownership League of America
Includes bulletins, reports and random copies of Public Ownership of Public Utilities magazine.
undated

Snohomish County Public Utility AssociationReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
5/1
Clippings
undated
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
5/2
Patrons of Husbandry
6 items
1938-1940, 1944
5/3
United States Bonneville Power Administration
4 items
1938-1940
5/4
Washington Commonwealth Federation (New Deal Democratic League, Snohomish County)
3 items
1939-1940
Miscellaneous
Box/Folder
5/5
Democratic Party, Snohomish County
1 item
1940
5/5
Meridith, Ruby D.
1 item
1939
5/5
Towne, Ralph E.
1 item
1938
5/5
Washington Public Ownership League
3 items
1945
5/5
International Woodworkers of America, Local 94
1 item
1938
Outgoing correspondence
Box/Folder
5/6
1937
2 items
1937
5/7
1938
6 items
1938
5/8
1939
11 items
1939
5/9
1940-1946
11 items
1940-1946
Box/Folder
5/10-13
Ephemera
Primarily political campaign and various power initiatives.
5/14
Financial records: Expense report
1 item
1939-1940
5/15
Minutes
12 items
Including 1 spiral notebook, 1941; miscellaneous resolutions.
1938-1946
5/16
News releases
6 items
1938-1939, 1942

Public Utility District #1, Snohomish CountyReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6/1
Clippings
undated
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
6/2
King, John R.
1 item
1940
6/2
Public Utility District #1, Yakima County
1 item
1942
6/2
Rankin, John E.
1 item
1941
6/2
Smith, Martin F.
1 item
1941
6/2
Snohomish County Public Utility Association
1 item
1946
6/2
United States Bonneville Power Administration (Davidson, C. Girard)
1 item
1940
6/2
Washington, State College
1 item
1941
Box/Folder
6/3
Outgoing correspondence
14 items
1937-1951
Ephemera
Box/Folder
6/4
Campaigns for Public Utility District Commissioner
undated
6/5
Referendum 25
1944
6/6
Washington Public Ownership League
undated
6/7
Miscellaneous
undated
Box/Folder
6/8
Financial records
Budgets (1942, 1945); Inventory of Puget Sound Power and Light Company properties (1938); bond offer (1960)
1938-1945, 1960
6/9-11
Minutes
1 volume notebook
1940-1944
6/9-11
Resolutions
1939-1940
6/12
Notes: statistics, rate load data, etc.
undated
Organization
Box/Folder
6/13
Records of proceedings
85 pages
1936 November-1939 January
"Resolutions book"
1 bound volume, 64 pages
undated
Reports
Box/Folder
6/14
Annual reports
8 items
1951-1957, 1962
6/15
Reports to Customers
6 items
1952-1962

Washington Public Ownership LeagueReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Within this series, the following entry format was used for Public Ownership League units - Public Ownership League of America (Carl D. Thompson) and state organizations other then Washington are filed under P (e.g., Public Ownership League, Idaho). Washington Public Ownership League and county subdivisions are filed under W (e.g., Washington Public Ownership League, Mason County). Correspondence relating to the various issues found in the Political Campaigns series is interfiled with the incoming and outgoing correspondence listed on the following pages. Ephemera, clippings, and other related materials are filed by initiative/ referendum measure in the Political Campaigns series.
Box/Folder
7/1
Batinovich, Joseph G.
1 item
1941
7/2
Behm, Georgiana
1 item
1943
7/3
Benson, Naomi
1 item
1940
7/4
Boilermakers, Brotherhood of Iron Ship Builders & Helpers (American Federation of Labor) #104
1 item
1947
7/5-6
Bone, Homer T.
17 items
1940-1942
7/7
Bone, Homer T.?
7 items
Circularized materials on initiatives and referenda campaigns.
See also: Political Campaigns series
7/8
Benton Rural Electric Association, Prosser
1943
7/8
Bowles, Elihu
1945
7/8
Brook (Mrs.) E.R.
1941
7/8
Brunner, B.I.
1940
7/8
Buswell, J.M.
1940
7/9
Clise, Charles F.
1943
7/10
Committee to Defeat Initiative 139, Spokane
7 items
See also: McGoran, Joseph E. and Political Campaigns series
1940
7/11
Congress of Industrial Organizations, Seattle Council
3 items
1944, 1946
7/12
Cluck, Jack R.
1 item
1946
7/13
Davidson, C. Girard
2 items
See also: United States Bonneville Power Administration
1944
7/14
Democratic Party
5 items
See also: Women's Commission for Referendum 25
1941-1944
7/15
Elliott, H.H.
2 items
1944
7/16
Everett, Will
11 items
1940
7/17
Fitts, Frank
2 items
Includes No. End. Fed. Clubs [sic] handbook, 1937-1938.
See also: United States Bonneville Power Administration
1946
7/18
General Electric Company, Portland
2 items
1940
7/19
Grays Harbor Public Utilities Commission
5 items
1940
7/20
Dreyfus, Edwin D.
1940
7/20
Electrical Workers, International Brotherhood of [...], Bellingham
1944
7/20
Erwin, Wasey & Co., Seattle
1944
7/20
Femming, J.W.
1944
7/20
Fitchburg Gas & Electric Light Company
1940
7/20
Fox, Albert
1941
7/20
Fricke, Charles B.
1941
7/20
Garvey, Joe
1940
7/20
The Grange News
1940
7/21
Henry, Edward E.
1941
7/22
Hill, Knute
1942
7/23
Holmes, Hal
1944
7/24
Heughton, Cluck, Coughlin (law firm) Seattle
2 items
1938, 1943
7/25
Hartford (Connecticut) Electric Light Company
1940
7/25
Hawkins (Robert) and Company, Boston
1946
7/25
Hesler, Donald D.
1944
7/26
Jackson, Henry M.
1942
7/27
Kahn, Stephen B.
2 items
See also: United States Bonneville Power Administration
1941, 1944
7/28
King, John L.
1 item
See also: Patrons of Husbandry
1940
7/29
Krause (Mrs.) Ida
1 item
1944
7/30
Labor Committee for Referendum 25
1 item
See also: Political Campaigns series; Women's Commission for Referendum 23.
1944
7/31
Let the People Vote League, Olympia
1 item
See also: Political Campaigns series
1940
7/32
Lydon, James
2 items
1944
7/33
McDonnell, R. E.
3 items
1941
7/34-35
McGoran, Joseph E.
23 items
See also: Commission to Defeat #139; Public Utility District League of Spokane; Political Campaigns series
1940-1946
7/36
Mitchell, Hugh B.
2 items
1945, 1950
7/36a
Moore, Malcolm M.
1 item
1944
7/37
Morgan, F.L.
1 item
1944
7/38
Municipal League of Seattle
1 item
1940
7/39
Murray, Ernest Kenneth
3 items
1941
7/40
Muzzall, Murray E
2 items
1940
7/41
Patrons of Husbandry, Idaho State Grange
1 item
1941
7/42
Patrons of Husbandry, Oregon State Grange
2 items
1941
7/43
Patrons of Husbandry, Washington State Grange
10 items
See also: Clippings, Ephemera and Political Campaigns series
1940-1944, 1953
7/44
Patrons of Husbandry (Washington), Yakima District Grange
5 items
1940, 1944
7/45
Patrons of Husbandry (Washington), miscellaneous county units
5 items
1940, 1944
7/46
Patrons of Husbandry (Washington) (Chamberlain, Fred J.),History of Washington Public Power Movement, Grange News
1936 June 10
7/47
Pearson, Frances
2 items
1940
7/48
Pierce, Walter M.
2 items
1941
7/49
Pitt, Chart
3 items
1944
7/50
Plath, Fred B.
3 items
1940, 1944
7/51-58
Public Ownership League of America (Thompson, Carl D)
130 items
1940-1947
7/59
Public Ownership League, Idaho
1 item
1942
7/60
Public Ownership League, Oregon
2 items
1941
7/61
Public Utility District #1, Clallam County
3 items
1941, 1944
7/62
Public Utility District #1, Clark County
1 item
1944
7/63
Public Utility District #1, Cowlitz County
2 items
1941, 1944
7/64
Public Utility District #1, Douglas County
1 item
1941
7/64
Public Utility District #1, Grant County
1 item
1944
7/65
Public Utility District #1, Grays Harbor County
2 items
1941
7/66
Public Utility District #1, Klickitat County
4 items
1940, 1941, 1944
7/67
Public Utility District #2, Pacific County
2 items
1940-1941
7/67
Public Utility District #1, Skagit County
1 item
1944
7/68
Public Utility District #1, Thurston County
1 item
1941
7/68
Public Utility District #1, Wahkiakum County
3 items
1941
8/1
Public Utility District League of Spokane
2 items
See also: McGoran, Joseph E.
1940-1944
8/2
Public Utility District's Research & Information Service
2 items
See also: Washington Public Utility Districts' Association and News Releases series
1940, 1942
8/3
Long Island Lighting Company, Mineola, N. Y.
undated
8/3
Longview (Washington) Lions Club
undated
8/3
Mattes, Margaret
undated
8/3
Mountain States Power Company
undated
8/3
Olson, Mary
undated
8/3
Orcas Power & Light Company
undated
8/3
Pickett, W.S.
undated
8/3
Pierson, Harry W.
undated
8/4
Railroad Trainmen, Brotherhood of, Legislative Representatives: Minutes of joint meeting
2 items
1944 March 15 and August 20
8/5
Roosevelt, Eleanor
1 item
1941
8/6
Ross, Alice (Mrs. J. D.)
1 item
1940
8/7
Rominger, H.V.
undated
8/7
Rushong, H. David
undated
8/8
Seattle Lighting Department annual report
1 item
1939
8/8
Seattle Mayor
1 item
1941
8/9
Shuff, Carl L.
1 item
1941
8/10
Smith, Joe
1 item
1940 August
8/11
Solomon, Gus J.
1 item
1941
8/12
Southard, W.E.
3 items
1940
8/13
Swick, Maude E.
2 items
1946
8/14
Schmuck, Max
undated
8/14
Shupp, A.L.
undated
8/14
Smith, Fred A.
undated
8/14
Southern Colorado Power Company
undated
8/14
Sprinker, Harry
undated
8/14
Stone, Mildred E.
undated
8/14
Sween, Mary
undated
8/15
Tacoma mayor
1941
8/16
Teachers, American Federation of Teachers, Local 200, Seattle
1 item
1943
8/17
Unger, J.C.
9 items
1941-1950
8/18
United States (Government)
3 items
1940-1942
United States Bonneville Power Administration
Box/Folder
8/19
General
13 items
See also: Davidson, C. Girard; Fitts, Frank; Kahn, Stephen; Public Ownership League of America (Thompson).
1939-1946, 1950
8/20
Bonneville News Index series, 1939 (#143) through 1940 (10 January, #176?)
1939-1940
8/21
Ephemera
undated
8/22
Ephemera
1939-1946
8/23
News releases
1939-1941
8/24
Special bulletins
1938
Box/Folder
8/25
United States Federal Power Commission ephemera
2 items
1936
8/26
United States Interior Department
4 items
1941-1943
8/27
United States President
1 item
1941
8/28
Voters Information Committee, Spokane
4 items
1944
8/29
Wallgren, Monrad C.
2 items
1941, 1942
8/30
Washington Commonwealth Federation
1 item
1940
8/31
Washington Pension Union, Mason County: resolution
1 item
undated
8/32
Washington Public Ownership League, Cowlitz County
4 items
1942, 1944
8/33
Washington Public Ownership League, Mason County
2 items
1941, 1946
8/34
Washington Public Ownership League, Southwest Washington Region
3 items
1942, 1944
8/35
Washington Public Ownership League, Stevens County
2 items
1941, 1942
8/36
Washington Public Ownership League, Snohomish County
1 item
1946
8/36
Washington Public Ownership League, Spokane County
1 item
1941
8/36
Washington Public Ownership League, Thurston County
1 item
1940
8/37
Washington State Citizens Committee Against Referendum 25 (Hill, Matthew)
2 items
1944
8/38
Woodworkers, International of America, Congress of Industrial Organizations (C.I.O.)
2 items
1944
8/39
Vander Vate, Heal
undated
8/39
Van Hora, William J.
undated
8/39
Voa, Kevin K.
undated
8/39
Washington Attorney General
undated
8/39
Wenberg (Mrs.) Oscar
undated
Interoffice correspondence
Box/Folder
8/40
Dick, G. Merton
1 item
1942
8/41
Ericson, Carl
9 items
See also: Public Power News series
1946
8/42
Ford, U.S.
1 item
1940
8/43
Lind, A.B.
4 items
1941-1942
8/44
McKenney, C. Melvin
6 items
1941
8/45
O'Neil, R.D.
2 items
1944
8/46
O'Sullivan, James
3 items
1940
Outgoing correspondence
Box/Folder
8/47-52
1940
125 items
1940
8/53-54
1941 May-December
28 items
1941 May-December
8/55
1942
25 items
1942
8/56
1943
5 items
1943
8/57-58
1944 July-December
41 items
1944 July-December
8/59
1945
13 items
1945
8/60
1946
19 items
1946
Box/Folder
9/1-2
Clippings
Conventions
Box/Folder
9/3
Public power rally
1940 October
Northwest Public Ownership Convention
1941 September
Box/Folder
9/4
Delegate credentials
1941 September
9/5
Programs, resume of expenses
Includes duplicate set of minutes.
1941 September
9/6
Reservation requests
1941 September
9/7
Speeches
1941 September
Box/Folder
9/8
Programs for 1944, 1945 conventions
1944 program has signatures of public power "pioneers."
See also: Minutes series
1944-1945
Ephemera
Box/Folder
9/9-10
Miscellaneous public power topics
undated
9/11
Northwest Oregon Bonneville Utility District
undated
9/12
Patrons of Husbandry
undated
9/13
People's Power League, Oregon
undated
9/14
Puget Sound Power & Light Company
undated
9/15
Seattle Lighting Department
undated
9/16
United States Bonneville Power Administration
See also: Incoming correspondence
undated
9/17
Washington Water Power Company
undated
Box/Folder
9/18
Financial Records: Bills, financial statements
approximately 25 items
1940-1946
9/19-20
Legislative bills
10 items
Including annotated copy of District Power Bill (Grange) ; "House Rating Curve" (vote tabulation of legislature members on power measures, undated); United States and Washington State bills regarding resource development (includes Bone's Columbia Valley Administration bill, S 4390, 1940)
undated
Minutes
See also: Organization series for outline of objectives and supplementary statement by Lillian Spear.
Box/Folder
9/21
1939
2 items
1939
9/22-23
1940
10 items
Including spiral notebook
1940
9/24-25
1941 June-December
8 items
Incluldes Public Ownership League convention, September 5, with committee reports and resolutions.
1941 June-December
9/26
1942
5 items
1942
9/27
Resolutions on Referendum 25; duplicate of convention program
2 items
1944
9/28
Public Power League of Washington
1 volume
1945
9/29
Public Power League of Washington Annual convention
1945 December 1
9/30
1946
4 items
1946
News releases
Box/Folder
9/31
Miscellaneous items (Washington Public Ownership League)
9/32
Independent Citizens Committee of Arts, Sciences and Professions
3 items
1945, 1946
9/33
Public Utility Districts Research and Information Service
6 items
1940, 1946
Box/Folder
9/33-34
Notes: Lillian Spear and others
undated
Organization
Box/Folder
10/1
Bylaws and constitution
Includes drafts
See also: correspondence from Public Ownership League of America (Thompson).
1940 March
10/2
Delegate credentials
1939
10/3
Letterheads, brochure
undated
10/4
Lists
Membership; labor officials; public utility district commissioners, etc.
undated
10/5
Membership cards
undated
10/6
Public Utility Districts in the Northwest Handbook of facts, etc.
1940
10/7
Statement of purpose (McKenney, Spear)
1935-1940
10/8
Duplicate minutes of organizing meetings
1939-1940
Box/Folder
10/9
Photographs: Convention
1941
Political campaigns
Note: correspondence concerned with the these campaigns is filed in the Correspondence series.
Initiative #139
1940
Box/Folder
10/10
Ephemera -- Washington Public Ownership League
1940
10/11
Analysis of Initiative 139, with copy of bill
1940
10/12
Let the People Vote League
1940
10/13
Patrons of Husbandry
1940
10/14
Pro-139, miscellaneous sources
1940
10/15
Puget Sound Power & Light Company
1940
10/16
Notes
1940
Box/Folder
10/17
Initiative #141 notes
undated
10/18
United States Federal Power Commission, Opinion #59 concerning investigation of private power companies
1941
10/19
Initiative #12: Ephemera (duplicates of mimeo materials)
1942
Referendum #25
See also: Women's Committee for Referendum 25
1944
Box/Folder
10/20
Clippings - pro 25
1944
10/21-22
Ephemera - Washington Public Ownership League (pro 25)
1944
10/23
Ephemera - Patrons of Husbandry (pro 25)
1944
10/24
Ephemera - Voter Information Committee, Spokane (pro 25)
1944
10/25
Ephemera - miscellaneous sources (pro 25)
1944
10/26
Financial records: Washington Public Ownership League
1944
10/27
Minutes (Schedule of public debates on Referendum 25)
1944
10/28
News releases (Washington Public Ownership League)
1944
10/29
Radio scripts
1944
10/30
Speeches and writings
1944
10/31
Clippings - Anti 25
1944
10/32-34
Ephemera - Anti 25 (Puget Sound Power & Light, Washington State Citizen's Commission Against Referendum 25, various sources)
1944
Initiative #166
1946
Box/Folder
10/35
Ephemera (anti-166)
1946
10/36
Legal documents: official text of Initiative Measure 166
1946
10/37
News releases (anti-166)
1946
10/38
Voters Against Initiative 166 Institute and rally
1946
10/39
Credentials for 12 October rally
1946
10/40-42
Registration forms for 12 October rally
1946
Box/Folder
10/43
Reports: Seattle. Lighting Department annual reports
1939, 1945, 1948

Public Power News Return to Top

See also: Washington Public Ownership League, especially interoffice correspondence from Carl Ericson.

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
11/1
Billingsley, Kirby
1 item
1946
11/2
Congress of Industrial Organizations Political Action Committee (CIO-PAC) (Atkinson, Roy)
1 item
1944
11/3
Fitts, Frank F.
1 item
See also: United States Bonneville Power Administration
1944
11/4
Patrons of Husbandry
2 items
1944, 1946
11/5
Public Ownership League of America
2 items
1944
11/6
Public Utility District #1, Clark County
1 item
1946
11/7
Public Utility District #1, Lewis County
2 items
1944, 1946
11/8
Public Utility District #2, Pacific County
1 item
1946
11/9
Public Utility District #1, Skagit County
2 items
1944
11/10
Public Utility District #1, Skamania County
1 item
1946
11/11
Public Utility District #1, Yakima County
2 items
1942
11/12
Unger, J.C. (incomplete fragment)
1 item
1946
11/13
United States Bonneville Power Administration
3 items
See also: Fitts, Frank
1942, 1950
11/14
Washington Public Ownership League
2 items
1942, 1946
11/15
Yakima County Public Power Committee
1 item
1946
Miscellaneous
2 items
1944
Box/Folder
11/16
Oreas Island Power & Light Company
1944
11/16
Erwin, Wasey & Company, Seattle (Advertising)
1944
Interoffice correspondence
Box/Folder
11/17
Pearce, Bernard
1 item
1942, 1946
11/17
Ericson, Carl
1 item
undated
11/17
Hank [?]
1 item
undated
Box/Folder
11/18
Outgoing correspondence
11 items
1942-1946
11/19
Financial records
7 items
1944-1946
11/20-26
News releases (copy for Pubic Power News)
Includes: Benton Company Public Utility District, Clark Company Public Utility District, Pacific Company Public Utility District, Southwest Washington issue
undated
11/27
Organization: Policy statement; remarks by Lillian Spear
5 items
1942-1946
11/28
Photographs: Public Utility District Buildings, Ross Dam, Etc.
undated
11/29-30
Subscription and distribution lists
undated
Public Power Newsissues
Box/Folder
12/1
Volume I, numbers 1-5
1942 June, July, September, October; 1943 January
12/2
Duplicates of Volume 1, numbers 4-5
1942-1943
12/3
Volume II, numbers 2, 3, 5
1944 July, August, November
12/4
Duplicates of Volume II
1944 August
12/5
Volume IV, numbers 1, 2, 4, 5-7
#3 (May) was omitted from the publishing schedule.
1946 March-October
12/6
Duplicates of Volume IV, numbers 1-6
1946
12/7
Volume VII, number 1
1950 May

Democratic PartyReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
13/1
Outgoing correspondence (duplicates)
2 items
1942
13/2
Election data: Washington legislature - primary election returns; vote analysis
1941
13/3
Minutes: Snohomish County, Progressive Democratic Women, Unit #1
1933?
13/4
Minutes: State convention (Bellingham, Washington) resolutions
1942 July
13/5
News releases: State Democratic platform
1942, 1944
13/6
Organizational lists of county chairman, precinct committeemen
1938, 1942

Grange Cooperative WholesaleReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
13/7
General correspondence
11 items
1933-1934
13/8
Legal documents: uniform contract
1936
13/9
Minutes
Includes notes on coop movement in general.
undated
13/10
Minutes: Grange Coop, Gas Stations Advisory Council
1934 October
13/11
Articles of incorporation, bylaws
1936, 1938
13/12
Bylaws of Grange Supply Company of Pierce County
1936

Moore, Malcolm M.Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
General correspondence
6 items
1931-1936
Box/Folder
13/13
Patrons of Husbandry (Goss, A. B.)
1932
13/13
Seattle Star
1931
13/13
West Coast Power Company, Portland
1931
Box/Folder
13/14
Progress report: Public Utility District #2, Pacific County
1960

Women's Committee for Referendum 25Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
14/1
Benson, Naomi A.
2 items
1944
14/2
Democratic Party, Cle Elum, Washington
2 items
1944
14/3
Thompson, Margaret
6 items
1944
14/4
Reeves, Belle
1 item
1944
14/5
Ross, Alice (Mrs. J. D.)
1 item
1944
14/6
Balfour, Guy M
undated
14/6
Bogardus (Mrs.) C.A.
undated
14/6
Gable (Mrs.) Charles
undated
14/6
Hanson, Grace B.
undated
14/6
Hunter, Lila A.
undated
14/6
James, Florence Bean
undated
14/6
Macaulay (Mrs.) Murray
undated
14/6
Madigan, Pearl
undated
14/6
Mitchell, Elisabeth
undated
14/6
Olson, Mary
undated
14/6
Reynolds, Lulu
undated
14/6
Sutherland, Ruth
undated
14/6
Tucker, Pearl
undated
14/6
Varner, Mabel
undated
Box/Folder
14/7
Outgoing correspondence
8 items
1944 September 8-October 25
14/8
Minutes
3 items
circa September 1944
14/9
Membership lists
undated

Washington Public Utility Commissioners' AssociationReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
15/1
Billingsley, Kirby
See also:: Wenatchee, Washington mayor
undated
15/1
Horan, Walt
1 item
1944
15/1
Houghton, Cluck & Coughlin
1 item
1940
15/1
Northwest Public Power Association
1 item
1941
15/1
Okanogan County Board of Commissioners
1 item
See also: Wenatchee, Washington mayor
1942
15/1
Patrons of Husbandry, Washington State Grange
1 item
1942
15/1
Public Utility District #1, Snohomish Company (duplicate) report to customers
1 item
1960
15/1
Schwellenbach, Lewis B.
1 item
1940
15/1
United States Bonneville Power Administration
1 item
1950
15/1
United States Interior Department Bureau of Mines
1 item
1942
15/1
Whitman County Auditor
1 item
1943
15/2
Wenatchee, Washington mayor
1 item
Includes case file on electrical metallurgical laboratory.
1942
15/3
(Interoffice) Peters, Gus A.
1 item
1942
Box/Folder
15/4
Outgoing correspondence
7 items
1940-1946
15/5
Ephemera (Columbia Valley Authority, Public Utility Districts)
15/6
Financial records
3 items
1941, undated
15/7
Minutes
8 items
Includes resolutions
1938-1950
15/8
News releases
2 items
1941, 1944
Organizational records
Box/Folder
15/9
Bylaws
1 item
1936
15/10
Membership lists
5 items
undated
15/11
Report of Washington Public Utility Commissioners' Association, Board of Directors
1939 June
15/12
Statement of policy and resolutions
2 copies; 1 with annotation
1945 May 26
15/13
Speech by Marshall Crutcher given at Washington Public Utility Commissioners' Association meeting
undated

Washington Public Utility Districts' AssociationReturn to Top

Includes records from Public Utility District's Research & Information Services.

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
16/1
Bone, Homer T.
4 items
1939, 1943
16/2
Hill, Knute
1 item
1943
16/3
Horan, Walt
1 item
1943
16/4
League for Columbia Valley Authority
2 items
1946
16/5
Magnuson, Warren G.
1 item
1943
16/6
Norman, Fred
1 item
1943
16/7
Northwest Public Power Association (duplicate)
1 item
1941
16/8
Wallgren, Monrad C.
1 item
1943
16/9
Wenberg, Oscar
1 item
1940
Miscellaneous
Box/Folder
16/10
Auvil, J.H., Columbia Power Trades Council, American Federation of Labor (A.F.L.)
undated
16/10
Patrons of Husbandry, Bremerton, Washington
undated
16/10
Public Utility District #1, Klickitat County
undated
16/10
Public Utility District #1, Skagit County
undated
16/10
United States Bonneville Power Administration
undated
Outgoing correspondence
Box/Folder
16/11
1940-1943
11 items
1940-1943
16/12
1944. 1947, 1950
8 items
1944, 1947, 1950
Box/Folder
16/13
Financial records: Public Utility Districts Research and Information Service
3 items
1941
16/14
Minutes: Resolution for creation of Public Utility Districts Research and Information Service
1940
News releases: Public Utility Districts' Research & Information Service
Box/Folder
16/15
Commissioner's Letter (scattered issues)
1941-1943
16/16
Commissioner's Letter (scattered issues)
1944
16/17
Commissioner's Letter (scattered issues)
1945
16/18
Commissioner's Letter (scattered issues)
1946
16/19
Commissioner's Letter (scattered issues)
1947 January-March
16/20
Information Bulletin
1940
16/21
Public Utility Districts Research and Information Service Newsletter
1946 August-1947 January
16/22
Miscellaneous news releases
28 items
Includes duplicates.
1939-1947
Box/Folder
16/23
Membership lists, Etc.
8 items
undated
Reports
Box/Folder
16/24
Cluck report on SEC-Puget Sound Power & Light Company hearings (abstract)
1942
16/25
Duplicate materials (newsletters, etc.)
undated

Puget Sound Utility Commissioner's AssociationReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
17/1
Batcheller, Willis T.
1 item
1941
17/2
Bone, Hemer T.
15 items
1940-1943
17/3
Coffee, John M
3 items
1940-1943
17/4
Consumer's Non-Profit Public Power Corp.
5 items
See also: LeSourd, Francis A. and Clippings series
1940
17/5
Engineers Public Service Company, Inc., New York
3 items
1942
17/6
Fitts, Frank ?
1 item
1941
17/7
Hartt, Jay Samuel (consulting engineer), Chicago
2 items
1943, 1944
17/8
Henderson, C.J.
2 items
1940
17/9
Hill, Knute
1 item
1940
17/10
Jackson, Henry M.
5 items
1941, 1943
17/11
Leavy, Charles H.
2 items
1940, 1941
17/12
LeSourd, Francis A.
3 items
1940, 1941
17/13
McNary, Charles L.
1 item
1941
17/14
Magnuson, Warren G.
3 items
1941, 1943
17/15
Norman, Fred
1 item
1943
17/16
Northwest National Defense Council
2 items
1940
17/17
Public Utility District #1, Chelan County
1 item
1940
17/18
Public Utility District #1, Clallam County
1 item
1942
17/19
Public Utility District #1, Cowlitz County
2 items
1940, 1941
17/20
Public Utility District #1, Douglas County
1 item
1940
17/21
Public Utility District #1, Grays Harbor County
2 items
1940, 1943
17/22
Public Utility District #1, Jefferson County
3 items
1942, 1943
17/23
Public Utility District #1, Kitsap County
1 item
1941
17/24
Public Utility District #1, Kittitas County
1 item
1940
17/25
Public Utility District #1, Levis County
2 items
1940, 1944
17/26
Public Utility District #2, Pacific County
3 items
1940, 1942, 1944
17/27
Public Utility District #1, Skagit County
4 items
1940, 1941
17/28
Public Utility District #1, Snohomish County
2 items
1940, 1941
17/29
Public Utility District #1, Thurston County
1 item
1940
17/30
Public Utility District #1, Whatcom County
3 items
1941, 1943
17/31
Public Utility District #1, Yakima County
2 items
1941
17/32
Puget Sound Power & Light Company
8 items
Includes 1 page financial summary, 1942-1943
1940, 1942-1943
17/33
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
4 items
1940, 1941
17/34
Smith, Martin F.
6 items
1940-1941
17/35
Tennessee Valley Authority
1 item
1940
17/36
United States Bonneville Power Administration
14 items
1940
17/37
United States Bonneville Power Administration
8 items
1941-1942, 1944
17/38
United States War Production Board
1 item
1942
17/39
Wallgren, Monrad C.
7 items
1941-1943
17/40
Walter, Woody & Heimerdinger (brokers), Cincinnati, Ohio
1 item
1940
17/41
Washington, government
5 items
1939, 1940
17/42
Washington Public Utility Commissioners' Association
4 items
1941
Miscellaneous
Box/Folder
17/43
Ellensburg, Washington City Clerk
undated
17/43
Minnihan, C. J.
undated
Interoffice correspondence
Box/Folder
18/1
Bundy, Chester A.
11 items
1940-1944
18/2
Houghton, Cluck & Coughlin
25 items
1940 January-July
18/3
Marshall, George
3 items
1940, 1942
18/4
Spear, Lillian Sylten
2 items
1941
18/5
Ziebell, Adolph G.
13 items
1940-1941
Outgoing correspondence
203 items total
1940-1947
Box/Folder
18/6
1940 January-April
31 items
1940 January-April
18/7
1940 May-August
27 items
1940 May-August
18/8
1940 September
22 items
1940 September
18/9
1940 October-December
26 items
1940 October-December
18/10
1941 January- April
31 items
1941 January-April
18/11
1941 May-December
28 items
1941 May-December
18/12
1942
24 items
1942
18/13
1943
2 items
1943
18/14
1944, 1946, 1947
12 items
1944, 1946, 1947
Box/Folder
18/15-16
Clippings
1939-1942
18/17
Clippings: Excerpts from Washington Public Utility Districts' Association Commissioner's Letter
1941
18/18
Court Papers: Federal Power Commission Opinion #59
1940
18/19
Duplicates of press releases, etc.
5 items
undated
Financial records
Box/Folder
18/20
Puget Sound Utility Commissioners' Association, Negotiating Committee
4 items
1940-1941
18/21
Balance sheets, check register, etc.
3 items
1942
18/22
Miscellaneous records
14 items
1942-1947
Legal documents
Box/Folder
18/23
Agreements, bonds, contracts, etc.
7 items
1940-1946
18/24
Washington Water Power Corporation bylaws
1940
Minutes
Box/Folder
18/25
1940 January-June
13 items
1940 January-June
18/26
1940 July-December
8 items, including 1 spiral notebook
1940 July-December
18/27
1941
10 items
1941
18/28
1942-1943
5 items
1942-1943
18/29
1944 February 13-1945 September 23
3 items, including 1 bound volume
1944 February 13-1945 September 23
18/30
1946-1947
7 items
1946-1947
Box/Folder
18/31
News releases
2 items
1940, 1941
18/32
Notes: Ziebell and Spear
3 items
undated
Organization
Box/Folder
18/33
Bylaws
1940
18/34
Letterheads
2 items
1940, 1946
Reports
Box/Folder
18/35
"Report of the Negotiating Committee of Puget Sound Utility Commissioners' Association, 1 March 1941"
7 items
1941
18/36
Puget Sound Power & Light Company, Island County Electric System, summary statement
1944 January 11
18/37
Puget Sound Power & Light Company, Mason County Electric System, summary statement.
1944 January 11

Snohomish County Legislative CouncilReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
19/1
Behm, Frank
1 item
See also: Joint Labor Lobby
1945
19/2
Bernethy, Robert
1 item
1945
19/3
Forbus, Lady Willie
1 item
1945
19/4
Joint Labor Lobby
3 items
See also: Behm, Frank; Bernethy, Robert; Labor's Joint Committee on Public Affairs
1945
19/5
Labor's Joint Committee on Public Affairs
1 item
1945
19/6
Magnuson, Warren G.
2 items
1945
19/7
Mitchell, Hugh B.
1 item
1945
19/8
Wallgren, Monrad C.
2 items
1945
19/9
Washington (Government)
3 items
1945
19/10
Washington Old Age Pension Union, Everett
2 items
Notes on members only, no correspondence.
1944
19/11
Washington Public Ownership League
1 item
1945
Miscellaneous
Box/Folder
19/12
Cooper, Leslie
undated
19/12
Democratic Party, Women's Democratic Club of Monroe
undated
19/12
Everett, City Clerk
undated
19/12
Healer, Donald D.
2 items
undated
19/12
United States Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
undated
Box/Folder
19/13-15
Outgoing correspondence
31 items
1944-1946
19/16
Clippings
undated
19/17-18
Ephemera
Includes political campaign literature.
undated
19/19
Financial records
7 items
1944
Minutes
Box/Folder
19/20
1944
1944
19/21
1945 January
See also: also: Washington Public Ownership League Minutes (1945) bound notebook, page 7
1945 January
19/22
1945 February-March
1945 February-March
19/23
1945 April-December
1945 April-December
19/24
1946 January-February
1946 January-February
Box/Folder
19/25
Notes (Lillian Spear)
undated
Organization
Box/Folder
19/26
Committee assignments, policy statements
8 items
1944-1946
19/27
Lists
undated
Box/Folder
19/28
Reports
5 items
1945

King County Public Utility District AssociationReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming correspondence
Box/Folder
20/1
Consumers Non-Profit Public Power Corp.
2 items
Includes Metcalf report
1941
20/2
Patrons of Husbandry
1 item
1950
20/2
Pacific Nortwest Bell
3 items
1950-1951
Box/Folder
20/3
Outgoing correspondence
4 items
1938, 1942, 1951
Ephemera
Box/Folder
20/4
Public Utility District Campaign
1940-1944
20/5
Public Utility District Campaign
1950
Box/Folder
20/6
Financial records
See also: Minutes (black loose-leaf notebook)
1945
Legal documents
Box/Folder
20/7
Petitions, forms, etc. for establishing a Public Utility District
undated
20/8
Memorandum of agreement
1950
Minutes
Box/Folder
20/9
Resolution, summary report
1950
20/9a
Spiral notebook
1950? December
20/9b
Black loose-leaf notebook
1950 July-October
Box/Folder
20/10
Committee lists
undated
20/11
Photographs
undated
20/12
Report: Ross (J. D.) to Seattle City Council
1934

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Electric utilities--Law and legislation--Washington (State)
  • Electric utilities--Washington (State)
  • Electric utilities--Washington (State)--Snohomish County
  • Public utilities--Washington (State)
  • Public utilities--Washington (State)--Snohomish County
  • Public utility districts--Washington (State)
  • Women civic leaders--Washington (State)--Snohomish County--Archives
  • Women in politics--Washington (State)--Snohomish County
  • Women political activists--Washington (State)--Snohomish County--Archives

Personal Names

  • Bone, Homer Truett, 1883-1970
  • Jackson, Henry M (Henry Martin), 1912-1983
  • McGoran, Joseph E
  • Moore, Malcolm M
  • Spear, Lillian Sylten, 1897-1963--Archives
  • Thompson, Carl D. (Carl Dean), 1870-1949
  • Wallgren, Monrad C. (Monrad Charles), 1891-1961
  • Ziebell, Adolph G., 1874-

Corporate Names

  • Houghton, Cluck, and Coughlin (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Public Ownership League of America
  • Public Ownership League of Washington
  • Puget Sound Power and Light Company
  • Puget Sound Utility Commissioners' Association
  • Snohomish County Legislative Council
  • Snohomish County Public Utility Association
  • Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1 (Wash.)
  • United States. Bonneville Power Administration
  • Washington Public Utility District Commissioners Association
  • Washington Public Utility Districts' Association

Geographical Names

  • Washington (State)--Politics and government--1889-1950

Form or Genre Terms

  • Interviews
  • Sound recordings
  • correspondence
  • ephemera
  • minutes

Titles within the Collection

  • Public power news

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)