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Carl E. Magnusson Papers, 1905-1957
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Magnusson, Carl Edward, 1872-1941
- Title
- Carl E. Magnusson Papers
- Dates
- 1905-1957 (inclusive)19051957
- Quantity
- 3 cubic ft. (3 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 1793 (Accession No. 1793-001)
- Summary
- Papers of Carl E. Magnusson, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Washington from 1904-1941.
- 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
-
Open to all users.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Carl Edward Magnusson was a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Washington from 1904-1941; his main interest was in hydroelectric power in Washington. Magnusson's appointment to full professor is considered to mark the start of the Department of Electrical Engineering as an independent unit on campus. He was department chair from 1906-1917 and Dean of the Engineering College from 1917-1929. Magnusson believed in having a close relationship with industry and had practicing engineers lecture in his classes. In about 1910 he took a leave of absence for two years to work for the General Electric Company. As a result of his working relationship with GE, the company donated an electric oscillograph in 1913, which lead to the development of a course in electric transients, possibly the first such course to be offered in an American college. In 1919 he proposed building a 230-kv line from the Canadian border to Los Angeles, connecting the three state region; the idea was eventually put into place many years later. A 1932 issue of the University of Washington newspaper noted that Magnusson had won international fame for his studies of Lichtenberg figures. During the 1930s, he also served as an advisor on the construction of the Grand Coulee Project on the Columbia River. Carl Magnusson died in 1941.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Magnusson papers include student seminar papers done in the 1920s and 30s on various power sites and river basins. Included is material on most major hydroelectric projects of the period, including Grand Coulee Dam, and other projects on the Columbia River and dams on the Baker, Sauk, Skagit, Skykomish, Snake, Snoqualmie, Spokane and Stillaguamish Rivers.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
The Carl Magnusson papers were donated to the Libraries in 1972 by Floyd D. Robbins.
Future Additions
Processing Note
The papers were processed in 1999.
Loose photographs were relocated to the Carl Edward Magnusson Photograph Collection, PH Coll 648, in the repository.
Separated Materials
Tacoma Department of Public Utilities Information Books , 1919 and 1926-27 were transferred to Special Collections.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
General CorrespondenceReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
1 | Ontario. Hydro-Electric Power
Commission |
1919, 1923 |
1 | US. Geological
Survey |
1932-1937 |
General Correspondence Re:Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
1 | Book
Direct Currents
|
1929, 1933 |
1 | Congress: Bill
for Inventory of Water Power in the US |
1925 |
1 | Fort Peck Dam,
Montana |
1939 |
1 | Lewis River
– Ariel Power Plant NW Electric Co. |
1933 |
1 | Muscle Shoals
Compared to Columbia River |
1925 |
1 | National
Reclamation Association |
1935 |
1 | Nitric Acid Arc
Process |
1919 |
1 | Olympic
Peninsula Power Resources |
1932 |
1 | Power
Survey |
1925 |
1 | Survey of States
Natural Resources, Chamber of Commerce, Seattle |
1925, 1931-1932 |
1 | Transformers
Parallel Operation |
1921 |
Speeches and WritingsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
1 | Magnusson,
Carl |
1935, undated |
1 | Miscellaneous |
1954 |
NewslettersReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
1 |
Powerfacts – Washington Public Utility
Districts’ Association |
1957 |
Notes, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1
Subject SeriesReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Columbia River
Basin |
||
Box | ||
1 | Columbia River Basin
Miscellaneous |
1937 |
1 | Grand Coulee Dam |
undated |
1 | Priest – Rapids |
1929-1932, undated |
Puget Sound
Power & Light |
||
Box | ||
1 | PSP&L Miscellaneous |
1905-1935, undated |
1 | Baker River |
1925, undated |
1 | Rock Island |
1932, 1935 |
1 | Snoqualmie River |
1926, 1928 |
1-2 | White River |
1912, 1933, undated |
Seattle Lighting
Department (Seattle Municipal Light and Power) |
||
Box | ||
2 | SML&P Miscellaneous |
1918, 1936 |
2 | Lake Youngs –
Elliott |
1927 |
2 | Northend Substation |
1924 |
2 | Sauk and Suiattle
Projects |
1923 |
2 | Skagit Projects |
1919-1939, undated |
Tacoma Light and
Power Department (Tacoma Public Utilities Department) |
||
Box | ||
2-3 | TPUD Miscellaneous |
1913-1946, undated |
3 | Cushman Power Plants |
undated |
Washington Water
Power Company |
||
Box | ||
3 | WWPC Miscellaneous |
1915, 1925, undated |
3 | Chelan |
1927 |
3 | Spokane River |
1926-1930, 1949 |
Other
Projects |
||
Box | ||
3 | British Columbia Water
Power |
1920, 1931, undated |
3 | Electron Power Plant |
undated |
3 | Gray’s Harbor Power and Light
Company |
1914 |
3 | Pacific Power and Light
Company |
1936 |
3 | Skykomish River |
1930 |
3 | Snake River |
1932-1935 |
3 | Stave Falls Power Development
(British Columbia) |
1924-1925 |
3 | Stilaguamish River |
1932 |
3 | Sultan River |
1929 |
3 | Umatilla Rapids Project |
undated |
3 | White Salmon River, OR |
1923, 1930, undated |
Box | ||
3 | Basic Plan of
Development of the National Water Power Resources |
1918, undated |
3 | Development
Data |
undated |
3 | Hydro-Electric
Power in Washington |
1923, 1926, 1951, undated |
3 | Interconnected
Power Systems |
1923 |
3 | Lantern Slides
– Washington Power Resources |
undated |
3 | Legislation
|
undated |
3 | Legislation-Mississippi River |
1927-1929 |
3 | Mason, Walsh,
Atkinson, Kier Labor Agreement |
1937 |
3 | Power In Western
Washington |
1923 |
3 | Power
Transmission Lines in Washington |
1932 |
3 | Public
Ownership |
1926, 1928 |
3 | Puget Sound
Basin |
1923 |
3 | Rates For Power
– Seattle and Tacoma Municipal |
1907, 1913, 1919 |
3 | Rates For Power
– Wash. Power Co./NW Electric Co./Seattle, Renton and Southern Railroad
Co. |
1919, undated |
3 | Southwestern
Washington |
1924 |
3 | Steam
Plants |
undated |
3 | Stream
Gaging |
1926, 1927 |
3 | Super Power
|
1921-1923 |
3 | Transmission
Lines |
1919 |
3 | Transmission
Lines – Interconnected Operation |
undated |
3 | Transmission
Lines – Trunk |
1918-1922, undated |
3 | Transmission
Lines – Washington |
1932 |
EphemeraReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
3 | Chamber of
Commerce, US |
1925-1934 |
3 | National
Electric Light Association |
1922, 1925, 1928 |
3 | National Popular
Government League |
1928 |
SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SPECIAL POWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE , 1951-1953Return to Top
Container(s): Box 3
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- College teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
- Dams--Washington (State)
- Electrical engineering--Study and teaching--Washington (State)
- Electrical engineers--Washington (State)
- Engineering teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
- Engineers--Washington (State)
- Rivers--Washington (State)
- University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)
- Water-power--Washington (State)
Personal Names
- Magnusson, Carl Edward, 1872-1941--Archives
Geographical Names
- Baker River (Wash.)--Power utilization
- Columbia River--Power utilization
- Grand Coulee Dam (Wash.)
- Sauk River (Wash.)--Power utilization
- Skykomish River (Wash.)--Power utilization
- Snake River (Wyo.-Wash.)--Power utilization
- Snoqualmie River (Wash.)--Power utilization
- Spokane River (Idaho and Wash.)--Power utilization
- Stillaguamish River (Wash.)--Power utilization
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence. aat
- Newsletters
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- University of Washington. University Archives