Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA
(509) 335-6691
http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/
mascref@wsu.edu
Cage
398
Great Northern Railway Company, Seattle General Agent
Great Northern
Railway Company, Seattle General Agent Records
1900-1948
12 containers.
11.8 linear feet of shelf space.
18,000 items.
Correspondence, memoranda, rate
schedules, Joint Freight Tarriffs, waybill corrections, lists of businesses,
car locations, car movements, circulars, publicity, rate changes, building
plans, and marketing information, principally from 1903 to 1923.
Collection materials are in
English
The Great Northern Railway had its beginnings in 1878 when James J.
Hill and his associates purchased the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad; it was
then reorganized and renamed the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba. In
September of 1889, Hill organized the Great Northern Railway Company around the
charter of the old Minneapolis and St. Cloud Railroad Company and leased the
Manitoba for 999 years. The lease stayed in effect until November 1, 1907, when
the Great Northern officially purchased the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba
along with the Montana Central, Seattle and Montana, and many other subsidiary
companies. In 1890, shortly after the incorporation of the Great Northern
Railway, the directors of the Great Northern requested Hill to extend its lines
westward from some suitable point in Montana to Puget Sound.
The discovery of Marias Pass by John F. Stevens in 1889 facilitated
this extension which was completed in 1893. From that date until 1905, the
General Agent operated out of the terminal buildings of the Seattle and
Montana, a subsidiary company which had constructed the line eastward from
Seattle to the Cascades. The construction of a new terminal was delayed by a
long and bitter fight between the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific. In
1905, the new terminal was completed (along with a tunnel under Railroad
Avenue) and housed both lines including the office of the General Agent of the
Great Northern. The Burlington Northern was formed in 1970 by the merging of
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, the Great Northern, the Northern Pacific,
and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle railroads.
The records of the Seattle General Agent are divided into two series:
Correspondence and Ledger. The Correspondence Series consists mainly of
in-house communications from the main office in St. Paul, Minnesota, and from
various freight agents along the line to the General Agent or his staff
regarding movement of and rates on commondities shipped on the Railway. It
consists of correspondence, memos, telegrams, rate schedules, Joint Freight
Tariffs, waybill corrections, lists of businesses, car locations, car
movements, circulars, publicity, rate changes, building plans, loading plans,
meetings, some clippings, and information on the creating and exploiting of
markets. The bulk of the Correspondence Series dates from 1903-1923.
The Ledger Series consists of one bound ledger which contains tariffs,
joint tariffs, ammendments, lists of general agents, rules and regulations of
the Great Northern and associated railroads and the Transcontinental Freight
Bureau, an independent regulatory body which governed the freight charges of
its twenty-six member railroads. Although the series is dated from 1903-1911,
most of its material is from 1903.
The description on each archival folder is an abstract of a longer
description on the original folder (which has been retained); in addition, the
original filing number of the Great Northern's filing classification system
appears on both the original folder and the archival folder, although not in
this container list. This system has determined the order of each file, the
logic of which may be more fully revealed through perusal of the files.
There are approximately 18,000 individual items in the first series;
these items are grouped into 910 bundles of one or more items attached with a
brass staple.
This collection is open for research use.
[Item Description]. Cage
398, Great Northern
Railway Company, Seattle General Agent Records. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The records of the Seattle General Agent of the Great Northern Railway
were donated to the Washington State University Libraries by Bruce Stewart in
November 1977 (77-64).
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Stewart, Bruce. waps
Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.). General Agent
--Archives
Railroads --
Washington (State)--Seattle
Railroad
companies--Washington (State)--Seattle--Records and correspondence
Transportation
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series 1:
Correspondence
1900-1948
1
1
Laws
1905-1919
8
items.
1
2-7
Lists (Customers)
1905-1921
46
items.
1
8
Cars, American Trading
Co.
1920-1921
1
item.
1
9
Cars, Excessive
Dimensions
1903-1917
1
item.
1
10
Mining & Dump
Cars
1906-1914
1
item.
1
11
Flat Cars
1905-1916
2
items.
1
12
Cars, Northern
Pacific
1907-1910
1
item.
1
13
Cars,Stokes Steel
1907-1914
1
item.
1
14
Street Cars
1912-1913
1
item.
1
15
Cars, Loading
1913
1
item.
1
16
Cars, Logging Service
1916-1917
1
item.
1
17
Cars, Stealing
1917-1918
1
item.
1
18
Cars, Southern
Pacific
1917
1
item.
1
19
Cars, Double Loading
1917-1918
1
item.
1
20
Cars, Rules
1918
1
item.
1
21
Cars, Rates
1921
1
item.
1
22-23
Divisions (Charged)
1904-1920
7
items.
1
24
Tonnage
1906
1
item.
1
25
Car Supply
1905-1907
4
items.
1
26
Car Shortage
1906
2
items.
1
27
Empty Cars
1906-1911
2
items.
2
28
Car Delay
1907
1
item.
2
29
Complaints
1907-1908
2
items.
2
30
Car Supply
1907
2
items.
2
31
Refrigerator Cars
1908-1910
1
item.
2
32
Equipment for Loading
Ship
1909
1
item.
2
33
Union Tank Line Cars
1909
1
item.
2
34
Car Supply
1909
2
items.
2
35
Car Supply
1911-1911
3
items.
2
36-46
Rates
1903-1909
11
items.
2
47
Western Pine Manufacturer's
Assn.
1907
1
item.
2
48
B.C. Distillery Spur
1904-1907
1
item.
2
49
Trans-Continental Rates
(Changes)
1904-1907
1
item.
2
50
Inspections
1903-1905
2
items.
2
51
Inspections
1904-1909
2
items.
2
52
Switching
1906-1907
2
items.
2
53
Wharfage
1910-1913
1
item.
2
54
Railroad Passes
1907-1908
1
item.
2
55
Asiatic Imports
1905-1907
2
items.
2
56-59
Coal & Briquettes
(Utah)
1934-1937
4
items.
2
60-61
Coke
1937-1941
5
items.
2
62-63
I.C.C. Docket
1930-1937
27
items.
3
64-69
Complaints
1932-1948
12
items.
3
70
Kettle Valley Lines
1905-1906
1
item.
3
71
Spokane International
Railroad
1906
1
item.
3
72
Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget
Sound Railway
1910
1
item.
3
73
Chicago Telephone Supply
Co.
1909
1
item.
3
74
Pacific Coast S.S.
Co.
1904-1909
3
items.
3
75-76
American Hawaiian S.S.
Co.
1908-1912
2
items.
3
77
Great Northern S.S.
Co.
1911
1
item.
3
78
Nipon Yusen Kaisha
1906
2
items.
3
79
Boston S.S. Co.
1906
2
items.
3
80
Trans-Continental
Docket
1907-1914
1
item.
3
81
Kosmos Line
1905-1919
1
item.
3
82
Monthly Reports
1909
1
item.
3
83
Frank Waterhouse &
Co.
1909
1
item.
3
84
Vancouver General
Agent
1905-1906
1
item.
3
85
Standard Oil Co.
1905-1907
1
item.
3
86
Spokane General Agent
1905
1
item.
3
87-89
Tariffs
1905-1920
10
items.
3
90
Postings
1907-1908
2
items.
4
91
Tariffs
1907-1914
4
items.
4
92
Tariffs (Canada)
1909-1918
1
item.
4
93
Tariff Distribution
1913-1914
1
item.
4
94
Duty, Payment of
1914-1915
1
item.
4
95-96
Tariffs
1915-1917
2
items.
4
97
Concurrences in Canadian
Tariffs
1915
1
item.
4
98
Joint Tariffs
1906-1919
1
item.
4
99
Bills
1902-1919
2
items.
4
100
Distribution of Cars
1910-1911
1
item.
4
101-103
Expense Accounts
1905-1919
3
items.
4
104
Vouchers
1906
1
item.
4
105-107
Telephone
1905-1918
25
items.
4
108-110
Telegraph
1902-1918
3
items.
4
111
Merchandise Cars
1908
1
item.
4
112
Service
1906-1911
1
item.
4
113-116
Washington State Railroad
Commission
1905-1908
12
items.
4
117-119
Interstate Commerce
Commission
1906-1914
8
items.
5
120
Embargoes
1916-1918
1
item.
5
121
Lumber
1914-1917
1
item.
5
122-123
Agricultural
Implements
1905-1920
11
items.
5
124
Alaska Engineering
Commission
1915
1
item.
5
125
Rate Basis
1907-1913
2
items.
5
126
Bowers' Hotel
1911
1
item.
5
127
Alum
1910-1916
1
item.
5
128
Ammonia
1904-1914
3
items.
5
129
Logs
1935-1938
1
item.
5
130
Brattice Cloth
1902-1903
1
item.
5
131
Brick
1905-1908
7
items.
5
132
Cable
1909
1
item.
5
133
Potash
1902-1906
1
item.
5
134
Calendars, Almanacs
1906
1
item.
5
135
Canned Goods
1905
1
item.
5
136
Calcium Carbide
1907-1916
1
item.
5
137
Calcium Cloride
1904-1915
1
item.
5
138
Caskets
1911
1
item.
5
139-140
Routing
1903-1915
2
items.
5
141
Equalizing Rates
1906-1907
1
item.
5
142-143
Routing
1906-1921
11
items.
5
144
Celluloid
1910
2
items.
5
145-147
Cement
1900-1913
7
items.
5
148-149
Grain
1903-1906
3
items.
5
150
Hay & Grain
1905-1906
1
item.
5
151-157
Grain
1905-1909
9
items.
5
158
Grain & Hay
Rebates
1907-1908
1
item.
6
159-166
Grain
1901-1930
10
items.
6
167
Milling in Transit
1901-1907
6
items.
6
168
Claims
1901-1908
1
item.
6
169
Coal
1908-1911
6
items.
6
170
Coke
1905-1907
6
items.
6
171
Coffee
1909-1910
1
item.
6
172
Conduits
1907-1911
2
items.
6
173
Confectionary
1905
1
item.
6
174
Refrigerator Material
1910
1
item.
6
175
Copper
1904-1911
3
items.
6
176
Cotton
1906-1909
5
items.
6
177
Creosote
1903-1909
2
items.
6
178
Crow's Nest Pass Coal
Co.
1903-1907
1
item.
6
179-180
Fruit
1905-1910
14
items.
6
181
Reshipped Goods
1904-1906
1
item.
6
182
Diversion of
Shipments
1904-1909
4
items.
6
183
Diversion of Cars
1906-1911
3
items.
6
184
Drugs
1906
2
items.
6
185
Buchu Gin
1907
1
item.
6
186
Tariffs
1903-1906
1
item.
6
187
Hosiery
1907-1908
1
item.
6
188
Crockery
1905-1906
4
items.
6
189
Butter & Eggs
1909
1
item.
6
190
Electrical Appliances
1910
2
items.
6
191
Emigrant Movables
1905-1915
1
item.
6
192
Alaska Yukon Pacific
Exposition
1909
1
item.
6
193
United States Land Irrigation
Exposition
1909-1911
1
items.
6
194
National Apple Show
1910
1
item.
6
195
Canadian Apple Show
1910
1
item.
6
196
National Apple Show
1911
1
item.
6
197
Saddle Felt
1907
1
item.
7
198-201
New Lines
1913-1922
4
items.
7
202
Fish
1914-1925
2
items.
7
203
Fire Extinguishers
1905-1917
1
item.
7
204
Chinese Firecrackers
1919-1923
1
item.
7
205
Flax
1916-1924
1
item.
7
206
Ties, China
1906
1
item.
7
207-257
Forest Products
1903-1929
61
items.
8
258-269
Forest Products
1923-1925
12
items.
8
270-309
Logs
1903-1923
41
items.
8
310
Furniture
1903-1913
4
items.
8
311
Stamped Ware
1906-1922
1
item.
8
312
Glass Bulbs
1911
1
item.
8
313
Washington Water Power
Co.
1904-1907
1
item.
8
314
Confectionaries
1903-1909
1
item.
8
315
Government Freight
1906-1911
3
items.
8
316
Glycerine
1907
1
item.
8
317
Sand
1906-1914
7
items.
8
318
Axle Grease
1904-1908
1
item.
8
319
Cigars
1906-1911
1
item.
8
320
Metal Sash Carriers
1909
1
item.
8
321
Smoke House,
Appliances
1909
1
item.
8
322
Harness
1905-1909
2
items.
8
323
Hay
1905-1910
4
items.
8
324
Refrigerator Cars
1905-1911
8
items.
8
325
Hemp
1907-1908
2
items.
8
326
Hides
1903-1910
7
items.
8
327
Hops
1904-1905
2
items.
8
328
Ice
1905
1
item.
8
329-330
Steel Products
1906-1911
8
items.
8
331
Ballard Business
Conditions
1908-1911
1
item.
8
332
Vancouver, Help
1906
1
item.
8
333
Charcoal
1906
1
item.
9
334
Lumber to Orient
1906-1908
1
item.
9
335
Slack
1906
1
item.
9
336
Siding
1908-1909
1
item.
9
337
Lyman Papers
1906
1
item.
9
338
Slag
1906-1908
2
items.
9
339
Poles
1903-1906
1
item.
9
340
Ale and Stout
1906
1
item.
9
341
Bog House Dross
1907-1911
1
item.
9
342
Leases
1906-1909
2
items.
9
343
Wenatchee Valley & Northern
RR
1909
1
item.
9
344
Harriman Line
1911
1
item.
9
345
Express Charges
1909-1910
1
item.
9
346
Terminal Service
1904-1906
1
item.
9
347
Crushed Steel
1906
1
item.
9
348
Olds Wortman &
King
1909
1
item.
9
349-350
Lands
1906-1908
4
items.
9
351
Steamer Victoria
1905-1906
1
item.
9
352
Peanuts
1906-1910
2
items.
9
353
Ferro-titanium
1911
1
item.
9
354
Commercial
Organizations
1906-1907
3
items.
9
355
Canadian Railway
Commission
1909
1
item.
9
356-357
Lead
1902-1910
3
items.
9
358-359
Leather
1905-1909
2
items.
9
360
Liquors
1902-1908
1
item.
9
261-276
Livestock
1903-1910
19
items.
9
377-380
Machinery
1904-1911
4
items.
9
381
Sugar
1905-1911
3
items.
9
382
Marble
1902-1908
2
items.
9
383
Stone
1905-1915
6
items.
9
384
Rock
1911
1
item.
9
385
Matting
1905-1906
1
item.
9
386-390
Packing House Products &
Fresh Meat
1905-1911
11
items.
9
391
Condensed Milk
1905-1911
2
items.
9
392
Mill Rollers
1907
1
item.
9
393
Moulding
1911
1
item.
9
394
Powered Musical
Instruments
1908-1910
1
item.
9
395
Builder's Scaffolds
1910-1911
1
item.
9
396
Salad Oil
1906
1
item.
9
397
Oil & Grease
1906-1908
9
398
Terabentine
1906-1907
1
item.
9
399
Kleenatine
1906-1907
1
item.
9
400
Salad Oil, Westbound
1907
2
items.
9
401-414
Ore
1905-1911
14
items.
10
415-434
Ore
1902-1911
20
items.
10
435
Seed
1904-1911
4
items.
10
436
Show Cases
1904-1910
1
item.
10
437
Claims
1908-1909
1
item.
10
438
Sash Doors
1905-1911
3
items.
10
439
Track Scales
1911
1
item.
10
440
Salt
1904-1911
4
items.
10
441
Salt Petre
1903-1907
1
item.
10
442
Rubber
1905
1
item.
10
443
Rulings
1906-1908
5
items.
10
444
Paper
1906
1
item.
10
445
Paving Blocks
1909
1
item.
10
446
Peas & Beans
1905-1907
1
item.
10
447
Penalty
1905-1906
2
items.
10
448
Marble Scrap
1905
1
item.
10
449
Wooden Pipe
1911
1
item.
10
450
Claim
1909
1
item.
10
451
Leatheroid
1910
1
item.
10
452
Grits
1910-1911
1
item.
10
453
Rice
1910-1911
1
item.
10
454
Roadmaking Machinery
1904-1905
1
item.
10
455
Candy Pails
1905-1906
1
item.
10
456
Paints
1904-1907
2
items.
10
457
Signs
1907-1911
2
items.
10
458
Soap
1905-1909
6
items.
10
459
Staves
1905-1906
2
items.
10
460
Construction, New
Lines
1909-1911
2
items.
10
461
Chip Board
1905-1921
1
item.
10
462
Track Repair
1906
1
item.
10
463-466
Trackage
1906-1911
9
items.
10
467
Puget Sound Electric
Co.
1906-1908
1
item.
10
468
Talc & Silica
1902-1910
2
items.
10
469
Tanks
1905-1917
1
item.
10
470
Trackage
1923-1924
1
item.
10
471
Vegetables
1922-1924
1
item.
10
472
Rental of Lots
1904-1908
1
item.
10
473
Box Shocks
1927-1930
1
item.
10
474
Flour
1905
1
item.
10
475
Leather Dressing
1902-1922
1
item.
10
476
Salmon
1905-1906
1
item.
10
477
Port Arthur
1907
1
item.
10
478
Seattle
1903-1904
1
item.
10
479
Vancouver, Washington
1908
1
item.
10
480
Vancouver, B.C.
1907-1908
1
item.
11
481
Claims
1906-1908
3
items.
11
482
Complaint
1920-1922
1
item.
11
483
Similkameen
1907
1
item.
11
484-489
Meetings
1909-1910
6
items.
11
490
Walnuts
1909-1910
1
item.
11
491
Yellow Metal
1904-1907
1
item.
11
492-493
Railway Commissioners for
Canada
1911
2
items.
11
494
Demurrage
1910-1911
1
item.
11
495-496
Rules
1908-1910
4
items.
11
497
Hickory Dust
1908
1
item.
11
498
Randomite
1908-1910
1
item.
11
499
Bridges, Columbia
River
1909-1911
1
item.
11
500
Wine
1908-1909
1
item.
11
501
Albers Brothers
1908
1
item.
11
502
Portland Railway
1908-1909
2
items.
11
503
Three Lakes Lumber
Co.
1909
1
item.
11
504
Whiton Hardware Co.
1909
1
item.
11
505
George Carter &
Co.
1906
1
item.
Series 2: Ledger
1902-1911
12
506
Ledger
1902-1911
1
item.