WaSMAR1802_I7 Guide to the Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports 1895-1931 Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports Finding aid prepared by Anne Frantilla Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Seattle Municipal Archives ©2004
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
Finding aid encoded by Shannon B. Lynch 2004 Finding aid written in English. Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
1802-I7 Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports 1895-1931 .8 cubic ft. (2 boxes) Annual reports of the Seattle Department of Streets and Sewers including narratives and statistics, inspectors' reports, and information on maintenance and repair. Collection materials are in English. 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.

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.

Reports are arranged chronologically by year.

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

Records are open to the public.

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

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.

Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Streets and Sewers Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and goverment Sewerage--Washington (State)--Seattle Streets--Washington (State)--Seattle Streets--Washington (State)--Seattle--Maintenance and repair Municipal engineering--Washington (State)--Seattle Sanitary engineering--Washington (State)--Seattle Public Utilities Government and Politics Seattle Annual reports

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

Department of Streets and Sewers Annual Reports 1895-1931 1/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1895 1/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1903 1/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1904 1/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1905 1/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1908 1/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1909 1/2 Streets, Sewers and Parks Annual Report 1896 1/2 Streets, Sewers and Parks Annual Report 1899 1/2 Streets, Sewers and Parks Annual Report 1900 1/3 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1910 1/3 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report - Parts 1 and 2 1913 1/4 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1914 1/4 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1915 1/5 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1916 1/5 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1918 2/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1919 2/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1920 2/1 Streets and Sewers Annual Report, Automobiles and Trucks 1921 2/1 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1921 2/2 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1922 2/2 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1923 2/3 Streets and Sewers, Expense and Supply Accounts Annual Report 1925 2/3 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1925 2/4 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1926 2/4 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1927 2/5 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1928 2/5 Streets and Sewers Department, Appropriation for Traffic Signals in 1929 1928 2/5 Streets and Sewers Department Annual Report 1931