University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections1793 (Accession No. 1793-001)Magnusson, Carl Edward, 1872-1941Carl E. Magnusson
Papers 1905-19573 cubic ft. (3 boxes)Collection materials are in
English.Papers of Carl
E. Magnusson, professor of electrical engineering at the University of
Washington from 1904-1941.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.
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.
Open to all users.
Request at UW
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of
Washington Libraries.
The Carl Magnusson papers were donated to the Libraries in 1972 by
Floyd D. Robbins.
The papers were processed in 1999.
Loose photographs were relocated to the Carl Edward Magnusson
Photograph Collection, PH Coll 648, in the repository.
Tacoma Department of Public Utilities Information Books , 1919 and 1926-27 were transferred to
Special Collections.
Magnusson, Carl Edward, 1872-1941--ArchivesGrand Coulee Dam (Wash.)Columbia River--Power utilizationBaker River (Wash.)--Power utilizationSauk River (Wash.)--Power utilizationSkykomish River (Wash.)--Power utilizationSnake River (Wyo.-Wash.)--Power utilizationSnoqualmie River (Wash.)--Power utilizationSpokane River (Idaho and Wash.)--Power utilizationStillaguamish River (Wash.)--Power utilizationEngineering teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--ArchivesCollege teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--ArchivesDams--Washington (State)Electrical engineering--Study and teaching--Washington (State)Electrical engineers--Washington (State)Engineers--Washington (State)Rivers--Washington (State)Water-power--Washington (State)NewslettersCorrespondence. aatUniversity of Washington. University ArchivesUniversity Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)PhotographsEnergy ProductionPublic UtilitiesThe following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
General Correspondence1Ontario. Hydro-Electric Power
Commission1919, 19231US. Geological
Survey1932-1937General Correspondence Re:1Book
Direct Currents 1929, 19331Congress: Bill
for Inventory of Water Power in the US19251Fort Peck Dam,
Montana19391Lewis River
– Ariel Power Plant NW Electric Co.19331Muscle Shoals
Compared to Columbia River19251National
Reclamation Association19351Nitric Acid Arc
Process19191Olympic
Peninsula Power Resources19321Power
Survey19251Survey of States
Natural Resources, Chamber of Commerce, Seattle1925, 1931-19321Transformers
Parallel Operation1921Speeches and Writings1Magnusson,
Carl1935, undated1Miscellaneous1954Newsletters1 Powerfacts – Washington Public Utility
Districts’ Association19571NotesundatedSubject SeriesColumbia River
Basin1Columbia River Basin
Miscellaneous19371Grand Coulee Damundated1Priest – Rapids1929-1932, undatedPuget Sound
Power & Light1PSP&L Miscellaneous1905-1935, undated1Baker River1925, undated1Rock Island1932, 19351Snoqualmie River1926, 19281-2White River1912, 1933, undatedSeattle Lighting
Department (Seattle Municipal Light and Power)2SML&P Miscellaneous1918, 19362Lake Youngs –
Elliott19272Northend Substation19242Sauk and Suiattle
Projects19232Skagit Projects1919-1939, undatedTacoma Light and
Power Department (Tacoma Public Utilities Department)2-3TPUD Miscellaneous1913-1946, undated3Cushman Power PlantsundatedWashington Water
Power Company3WWPC Miscellaneous1915, 1925, undated3Chelan 19273Spokane River1926-1930, 1949Other
Projects3British Columbia Water
Power1920, 1931, undated3Electron Power Plantundated3Gray’s Harbor Power and Light
Company19143Pacific Power and Light
Company19363Skykomish River19303Snake River1932-19353Stave Falls Power Development
(British Columbia)1924-19253Stilaguamish River19323Sultan River19293Umatilla Rapids Projectundated3White Salmon River, OR1923, 1930, undated3Basic Plan of
Development of the National Water Power Resources1918, undated3Development
Dataundated3Hydro-Electric
Power in Washington1923, 1926, 1951, undated3Interconnected
Power Systems19233Lantern Slides
– Washington Power Resourcesundated3Legislation
undated3Legislation-Mississippi River1927-19293Mason, Walsh,
Atkinson, Kier Labor Agreement19373Power In Western
Washington19233Power
Transmission Lines in Washington19323Public
Ownership1926, 19283Puget Sound
Basin19233Rates For Power
– Seattle and Tacoma Municipal1907, 1913, 19193Rates For Power
– Wash. Power Co./NW Electric Co./Seattle, Renton and Southern Railroad
Co.1919, undated3Southwestern
Washington19243Steam
Plantsundated3Stream
Gaging1926, 19273Super Power
1921-19233Transmission
Lines19193Transmission
Lines – Interconnected Operationundated3Transmission
Lines – Trunk1918-1922, undated3Transmission
Lines – Washington1932Ephemera3Chamber of
Commerce, US1925-19343National
Electric Light Association1922, 1925, 19283National Popular
Government League19283SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SPECIAL POWER ADVISORY
COMMITTEE 1951-1953