http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8qn656m No online items Processed by:. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Building E, Fort Mason San Francisco, CA 94123 Phone: 415-561-7030 Fax: 415-556-3540 SAFR_Historic_Documents@nps.gov URL: http://www.nps.gov/safr 2012 HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 1
A Guide to the William Wallace Hanscom papers HDC0131 San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service 2012, National Park Service Title: William Wallace Hanscom papers Date: 1875-1915 Date (bulk): 1887-1915 Identifier/Call Number: HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) Creator: Hanscom, William Wallace Physical Description: 41.00 items Repository: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department Building E, Fort Mason San Francisco, CA 94123 Abstract: The William Wallace Hanscom papers ([SAFR 16121], [HDC 131]) consists largely of scrapbooks and notebooks, but also includes some trade catalogs and oversize naval architecture and marine engineering plans. The research strength is largely in the area of technical aspects of turn of the century iron and steel shipbuilding, but information on a few San Francisco building projects of the 1920s can also be found in the collection. The collection is open for use without restrictions. Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department Language(s): In English. Access This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted. Publication and Use Rights Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. Processing Note Note on Description: The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide. P lease cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff. Preferred Citation [Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], HDC0131 (SAFR 16121), William Wallace Hanscom papers, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Acquisition Information SAFR-00001 This collection was originally a gift to the San Francisco Maritime Museum from a private donor in 1965. Transferred to San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park as part of accession SAFR-00001 (GOGA-00735). Processed by Stephen A. Haller on August 13, 1985. Reprocessed and recataloged by Sara Diamond in 2012. Historical or Biographical Note BIOGRAPHY: W.W. Hanscom was born in 1870. He began his career at San Francisco's Union Iron Works as an apprentice in the patterns shop. He advanced steadily during his more than twenty years of service with the firm, becoming successively draftsman, electrical engineer, and chief electrical engineer. Around 1908, he became the manager of the Century Electric Construction Co. of San Francisco. He lived in San Francisco and died in November 1956 at the age of 86. Sources: San Francisco Maritime Museum accession ledger, information contained in this collection, and various San Francisco city directories. HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 2
Collection Scope and Content The William Wallace Hanscom papers ([SAFR 16121], [HDC 131]) consists largely of scrapbooks and notebooks, but also includes some trade catalogs and oversize naval architecture and marine engineering plans. The research strength is largely in the area of technical aspects of turn of the century iron and steel shipbuilding, but information on a few San Francisco building projects of the 1920s can also be found in the collection. The collection is open for use without restrictions. The scrapbooks contain technical information about electrical systems on ships constructed at Union Iron Works ca. 1887-1915, including data on the battleships WYOMING and OHIO, and photographs of the early U.S. submarines TARPON, NARWHAL, and GRAYLING. Also included in these scrapbooks is information about shore-side electrical projects undertaken by the Century Electric Construction Co., such as the Columbia Theatre of 1910 in San Francisco. The remainder of the collection consists of notebooks on various subjects related to marine engineering, specifications of vessels constructed at Union Iron Works, a scrapbook containing reports and papers on aspects of marine engineering, and various trade catalogues. The reports and papers include oversize plans, which are stored separately in oversize storage. The original locations of all removed documents have been marked in the collection. Collection Arrangement Arranged into 25 files by type or format Related Materials I.M. Scott, Jr. Papers (SAFR 15792, HDC 125) J.T. Scott Papers (SAFR 15793, HDC 126) I.M and J.T. Scott were both employed at the Union Iron Works at the same time as Hanscom. SAFR collections are part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park musuem and archival collections. Further information about Union Iron Works can be found using the library and photograph card catalogues. Subjects and Indexing Terms Electrical Engineering Naval architecture Archives Union Iron Works Co. San Francisco (Calif.) Scrapbooks Mechanical engineering Naval architects Mechanical engineers Design and construction Series 1. William Wallace Hanscom papers, Extent: 26 folders Arrangement 25 files housed in 6 boxes and 1 oversize folder. Box 1 File Unit 01. Project scrapbook Vol. 1, 1890-1910 breaking. Tabbed index section. Use book cradle. specifications for various vessels built by Union Iron Works (San Francisco), including but not limited to U.S. Navy vessels: USS Kentucky, Kearsage, Ohio, Maine, South Dakota, and Tacoma, as well as the electrical panel for the Columbia Theater. HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 3
Box 2 File Unit 02. Project scrapbook Vol. 2, 1887-1911 fragile. Tabbed index section. Use book cradle. specifications for various vessels built by Union Iron Works (San Francisco). Box 3 File Unit 03. Project scrapbook Vol. 3, 1902-1906 fragile. Tabbed index section. Use book cradle. specifications for various vessels built by Union Iron Works (San Francisco). Box 4 File Unit 04. Project scrapbook Vol. 4, 1902-1903 fragile. Tabbed index section. Use book cradle. specifications for various vessels built by Union Iron Works (San Francisco). Box 5, folder 5 File Unit 05. Subject notebooks: electrical equipment, 1893-1904 Extent: 2 EA. Two leather-bound notebooks. First notebook is bound in dark red leather with a gilt "cash" on the front cover. It measures 10 x 7 x 1.5 cm (4 x 6 1/2 x 1/2 inches). Second notebook has "W.W. Hanscom" inscribed on the front cover, and measures 13.8 x 21.9 x 2.5 cm (8 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 7/8 inches). First notebook is untitled, but includes electrical data for various vessels, including the United States Naval vessels Monterey, San Francisco, California, and Olympia, among others. The second notebook is marked on the spine as "Calculations and tests No. 3" and includes "specifications for the illumination devices...for ships of the U.S. Navy." Box 5, folder 6 File Unit 06. Subject notebook: tests of gun turrets and hoists, 1903 Physical Description: Poor to fair condition, requires book cradle for use. One bound volume with weakened boards, measuring 13.5 x 21 x 2.5 cm (5 1/2 x 8 /1/4 x 1 inches). Volume 1 Box 5, folder 7 File Unit 07. Subject notebooks, 1901-1903 Extent: 2 EA. Physical Description: Fair. Use book cradles. Two bound volumes. First measures 12 x 19 x 1 cm (4 3/4 x 7 1/2 x 3/8 inches). Second measures 13.5 x 21 x 2.5 cm (5 1/2 x 8 1/4 x 3/8 inches). Two volumes. The first is titled "Navy standard apparatus price list commencing with [USS] Wisconsin." The second volume is "Spare parts Navy construction." HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 4
Box 5, folder 8 File Unit 08. Specifications for USS Ohio electrical apparatus, undated blueprint copies of document. Box 5, folder 9 File Unit 09. Specifications for USS Ohio detail plans, 1905 Blueprint copies of document. Box 6, folder 10 File Unit 10. Specifications for U.S. Navy vessels, 1897-1915 Extent: 12 EA. Some oversize material needs rehousing. 12 items, including but not limited to specifications. (1) Navy Department, Bureau of equipment, "Specifications for wiring appliances for ships of the United States Navy," (GPO, Washington D.C, 1897) (2) Department of Commerce, "Circular # 37 of the Bureau of Standards: Electrical wire and cable terminology," (GPO, Washington D.C., 1915). (3) "USS Oregon illuminating panel and panel box," 1903 March 10. Oversize blueprint, folded. (4) "USS Oregon electrical illumination," 1902 November 5. Oversize blueprint, folded. (5) Navy Department, Bureau of equipment, "Specifications for illuminating outfits for ships of the U.S. Navy," (1903 May). (6) "USS Tacoma booklet no. 12," 1904. Includes some oversize material. (7) Navy Department, Bureau of equipment,"specification for motor generator sets," 1903. (8) "Ship test laundry motor [for] USS California, USS South Dakota, and USS Milwaukee," 1906 June 25. (9) "Ship test [for] deck winches [for] USS California, USS South Dakota, and USS Milwaukee," 1906 June 25. (10) Ship test [for] FW pump motors [for] USS California, USS South Dakota, and USS Milwaukee," 1906 June 25. (11) "Navy standard interior communication cables," 1905. (12) "Specifications for motor generator sets for gun elevating equipment," 1906 January. Box 6, folder 11 File Unit 11. Trial of steam machinery for U.S. Revenue steamer Gallatin, 1875 Physical Description: Poor condition. Pencil annotations. dis-bound from a notebook or scrapbook. Box 6, folder 12 File Unit 12. Specifications for electrical lighting, undated Carbon typescript dis-bound from a notebook or scrapbook. Box 6, folder 13 File Unit 13. Notes on electrical engineering, undated Handwritten. dis-bound from a notebook or scrapbook. Box 6, folder 14 File Unit 14. The rise and progress of rifled naval artillery", 1899 From the proceedings of the 40th Summer session of the Institute of Naval Architects, July 1899. HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 5
Box 6, folder 15 File Unit 15. Novelties in ship fittings, 1899 From the proceedings of the 7th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1899 November. Box 6, folder 16 File Unit 16. The electrical plans of the battleships Kearsarge and Kentucky, 1899 From the proceedings of the 7th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1899 November. Box 6, folder 17 File Unit 17. Tests of the electrical plan of the battleships Kearsarge and Kentucky, 1899 Physical Description: Poor condition, torn. From the proceedings of the 7th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1899 November. Box 6, folder 18 File Unit 18. Methods of handling material over shipbuilding berths in American shipyards, 1902 From the proceedings of the 43rd Spring session of the Institute of Naval Architects, March 1902. Box 6, folder 19 File Unit 19. Two professional papers presented to SNAME general meeting, 1902 "Technical training for shipbuilders," and "Why it takes so long to build and equipt a naval vessel for the United States Navy," both from the proceedings of the 10th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1902. Box 6, folder 20 File Unit 20. The development of modern ordnance and armor in the United States, 1902 From the proceedings of the 10th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1902. HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 6
Box 6, folder 22 File Unit 21. Remarks on the design of naval vessels, 1902 From the proceedings of the 10th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1902. Box 6, folder 23 File Unit 22. The building of valve gears, 1902 From the proceedings of the 10th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1902. Box 6, folder 24 File Unit 23. Simple methods in warship design a necessity, 1904 From the proceedings of the 12th general meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), New York, 1904. Box 6, folder 25 File Unit 24. Catalog No. 1 Union Iron Works, undated Physical Description: Good condition. Photocopies of title pages, table of contents, and introductions only. Box 6, folder 21; Oversize folder File Unit 25. Oversize plans, Extent: 1 folder 2 blueprints; separated print illustrations and graphs. Physical Description: Folder 21 contains a separation sheet for oversize plans. Oversize plans: USS Colorado tests; Experimental model basin, 1904; multiple sheets of plate illustrations and graphics separated from published proceedings, with original file numbers on versos. HDC0131 (SAFR 16121) 7