Samuel Knight Chapter - SIA, Newsletter Issue 6, July 21, 1998

Newsletter

Samuel Knight Chapter

Society for Industrial Archeology

Issue Number 6

July 21, 1998

In Memoriam:

Ernie Malatesta 1902 - 1998

Master Pattern Maker, Knight Foundry

Appeal to the Membership
Upcoming Tours and Events
Second Annual Business Meeting and Tour of the Western Railway Museum
Macauley Foundry Tour
Maritime Tour Series
Logs, Lumber and Longshoring
Knight Foundry Plans Completed, Funding Effort Launched
The Bridges of Niles Canyon
Donation, Sponsor and Legacy to Save Knight Foundry
IA Interests Questionnaire and Membership Survey
Notes Industrial Archæological
Contact and Membership Information

The Newsletter is published whenever it seems appropriate. Members are encouraged to contribute articles, letters to the editor and items for the Calendar. The Newsletter, Calendar of Events and Links to IA Websites are available on the Chapter Website: http://reality.sgi.com/csp/knight_sia

[The web site is now at http://www.sia-web.org/chapters/knight/knight.html - Jay]

THE SAMUEL KNIGHT CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR INDUSTRIAL ARCHEOLOGY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ENTERPRISE

Design services donated by Bear River Associates

Appeal to the Membership

My message to the members in this Newsletter issue could be summarized in one word: "HELP!" The Chapter has grown rapidly both in numbers (approaching 150) and in activities; the old guard is feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. Many of you have offered to lend a hand and it's time we took you up on it. Chapter activities which need HELP! are the Newsletter production (you can contribute articles and help with mailing like D. Mayeron does), planning tours (here's your chance to share that amazing industrial experience you've been dreaming about), and working on our special projects which include the preservation of Knight Foundry, developing our conceptually cutting-edge skills preservation web site, and helping with research and organization of a number new projects which have been proposed (calling all researchaholics).

In fact, some of our new members have recently taken on leadership roles in the Knight Foundry effort. Marianne Massengale of Sutter Creek organized a terrific raffle for our open house at the foundry, and Tom Innes and Bill Braun have taken the reins of the fundraising drive. Alan Langmuir has worked tirelessly to give both Strategic Plan and the task force shape. We'll need volunteers to staff our booth at the Amador County Fair this month, especially Thursday and Friday, July 30 and 31.

As you read this issue, and find something in which you would like to get involved, please don't hesitate to pick up the phone or pull up your email and say howdy. And if you haven't ever completed the chapter survey, please take the time to do so now. We are and will continue to be a membership driven chapter; we can only live up to that if we know what your interests are and what resources you can add to the mix.

Andy Fahrenwald, Chapter President

Upcoming Tours and Events

Amador County Fair, Plymouth, California

Thursday to Sunday, July 30 to August 2
and Knight Foundry Tours, Sutter Creek, California
Sunday, August 2, 1pm to 3 pm

The Chapter's Save Knight Foundry Task Force will have a booth at the Amador County Fair. This is a real old time county fair, with live stock judging, carnival rides and all the trimmings. Of particular interest to Chapter members is the restored sawmill powered by chapter member Bill Braun's Case steam tractor. The group running the saw mill has done a lot of work to preserve the related skills and technical know-how, and, by all accounts, does some amazingly precision milling work on a very large scale.

The Knight Foundry booth has been sponsored by sawyer Rolland Matson, historian of Amador County industry, and organized by Bill Braun with Dave Borgh's help. The booth will feature some of the more interesting and massive patterns, an operating Knight Water Motor, hopefully some hands on demonstrations of molding, information and things for sale. Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3, we'll open up the Foundry for guided tours for those interested in helping to preserve it.

Carson City & Virginia City, Nevada

Saturday & Sunday, August 15 & 16

Kyle Wyatt, chapter member and Curator of History at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, has organized an exciting two day tour of historic monuments of the Comstock Lode silver mining boom - one day in Carson City featuring a steam train ride at the Nevada State RR Museum and one day in Virginia City, with another steam excursion included.

Saturday will start in Carson City at 10am with a program on mining technology and history at the Nevada State Museum, 600 North Carson Street, which features a simulated mine in its basement. In the afternoon, we will be hosted by the Nevada State Railroad Museum, 2180 South Carson Street, where we will have a tour of their impressive restoration facilities and a steam train ride as well.

Sunday will start at 6:30am for the early birds back at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where we will witness a light off and steaming up of one of their locomotives, a process well worth experiencing. We will rendezvous later at 10am in Virginia City at the Fourth Ward School Museum, at South end of town, a big multi-storied building visible as you come into town. Kelly Dixon, chapter member and the head of the Comstock Historic District Commission, will give us an introduction to the Historic District and Kyle Wyatt will give a brief presentation on the railroad history of the Comstock. We will go into a mine, ride the Virginia & Truckee Railroad steam train, do a walking tour of Virginia City and no doubt end up with a beer at the Bucket of Blood.

Inexpensive accommodations are available close to the Railroad Museum at Motel 6, 702 885-7710; Super 8 Motel, 702 883-7800; Motel Orleans, 702 882-2007; Carson Station Hotel Casino, 702 883-0900; and the Ormsby House Hotel Casino, 702 882 1890. Camping is available for the hardy and heat resistant in the surrounding area. One pleasant route to Carson City from the Bay Area is to take Hwy 88 over Carson Pass on an excellent road. Going via Hwy 50 is not so scenic and can be congested around Lake Tahoe.

Cost of the tour will be $15 for members, not including museum admissions or ticket prices for the trains and the mine, $25 for non-members. RSVP's required, please phone 510 595 5835 by August 12.

Second Annual Business Meeting and Tour of the Western Railway Museum

Short and Sweet! Our Second Annual Business Meeting on April 11th was over in a matter of moments. We gathered at the Western Railway Museum in the countryside between Fairfield and Rio Vista. Our meeting convened aboard a Key System articulated unit. Twenty seven members were present constituting a quorum.

Chapter President Andy Fahrenwald gave a brief review of the year's activities, pointing up our advocacy role for historic industrial preservation. We are attempting to revive Knight Foundry and will be developing the associated concept of a Gold Country Mining Industry Historic Corridor. We have located the potentially significant site of the Alameda Point Ferry Terminal destroyed by fire in 1902. We may spearhead a drive to preserve regional historic brick and lime kilns led by "Brick Bat" Bob Pirwarzyk. We will push for the creation of a Maritime Historic Corridor in San Francisco. Randy Hees announced a new chapter initiative to save the 1864 bridge abutments in Niles Canyon about to be encased in concrete by CALTRANS. There are probably the oldest railroad structures in the West. We will also launch a prototype Historic and Endangered Industrial Skills Archive and Resource Center on the World Wide Web. These activities and our busy tour schedule are the work of an activist board and membership. Andy renewed the invitation to all present to wade in and get involved.

Chapter Treasurer Randy Hees reviewed our financial standing (in the black) and Andy observed that all our expenditures had been for communications. New Chapter Bylaws had been mailed to the membership and were presented for discussion. There was none. Randy Hees moved the Bylaws be accepted, Kyle Wyatt seconded and the Bylaws were approved unanimously.

Election of three new directors for a term a two years were then conducted. Lora Change nominated Alan Langmuir, Alan Langmuir retaliated by nominating Lora Change, Andy Fahrenwald nominated Bob Wilson, there were no further nominations and the three nominees were elected by a unanimous vote. Continuing on the Board until next year are Andy Fahrenwald, Randy Hees, Noel Kirshenbaum, Jay McCauley, Tony Meadow, and Nate Shugars. Randy Hees moved for adjournment, there was no dissent, Kyle Wyatt seconded the motion and we adjourned to spend the rest of the day playing with trains.

Following a catered parlor car train excursion out to the vernal pools over incredibly beautiful fields of spring wildflowers, Bart Nadeau of the Museum organized a wonderful all day program of facility tours and special runs, including a maintenance of way car originally build as a coach by the Carter Brothers. The new museum interpretive and archival facilities under construction will certainly establish the Western Railway Museum as a world class transportation museum. The ongoing right of way expansion and restoration work on an incredible array of historic equipment is of such a grand scale as to provide work for generations of preservationists to come. We know that anyone reading this and wanting to get involved in really challenging restoration work will be welcomed with open arms. Many thanks to Bart Nadeau and the museum staff for a great day!

Macauley Foundry Tour

Chapter members Bob Wilson, Marketing Manager of Macauley Foundry, and his wife Pat hosted us for a complete process tour on May 30th. Macauley Foundry in many ways has had a history and clientele similar to Knight Foundry, although having modernized and succeeded on a much larger scale over the years. Founded 100 years ago, Macauley moved to Berkeley in 1906 after their facility was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake and fire. Some original buildings remain.

We had expected the foundry to be in full operation with a Saturday morning shift, but the cancellation of a large order had idled the foundry. What followed was in a way more spectacular than we could have expected otherwise. We were introduced to master molder Bob Matson who is quite a historian of molding techniques. He demonstrated old style loose pattern green sand molding for us. Then the two Bobs took us through the shop. The day before they had left work to be done at every stage of the foundry process and the two of them demonstrated the operation of nearly all the equipment in the foundry! It was an incredible tour de force; they did everything but pour iron. (Bob Matson later spent two days at the Knight Foundry open house demonstrating molding for hundreds of tour participants. He fell in love with the place and will be an active volunteer when we reopen. Thanks so much Bob and welcome!)

Founded by the Bay is a company sponsored history of Macauley Foundry reviewed recently in Industrial Archeology, is excellently researched, written and produced, and is available from Bob Wilson at Macauley, 510 845-2911.

Maritime Tour Series

The Chapter has just completed a series of four historic maritime tours which have helped to provide the beginning of an overview of the challenges and opportunities for maritime preservation in the San Francisco Bay Area. We visited Mare Island Naval Base, The National Maritime Museum in San Francisco and the Liberty Ship Jeremiah O'Brien and conducted a pair of boat and bus tours of the San Francisco waterfront. The last three tours were co-sponsored with Laborfest 98, an annual celebration of labor history and the culture of work. We saw many well preserved and many sorely neglected sites, structures and artifacts.

The Samuel Knight Chapter could play the role of facilitating a much needed comprehensive survey of our regional maritime heritage. There is a great deal of talent and resources available, but it is scattered and uncoordinated. A good first step could be to convene a symposium bringing together the local groups and experts to outline the problem. Some of the problems and opportunities are suggested in the following tour notes. Your feedback on this will be much appreciated; it represents a great opportunity to become involved in preservation work.

Mare Island Tour, May 9th

The May 9th Mare Island Tour was a total success! The weather, the tour guides and the lunch at the Vallejo Naval and History Museum were all added enjoyments for the day.

I particularly wanted my wife, Phyllis, to see those dry-docks, as my WWII Sub chaser had been dry-docked at least two of the three visits I made during wartime.

My 173' boat with 23' beam, and about a dozen other boats of about equal size were all in there at the same time. We were side by side and end to end, and all up on blocks and piers so bottom cleaning, painting and repairs could be done. Blocks were shifted a few at a time to allow total bottom painting. Inspecting, servicing, repairing or replacing was done on sea cocks, zincs, stem tubes, propellers, underwater sound gear, and whatever could be done while the boat was out of the water. Work was ongoing around the clock with swarms of Mare Island people and ship's crews. Get in, get done, and get out was the schedule, as three graving docks and some floating dry docks, had ships waiting for their turn.

Our first dry-docking was for normal and routine bottom inspection, repairing and inspection. Two other times were for more serious repairs, and one of those times we might have side tied at a wharf for the work.

We had a serious failure in our 2800 H. P. port main engine. It was removed through a hole cut in the deck, and taken to the machine shop for replacement of the 1800 pound crank shaft and other related work.

The other time we were there was to correct excessive storm damage. We'd been dispatched to Northern Pacific waters (Aleutians, I think) and never made it. We encountered a 48 hour storm that caused us serious damage. Throughout the ship we had broken fresh water lines, saltwater lines, steam lines, fuel and lube oil lines that were replaced. Much top side damage was a busted mast, a couple of life rafts were lost, also lost was a 3" ammunition locker, and our underwater sound dome.

I purchased the 240 page Side-wheeler to Nuclear Power pictorial essay covering 125 years at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. I've read it, just looking at the photos was an enjoyable experience, and having done so, would like to pass it on to other interested chapter members.

Les Sutherland

(Les has passed the book on to Andy, and Andy will lend it to you.)

Historic Ships Tour, June 20th

Saturday morning, we were met at the Hyde Street Pier of the National Maritime Museum of San Francisco by Curator Stephen Canright, who gave us an in depth tour of the logging and fishing schooner Thayer, the ferryboat Eureka and the steam tug Hercules. These ships provided a series of case studies in the complex problems and issues of maritime preservation. We also learned a great deal about life and work on these vessels. On board the Hercules we were given a complete boiler room and engine room tour by the crew that has restored and operates this amazing old tug.

At 1pm we boarded the restored Liberty Ship Jeremiah O'Brien docked at Fisherman's Wharf. A really special experience was provided by WWII Merchant Marine veteran and labor organizer Mark Walker, who had worked in the engine room of Liberty Ships and not been in one since 1948, 50 years ago! Mark took us through the sequence of jobs he had learned and shared some of his war time experiences. The staff of the O'Brien did an excellent job of organizing our tour as well

Maritime Heritage Boat Tour, July 11th

We repeated our popular Maritime History Boat Tour of last year. The dual theme of this event was maritime industrial history and labor history. Leaving the Ferry Building, with Captain Laura Smith at the helm of the Bay Breeze, we cruised down to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, now abandoned, and then slowly cruised all the way back to the Golden Gate, as our panel of authorities talked about what unscrolled before us. In effect, we were making a visual inventory of San Francisco's historic maritime monuments and sites.

The interplay of commentary by our panel provided a truly rich historic experience. We were graced again with the presence of Stephen Canright, Curator of the National Maritime Museum of San Francisco, who was joined at the PA system mike by Professor of Labor History Robert Cherney from San Francisco State University, Julia Vierra, founder of Friends of Islais Creek, Harvey Shwartz, Oral Historian for the ILWU (see following article from The ILWU Dispatcher), Gunnar Lundberg, President of the Sailors Union of the Pacific, Marina Secchitano, Business Agent of the Inland Boatman's Union (who were instrumental in obtaining the tour boat for us) and WWII Navy veteran Les Sutherland. Chapter President Andy Fahrenwald acted as MC.

Highlights of the tour were the Civil War era graving docks #2 and #3 and pump houses at Hunter's Point, in much need of preservation attention; a cruise into Islais Creeks were a preservation and restoration group has been turning an industrial wasteland into a beautiful waterside park featuring an historic copra crane, used to load processed coconut meal into cargo ships; a close up visit to the floating dry-docks and railroad ferry pier in China Basin; extensive coverage of the 1934 General Strike events centering on the Embarcadero and Rincon Hill and a visit to the Hyde Street Pier historic ship collection. On the way we encountered a beautiful four-masted square-rigged Japanese training ship and FDR's Presidential yacht Potomac, which cruised across our bow at close range.

As we returned to Pier 1, the Babar Jug Band provided old time music and labor tunes, kicking off with a rousing rendition of "Which Side Are You On?" led by songwriter George Fouke. Thanks to David Williams of Laborfest for helping with organization and Kazmi Torri who prepared tasty sandwiches for the 150 folks on board. A wonderful day on the bay!

Maritime Heritage Bus Tour

On the day following the boar tour, we visited some of the sites we had seen from the Bay via school bus. We started with a presentation by ILWU historian Harvey Shwartz at the Islais Creek copra crane. Harvey gave a vivid description of the difficult job of off loading copra from the holds of freighters. It had to be broken up with special copra picks and was infested with copra beetles. Copra is coconut meat from the Philippines which was processed at Islais Creek by Cargill into coconut oil and livestock feed. The existing crane was for reloading feed into cargo vessels and is the subject of a preservation effort by the Friends of Islais Creek who have done a huge amount of clean up and restoration work to create a waterside park.

We also were able to view the totally intact and operational steam pile drivers operated by the Port of San Francisco. These date from the beginning of the century and are another site where highly sophisticated historic industrial skills are preserved in practice.

We went on to visit the Hunters Point graving docks, dating from the 1860s, and which should be preserved at least in their present state, if not restored. Unfortunately, according to Navy archæologist Lou Wall, with removal of the caissons and the flooding of the docks, the original pumps have been allow to silt in and will be difficult to clean. This could have been prevented ten years ago, but no one was interested in taking up the cause. These docks would make a n historically appropriate restoration facility for historic vessels, but it may be that Dry Dock #1 at Mare Island, dating from the same era is the more usable and better preserved facility .

The day ended with a guided tour of the adjacent Golden Gate Railroad Museum collection and restoration facilities. Not exactly maritime, but we were there and it was fun. And your correspondent thinks that the 2472 is the most beautiful steam locomotive he has ever seen.

Logs, Lumber and Longshoring

...is one of an ongoing series of oral history features run in the ILWU Dispatcher. Harvey acted as docent on the Maritime Boat and Bus Tours reported above. The pictures on the previous page appeared with this article.

Knight Foundry Plans Completed, Funding Effort Launched

Illustrations in this article and elsewhere in the Newsletter are from Chapter Founder and author David Weitzman's new book on Knight Foundry, Pouring Iron, scheduled for releases by Houghton-Mifflin this fall.

Our efforts to revive Knight Foundry have been moving right along. We have completed the first phase of the project with the completion of a full formal Strategic Plan and have begun the major fundraising campaign. A solid core group has formed during the planning phase. We need to expand the Save Knight Foundry Task Force now as the pace quickens.

The 72 page Strategic Plan details our overall philosophy, fundraising plans, provides a completely outlined business and marketing plan including financial projects and provides extensive background information on the foundry. Many people contributed to this document drafted by Andy Fahrenwald. Special thanks go to Tom Innes, Bob Wilson, Maryellen Burns, Alan Langmuir, Erik Lander and Lora Change.

Our initial focus is to raise as much money as possible regionally, in donations, pledges and legacies . It is not impossible that we may raise enough to get the foundry opened from local and northern California sources. We have had the active cooperation of the local press, business associations, and the City of Sutter Creek. We had a very successful open house at the foundry last month . The local effort will culminate during the Amador County Fair with a booth at the fair and a Sunday foundry tour. If we haven't made sufficient progress locally by mid-August we will turn our attention to state and national sources of grant funding. We are starting the process of applying for a low interest loan from the National Trust for Historic Preservation which could provide significant funds on a matching basis.

BUSINESS ASSOC PHOTO

PHOTO FROM SUTTER CREEK THIS MONTH

The following Task Force press release sent to the regional media gives a good overview of the present situation.

PRESS RELEASE - JUNE 28, 1998

The Save Knight Foundry Task Force kicked off a major fundraising drive to acquire and restart Knight Foundry, Historic Water-powered Iron Works and Machine Shop in Sutter Creek last Saturday. $250,000 is needed for down payment, necessary repairs and improvements and enough "gas in the tank" to get through the start up phase. Plymouth resident, Bill Braun, who is heading up the fundraising campaign, remarked "It's a case of 'familiarity breeds contempt'. It's always been right in our back yard, but a lot of folks just aren't aware that Knight Foundry could be the crown jewel of Mother Lode tourism. There is nothing else like it in the entire country. You can't find another industry from the last century as well preserved as this anywhere. It would be a tragedy to lose it now."

The Task Force held a very successful open house during Kit Carson Days, with 500 visitors, mostly from Amador County, taking free foundry tours and witnessing hands on demonstrations in the foundry and machine shop. The open house raised $1800 in sales, donations and a raffle organized by Sutter Creek resident Marianne Massengale who said at the end of the day "I'm totally jazzed by this!" Local merchants and artists pitched in some wonderful raffle prizes. Participating were The Chatterbox Cafe, Caffe' Via D'Oro, The Sutter Creek Roasting Company, Susan's Place, Amador Vintners, The Sutter Creek Brewery, Bonnie's, The Hat Shop and artists Greg Connell, Tom Baugh, Sue Sparks and Jerry Melnick. The National Trust for Historic Preservation also contributed a beautiful book, "Yesterday's Houses of Tomorrow," and an complimentary membership in the Trust. Thanks to all!

The event was noisily punctuated by "anvil firings", which, for the uninitiated, consists of placing a charge of black powder between two specially modified anvils, (don't try this at home!) lighting a fuse, being physically buffeted by a terrific kaboom and watching one anvil sail high into the sky. This odd practice has a 450 year history as a celebratory outburst by otherwise generally peaceable blacksmiths. Unfortunately, several Sutter Creek residents in the immediate range of the shock wave were understandably surprised, startled and otherwise discombobulated by the unexpected report. Task Force Coordinator Andy Fahrenwald, went up Broadway hat in hand to apologize for the rude awakening from Saturday slumbers and promised that, in future, warning would be given and the firings conducted at a greater remove from walls with pictures hanging on them.

So far, some $14,000 of a $35,000 seed fund has been raised, including a $2000 planning grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the balance mostly in small donations from the local residents who do appreciate the importance of Knight Foundry to both the county's historic past and its "heritage tourism" future. When reopened, the foundry will not just produce cast iron but also revive and expand the tours, educational programs and famous three day hands on workshops developed by Historic Knight & Co. Ltd. and Friends of Knight Foundry from 1992 to 1996.

At the open house the Save Knight Foundry Task Force unveiled a complete preservation plan, including a formal business plan and market research report which shows that there is plenty of future business for Knight. One big advantage for the new revival effort is that American foundry business is coming on strong after years of being beaten down by foreign competition. Industry veteran Bob Wilson from Macauley Foundry (who will step into Knight management when it reopens) said "American customers just couldn't get the quality they needed from offshore foundries to the extent that we are now shipping domestically produced castings to the Far East. We have castings crated up for customers in Seoul, South Korea, right now."

Another encouraging finding of the market research is that there is great unmet demand for custom iron castings both for industry and for restoration work on old time main streets and homes, steam locomotives and historic ships. Other foundries turn away the "onesies and twosies" that Knight is set up to produce. Says Wilson, "It will take ongoing sales work, but there's custom business out there with 'Knight Foundry' written all over it. We also plan to develop high end brand name cast iron products like iron gates, garden furniture and fireplace sets for the home consumer, depending on the results of test marketing."

Bill Braun, fundraising team leader, said "We are looking for prominent citizens and businesses to step forward to pledge some significant sums of money. There are a lot of good reasons for saving the foundry and we won't regard anyone's pledges as collectible until we have pledged the entire amount we need to get started. That way nobody has to feel they are the first one to try the water. People may also consider making bequests in their wills so that we have the funds we'll need for long term needs. We want to guarantee that Knight Foundry will still be telling the story of California industry and Gold Country history 124 years from now, a story that started at Knight 124 years ago. This support is tax deductible and that's important with these kinds of sums. Donations will be recognized with commemorative plaques prominently displayed at the foundry. Future generations will have good reason to remember the generosity of the Amador County patrons who had the vision to hand down this endangered national treasure to their posterity."

Knight Foundry activist Lora Change shares some visions for Knight's future. "I see Eureka Street after a historic main street redevelopment project, paved in brick or cobblestones with utilities underground, replanted with the poplar trees that were there in Sam Knight's day, lit by historic street lights cast at Knight - we could call them Knight Lights! - nice benches for the weary tourist, handsome manhole covers and fire hydrants cast at the foundry and Knight at the end of Eureka showering sparks into the street. We can reproduce a Samuel Knight hydro electric system to power the street lights - no-one has cast a Knight Wheel in living memory, but the original wooden patterns and we think maybe the plans for his patented spinning ball regulators are there at the foundry. I see kids making sand molds and doing pattern projects and seeing their projects poured in molten iron. I see women like myself sharing in the skills we were always curious about but couldn't learn because they called it "men's work." I see people coming from all over the country to take away with them the knowledge that has been passed down to us by masters like Wendell Boitano, Ernie Malatesta and Carl Borgh. I see Russ Johnson sweating like Vulcan as he shovels coke into the blast furnace."

POURING IRON

The Video Documentary of Knight Foundry

by David Weitzman, Lora Change and Andy Fahrenwald

The Bridges of Niles Canyon

The Samuel Knight Chapter recently became aware of a threat to two historic railroad bridges in Niles Canyon, East of Fremont. The bridges at Dresser and Farwell carry the tracks of the Niles Canyon Railroad, owned by Alameda County, and operated by the Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA,) over both Hwy. 84, and Alameda Creek. Currently Caltrans is planning seismic improvements along Hwy. 84. Included in their plans are seismic upgrades to two of the line's three major bridges. We are especially concerned about the threat to the now 132 year old masonry abutments and piers that support these bridges.

Arguably the most impressive aspect of the Niles Canyon Railway is the major bridges along its route. The bridges at Dresser, and Farwell, along with the currently unused span at Sunol Creek between Sunol and Pleasenton are amazing examples of heavy railroad engineering.

While today's bridges are steel, carrying builders dates from 1896, 1898 and 1906, the railroad and the crossings are much older, dating to the earliest days of California's railroad history.

The lower portion of the Niles Canyon railway (West of Brightside) was built in 1865 by the Western Pacific Railroad (of 1862) while the Eastern Section, including the right of way east of Sunol which doesn't yet have track was built by Central Pacific crews in late 1869. The most important surviving artifact from the original construction is the cut stone work of the canyon bridges, retaining walls and culverts, which date to the original 1865 construction. We know a great deal about the original line, because, as part of the first transcontinental railroad, the Western Pacific received subsidies and land grants from the Federal Government under the Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 and 1864. The original bridges and stone work is clearly described in a series of Railroad Commissioner's reports filed with the Secretary of the Interior and signed by Presidents of the United States Andrew Johnson and U. S. Grant. In the "Report of the Commissioners on the 1st Section" filed December 10, 1866, covering the railroad from San Jose to Farwell, 11 bridges are described, including four significant "Howe Bridges" ranging in length from 332 to 488 feet, each with "stone abutments & piers." While not individually named in the report, the four bridges would have included Dressler and Farwell along with another crossing of Alameda Creek, near Niles, and the crossing of Coyote Creek in San Jose.

The Sacramento Union carried the following reports on the bridge construction in August 1865 "... they further report that the bridges and masonry on the first twenty miles are fast approaching completion; that the bridge over the Coyote river in Santa Clara will be fully completed in about three months from the present time..." (Sacramento Union Aug. 12, 1865) followed four days later by, "The extensive Howe's truss bridge across Coyote creek, about three miles from San Jose, will be completed by Wednesday next. This bridge is three hundred and sixty feet in length, and is a perfect model of a truss bridge--light, strong and elegant as a work of art... " (Sacramento Union Aug. 16, 1865) (note that the "three months" completion date in the first article had been moved forward, just a bit.)

Through newspaper reports and later drawings we can identify each of the Niles Canyon bridges. The Dressler crossing was 380' long, consisting of 2 spans of Howe Truss bridge with stone abutments & piers. (yes, the original wooden spans were each 190' long.) While the Farwell crossing was 488' in three spans.

The Sunol Creek crossing was specifically called out in the fourth and final inspection report, dated January 20, 1870, which described it as: "One bridge across the Arroyo de Laguna, 468 feet long, consisting of two spans of Howe truss of 150 ft. each, and two spans of 84 ft. each. This bridge also rests on substantial stone piers, two of which have pile foundations, and it is in every respect a first class structure."

With all we know about the bridges, there is much we don't know. As of this time we don't know of any photos of the bridges. In this era it was common to cover wooden bridges to extend their life. This could take the form of complete housing over the bridge or in some cases only the sides were enclosed. We don't know if the wooden Niles Canyon bridges were covered. While we can assume the bridges were rebuilt, (the 30 to 40 years these bridges served would have been the limit of their life expectancy) we have no records of the rebuilding. Apparently the original wooden Howe truss bridges survived until replaced by the current steel spans.

Today's steel bridges were built between 1896 and 1906, as part of a general system upgrade, related both to increases in locomotive weights and to the construction of the Dumbarton railroad bridge across the bay (opened in 1909). These steel bridges, two of which are now 100 years old, are historically significant in their own right.

The first of the "new" steel bridges, at Farwell, built by Edge Moor Bridge Works, of Edge Moor, Delaware in 1896 is a "pin connected Pratt truss." This design was once common on railroad lines across the West, they are now rarely found. The second bridge at Sunol Creek is a more common through plate girder design built by the Phoenix Bridge Co., but it also has some design features which mark it as a much older design.

Examination of the bridge shows the center beams are supported separately from the side plates at the abutments and piers by an additional masonry support atop the existing work. Again this was a typical design feature until about 1890, which is rarely found today. The major bridge in the canyon at Dresser is the most conventional of the group. Built in 1906 by the American Bridge Co., it is a typical riveted through truss bridge.

Surprisingly, the installation of the steel bridges did not wipe out all evidence of the originals. At the time of the bridges replacement, the original stone abutments and piers were retained and additional concrete piers were added. Additional repairs were made over the years including installation of the "subway" at Farwell for Hwy. 84 (the PLA holds copies of the Southern Pacific Drawings for the bridge replacements and masonry repairs.) This original stone work is probably the oldest example of railroad engineering surviving in the Western United States. The stone work at Dresser and Farwell predate the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the driving of the "Golden Spike" at Promontory Point by three years. Still visible in the north abutment of the Dresser Bridge is the arched passage for the Vallejo mill aqueduct, built by the brother of California's last Mexican Governor. Just west of this abutment is an example of dry masonry retaining wall, also probably dating to 1865. In addition, along the railroad line many of the original stone culverts including the "Estate Crossing" bridge west of Brightside (considered an "Open stone culvert" in the commissioners reports.)

As part of the original transcontinental railroad, the canyon bridges were used by all trains serving San Jose and Oakland, and via ferry connection, San Francisco, until 1879. After 1879 the line was used as a secondary mainline until abandoned by the Southern Pacific in 1984. Because the Niles Canyon route became a secondary mainline, the track and these bridges were not as heavily rebuilt as others, leaving more of the historic fabric intact.

In the PLA's new proposed collection policy is preservation of the railroad "civil engineering" which is defined as "Right of way, bridges, and right-of-way fragments or elements such as stone retaining walls and culverts and track materials." Under that collection policy, these bridges would be treated as artifacts much as the group's locomotive and cars are. Additionally, it is likely that these bridges would qualify for listing on the National Register based on their age, their high state of preservation, and their association with significant events and individuals in American history. This preserved railroad corridor, with its bridges with their elaborate stone work, can teach us much about the time in which they were built, provide a solid tangible tie with our past, and should be preserved.

A Walk Through the Canyon

In the near future, we will have a walk through Niles Canyon. This will be a sponsored jointly by PLA and the Society for Industrial Archeology. We will walk the seven miles down to Niles. Along the way we will inspect not only the bridges but also the culverts and retaining walls , and look for any surviving evidence of the 1865 railroad line. This will give us a chance to see a railroad from a different perspective, and allow us to stop an linger where ever we find interesting artifacts. From Niles we will return by special train. Watch the Newsletter for date and time .

Randy Hees, Samuel Knight Chapter Board Member

Donation, Sponsor and Legacy to Save Knight Foundry

Please fill out and send this questionnaire with your donation to the Samuel Knight Preservation Fund. If you cannot help with a donation, but have ideas or want to participate in any other way, please fill this in (and use more paper if you want to respond in more detail). For information contact Task Force Coordinator Andy Fahrenwald at 510 595-5835 or email at andylora@slip.net.

Send your donation and response form to Samuel Knight Chapter Secretary, Society for Industrial Archeology, 30 Pine Hills Court, Oakland, CA 94611. Donations are tax deductible. Make your check to the Samuel Knight Preservation Fund (administered by the City of Sutter Creek).

Pledge and legacy commitments should be registered with Task Force Fundraising Co-chairs Bill Braun, 209 245-5097, 5832 Old Sacramento Rd. Plymouth CA, 95669 or Tom Innes 925 829-0315 , 132 Camden Court, San Ramon, CA 94583.

Contact Info

Name:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Telephone: Home: Work:

Email: Fax:

What is your professional/occupational background?

Donation, Pledges, Legacies

Amount you are donating now to help us get started (Check enclosed):

Amount you will pledge over $500 to preserve Knight Foundry as an operating historic industry (pledges will be redeemed when $250,000 has been committed):

Amount of heritage legacy you will bequest to Knight Foundry:

Contacts

Individuals, companies, groups or organizations, foundations or government grants you think we should approach for funding. Please include detailed contact information:

Can you help us make the contact or provide an introduction?

Ideas for Fundraising

Why you are interested in Saving Knight Foundry and incentives you think we should offer to encourage giving or in which you would be interested in return for your donation:

Level of Interest in

Participating in the Save Knight Foundry Task Force

How can you help now with your time, skills and knowledge, contacts and ideas for fundraising? (We currently need legal, financial and tax related expertise, public relations, marketing and graphics production help, and welcome anything you may offer.):

Historic skills you practice and how you can help when we resume programs and production at Knight Foundry:

The Past

Programs at Knight Foundry you have participated in and your evaluation of them, suggestions on improvements, etc.:

The Future

New programs you think should be offered or former programs expanded:

Products or services Knight Foundry could or should develop:

Potential customers for Knight Foundry, industrial or historic preservation:

Strategic Plan

Would you like to receive a copy of the 72 page Strategic Plan to Preserve Knight Foundry? Please include $10.00 to cover printing and mailing costs.

IA Interests Questionnaire and Membership Survey

If you haven't yet taken the time to return this survey to us, please take a moment now. As we begin our second year of activity, we want to be sure to make the best use of our members' talent, energy and knowledge and provide appropriate programs. Please let us know your interests. Even if you don't have time to work on a particular tour, committee or task force, your ideas and contacts are very important to building our Chapter. If you're not a member yet, send this in with your dues. Our fees and our tours will continue to cost as close to zero as possible. When you're done, return this form (or a photocopy) to: Tony Meadow, 30 Pine Hills Court, Oakland, CA 94611.

Contact info

Name:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Telephone: Home: Work:

Email: Fax:

What is your professional/occupational background?

Tours, Field Trips & Preservation

Where would you like to go for field trips and tours?

Is there a particular tour you would like to help organize? (The Chapter Tour Committee is there to help with PR and logistical support.)

Do you have any contacts who can arrange for a trip/tour?

What IA sites do you think need identification, preservation, explication, restoration?

IA Articles

If you're interested in writing an article (or have one already written) for the newsletter, or know of someone else who is, tell us about it:

Topic:

Length (words or pages):

Describe illustrations (photos, maps):

Status: Concept, In process, Completed

Chapter Task Force Work

Are you interested in working on any of the task forces?

Membership and Fundraising

Newsletter (we need design help!)

Tours and Events

Knight Foundry

Chapter Website and Skills Preservation Archive

Skills Preservation

Are there particular historic industrial skills which you think are in need of preservation?

Do you practice any historic skills?

Interested in helping with the Historic Skill Preservation Digital Archive/Web Site task force?

Computer-related skills and resources:

Other organizations

If you know of any other organizations with which we should work, please let us know about them.

Organization:

Contact information:

Potential members

We are beginning a membership drive and have prepared a brochure for display at museums or other sites and as a mailer. Let us know if there's anyone else who might be interested in joining our Chapter or of any location which you think would display our brochure. Please send us name, address and telephone number. Thanks.

Notes Industrial Archæological

Green and Gold - California's Environments:

Memories and Visions

The first state wide conference on California environmental history will take place Thursday, July 30 through Sunday Aug 2nd at UC Santa Cruz, College Eight. The conference begins at 9am Thursday. The keynote speech will be 7:30 Friday by J.S. Halliday, author of The World Rushed In. Speakers include Ray Dasmann, author of The Destruction of California, Kat Anderson, author of Before the Wilderness: Environmental Management by Native Californians. Gray Brechin, author of Imperial San Francisco. Mike Davis, author of City of Quartz, and Ernest Callenbach, author of Ecotopia. Many speakers will address the gold rush and the history of California's industry. The conference is open to the public and free of charge. A number of field trips are included. e.g., Fall Creek Santa Cruz lime kilns and lumbering history. Accommodations and meals on campus are available by calling Ruth Langridge at 510 642-0326 or find info at this website: http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/department/espm/env-hist/ or email greengold@nature.berkeley.edu. Dave Schmidt, a participant in our Maritime Heritage Boat tour, recommends this conference to our membership.

Russia Iron

I am seeking information on Russia iron, a sheet metal used to jacket machinery such as steam locomotive boilers, and pumps in the 19th and early 20th century. It was actually produced in Russia under a traditional crafts system. Under controlled conditions (including heating in ovens, and pounding with trip hammers), the surface of sheet iron was oxidized forming layers of magnetite and hematite. The tight crystalline structure of the magnetite is believed to have been what gave the material its corrosion resistant qualities. The magnetite and hematite also contribute to the color of the polished surface. I have samples from several sources, and have had a fair amount of modern chemical and physical analysis done to determine structure. American manufacturers eventually succeeded in producing a similar material, although they used rolls instead of hammers, yielding a different surface appearance. I'm seeking ideas on how this material might be simulated by applying a layer of magnetite and hematite to the surface of some stable modern sheet metal such as, say, a stainless steel. I would also be interested in hearing from any group (such as grad students in a metallurgy department) that might be interested in trying to actually produce Russia iron and would have the resources and facilities to pursue such research. I can be found at Kyle Wyatt@aol.com

Illustration from O. S. Nock's Railways in the Years of Pre-eminence – 1905-19.
"...the boiler barrel was of planished blued steel."

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