Guide to the Town of Albion Records 1896-1969

Creator:	Albion, Washington
Title:	Town of Albion Records
Dates:	1896-1969 ( inclusive )
Quantity:	23 containers. (17.5 linear feet of shelf space.) (92,600 items.)
Collection Number:	Cage 46
Summary:	Public and administrative records of the municipal government of a small, farming-area community, including minutes, ordinances, resolutions, budgets, election records, routine government records, retired revenue bonds, receipts, claims, records of the municipal water system, and correspondence, primarily with C.C. Hockley, E.R. Hoffman, and the auditors from the Division of Municipal Corporations. Some materials are duplicate copies of official records.
Repository:	Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections New Holland Library Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/masc.htm
Languages:	Collection materials are in English
Sponsor:	Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical Note

Inhabitants of the Whitman County community of Albion first organized a local government when they incorporated as a "town", or fourth-class city in 1910. Prior to that time the settlement, known as Guy prior to 1901, had been under the jurisdiction of Whitman County, whose principal local agency had been a justice-of-the-peace court.

From about 1890 to the end of the first world war the town was a relatively prosperous agricultural/commercial community having several merchants, a bank and a collegiate academy. The town was incorporated against this background of prosperity and began a period of municipal activity, building sidewalks and installing a gas streetlighting system. During this period of vigorous public activity, the Town Clerk's office operated in an active, but careless, fashion and eventually corrupt activities were uncovered. Readjusting after the scandal, the town government retrenched nearly simultaneously with the decline in commercial prosperity. In the following years, municipal government became a routine and restricted affair. Not until the late 1930's did the character of town government begin to change. Offered several thousand dollars by the Federal Emergency Administration for Public Works, the voters of the town agreed to match funds and authorized the first sale of revenue bonds in the town's history. The proceeds from the grant and the securities sale constructed a public water distribution system, a facility which was to be the principal focus of municipal activity for many years following.

In the 1950's the population decline reversed and Albion again became a growing community, as a satellite community of Pullman, Washington. Becoming an almost purely residential area, now characterized by many new "suburban" houses mingled with mobile home courts, the town's government changed to meet an ever-increasing demand for public facilities. The town again sold bonds during the 1950's and 1960's to expand the water system. In the late 1960's, sewers and a water treatment plant were added. Revived interest in municipal government also appeared to be a new feature of Albion.

Content Description

The Records of the Town of Albion deposited at the Washington State University Library are comprised of the public records required by statute and the administrative records necessary for the operation of the town government. Several relocations of the records between 1910 and 1973 have brought about losses and destruction, and the present group is perhaps 50% of the original records. Among the extant papers are legislative records, such as council minutes, ordinances and resolutions; election records, such as registers of voters, poll books and ballots; routine government records, such as insurance policies, public notices and annual reports; financial records, including retired revenue bonds, receipts for town income and claims for payment; and town utility records, concerning the water department and street lighting. Correspondence relating to all facets of the town's activities can also be found among these records.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :

This collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation :

[Item Description]. Cage 46, Town of Albion Records. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

Arrangement of the records follows the organization of the town government. Series 1 contains the records of the actions of the Council and Mayor. Series 2 consists of the records of the Town Clerk, an appointed official who serves as Secretary to the Council, Town Auditor and general supervisor of Town Activities. Series 3 is records of the Town Treasurer, an elected official with rather rigidly circumscribed powers. This series also contains the claims for payment submitted for Council action. These are not properly a product of the Treasurer's office, but this practice has been employed as it permitted the discarding of cancelled warrants and other Treasurer's records which duplicate the information in the claims. Series 4 contains the records of the public utilities, the water department and street lighting. Series 5 includes records relating to all the above series, but segregated because the records are contained in large ledgers. Series 5 also contains the only records of the justice and police courts.

Acquisition Information :

The records of the Town of Albion, a fourth-class municipal corporation located in Whitman County, Washington, were transferred to the Washington State University Library by the town officials in April, 1973.

Processing Note :

This arrangement was constructed by the WSU library; the original arrangement of the records was much less formal, as smallness of Albion town government and the general familiarity with public affairs did not require an organized records procedure.

Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Series 1: Council and Mayor

Container(s)		Description
Box/Folder
1 / 1		Minutes of Council Meetings , 1949-1959 100 items.
1 / 2		Ordinances , 1913-1963 50 items.
Box/Folder
1 / 2		#1 Rules and order of Business of Town Council, 1913
1 / 2		#2 Election and appointment of city officials, 1913
1 / 2		#3 Assessment and collection of taxes , 1913
1 / 2		#4 Street and road taxes , 1913
1 / 2		#5 Dog Tax , 1913
1 / 2		#6 Licenses, 1913
1 / 2		#7 Health and sanitary regulations , 1913
1 / 2		#8 Street, alleys and watercourses; pavement , 1913
1 / 2		#9 Regulating livestock in town, 1913
1 / 2		#10 Crimes, misdemeanors and penalties, 1913
1 / 2		#11 Regulating material to be used in sidewalks , 1913
1 / 2		#12 Ordinance adopting first 11 ordinances , 1913
1 / 2		#13 Regulating staking of livestock in town , 1913
1 / 2		#14 Pool Halls and billiard rooms , 1913
1 / 2		#17 Selling city property and condemning sidewalks, 1913
1 / 2		#19 Telephone franchise, 1913
1 / 2		#20 Telephone franchise, 1913
1 / 2		#25 Licensing dance halls, 1916
1 / 2		#37 Abolishing office of Poundmaster, 1916
1 / 2		#38 Duties of police, 1917
1 / 2		#42 Regulating running at large of domestic fowl , undated
1 / 2		#47 Sale of water revenue bonds , 1938
1 / 2		#48 Establishing municipal water works, 1938
1 / 2		#49 Repealing #47 re: water system, 1938
1 / 2		#50 Fire Hydrant Fund, 1938
1 / 2		#51 Amending #48 re: water system, 1938
1 / 2		#52 Rules for water system users, 1946
1 / 2		#52 Prohibiting fireworks, 1950
1 / 2		#55 Water meter deposit, undated
1 / 2		#57 Use of water system and meter deposit, undated
1 / 2		#62 Water use rules, 1959
1 / 2		#63 Bonds for water storage tank , 1959
1 / 2		#64 Purchase of land for reservoir , undated
1 / 3		Resolutions, 1919-1958 25 items.
Box/Folder
1 / 3		Vacating street , 1919
1 / 3		Telephone franchise assignment, 1929
1 / 3		Creating Street Fund , 1938
1 / 3		Water system election, 1938
1 / 3		Revising contract with W. L. Geist , 1938
1 / 3		Bids on water system construction, 1938
1 / 3		Resolutions and related documents required by PWA for funding of water system, 1938
1 / 3		Purchase of land, 1946
1 / 3		Liquor sale election , 1954
1 / 3		Street maintenance tax levy, 1958
1 / 4a		Correspondence re: council activities, 1937-1954 22 items.
1 / 4b		Petitions, 1912-1920 9 items.
2 / 5		Budgets, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1923, 1927-1930, 1932, 1934-1943, 1945, 1949-1952, 1956-1959, 1965 55 items.
2 / 6		Revenue bond issue., 1938 16 items.
2 / 7		Revenue bond issue., 1953 16 items.
2 / 8		Revenue bond issue., 1959 16 items.
2 / 9		Coupons from revenue bond issue., 1963 20 items.
2 / 10		Certificates, receipts, and notices re: revenue bonds., 1938-1963 11 items.
2 / 11		Contracts and related documents with Richard Taylor, Civil Engineer, Washington Water Power Company, Spray Brothers Drilling, United Brethren in Christ, R. A. Hanson Company. Plans, specifications, and contract documents for water system construction, constituting agreements with PWA and W. L. Geist. Plans and specifications for water reservoir., 1938-1958 25 items.

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Series 2: Town Clerk

Container(s)		Description
Box/Folder
3 / 12		Ballots, for water bond election of 1938, Democratic Party primary, 1918, and general elections in 1919, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1927, [1935], 1940, 1950, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1964., 1918-1919, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1927, [1935], 1938, 1940, 1950, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1964 500 items.
3 / 13		Correspondence, notices of elections, election regulations, absentee ballots and regulations and material for holding elections., 1917-1960 270 items.
3 / 14		Certificates of election, resignations from office, oaths of office, loyalty oaths., 1910-1960 60 items.
4 / 15		Registry of voters, arranged alphabetically, Askins through Zerba., 1934-1951 200 items.
4 / 16		Lists of voters., 1916-1950 50 items.
4 / 17		Cancelled, transferred, absent voter and renewed registrations., 1916-1958 150 items.
5 / 18a		Poll books for primary and general elections held in 1910(2), 1911(2), 1912(9), 1913(2), 1914(8), 1916(7), 1918(2)3 1919(2),1920(2), 1922(2), 1924, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1944(2), 1946(2), 1950, 1964., 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1918, 1919,1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1950, 1964 61 items.
5 / l8b		Party platforms., 1910-1914 3 items.
6 / 19		Surety bonds given by city officials and contractors, arranged alphabetically, Bidle through Wright., 1910-1960 50 items.
6 / 20		Fire and liability insurance policies., 1938-1956 33 items.
6 / 21		Correspondence and memoranda re: bonds and insurance., 1917-1958 40 items.
6 / 22		Deeds to town cemetery., 1918-1945 5 items.
6 / 23		Certificates, notices, advertisements for bids, permits, proclamations, re: water use, public property, water rights, etc., 1928-1961 50 items.
6 / 24		Survey reports, responses and related correspondence with State Department of Health, Division of Municipal Corporations, State Department of Highways, Association of Washington Cities, Washington State University, United States Senate, and Washington Water Power Co. concerning municipal activities and public services., 1935-1960 70 items.
6 / 25		United States Census Bureau, correspondence and reports., 1945-1960 50 items.
6 / 26		Water test reports., 1939-1958 13 items.
6 / 27		Subscription list for donations to water system construction., 1938 7 items.
		Correspondence concerning water system funding and construction, chiefly with Federal Emergency Administration For Public Works and Contractors.
Box/Folder
7 / 28		1935-1938 300 items.
7 / 29		1939 250 items.
		Miscellaneous city correspondence with suppliers, State Department of Highways, civil defense officials, etc.
Box/Folder
8 / 30		1910-1943 250 items.
8 / 31		1944-1969 150 items.
		Annual Reports to Division of Municipal Corporations
Box/Folder
9 / 32		1913-1916, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922-1923, 1925-1929 13 items.
9 / 33		1930-1931, 1933, 1935-1938, 1940-1945, 1947 14 items.
10 / 34		Special financial reports to Division of Municipal Corporations., 1953-56 4 items.
10 / 35		State Auditors' Examinations, including documents relative to 1918 investigation of misconduct of office by Town Clerk O.G. Lawler., 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947. 30 items.
		Miscellaneous financial records kept by Town Clerk
Box/Folder
10 / 36		1910-1914 2
10 / 36		Receipts., 1914 30 items.
10 / 36		Payrolls., 1937-1941 3 items.
11 / 37a		1916-1917 2 items.
11 / 37b		1916-1917 200 items.

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Series 3: Town Treasurer

Container(s)		Description
		Claims for payment presented to Town Council
Box/Folder
12 / 38		1912 3 items.
12 / 38		1912 3 items.
12 / 38		1913 29 items.
12 / 38		1914 5 items.
12 / 38		1915 5 items.
12 / 38		1916 11 items.
12 / 38		1917 108 items.
12 / 38		1918 42 items.
12 / 38		1919 65 items.
12 / 38		1920 83 items.
12 / 39		1921 90 items.
12 / 39		1922 45 items.
12 / 39		1923 1 item.
12 / 39		1924 1 item.
12 / 39		1925 11 items.
12 / 40		1926 81 items.
12 / 40		1927 53 items.
12 / 40		1928 47 items.
12 / 40		1929 52 items.
12 / 41		1930 30 items.
12 / 41		1931 26 items.
12 / 41		1932 28 items.
12 / 41		1933 42 items.
12 / 41		1934 40 items.
12 / 41		1935 58 items.
12 / 41		1936 52 items.
12 / 41		1937 76 items.
13 / 42		1938 72 items.
13 / 42		1939 111 items.
13 / 43		1940 74 items.
13 / 43		1941 73 items.
13 / 43		1942 69 items.
13 / 43		1943 65 items.
13 / 44		1944 69 items.
13 / 44		1945 56 items.
13 / 44		1946 108 items.
13 / 44		1947 96 items.
13 / 45		1948 136 items.
13 / 45		1949 105 items.
13 / 45		1950 88 items.
13 / 46		1951 91 items.
13 / 46		1952 86 items.
13 / 46		1953 72 items.
13 / 46		1956 1 item.
13 / 46		1963 97 items.
13 / 46		1964 9 items.
		Receipts
Box/Folder
14 / 47		1910 20 items.
14 / 47		1911 11 items.
14 / 47		1912 5 items.
14 / 47		1913 2 items.
14 / 47		1914 51 items.
14 / 47		1915 58 items.
14 / 47		1916 40 items.
14 / 47		1917 66 items.
14 / 47		1918 5 items.
14 / 47		1920 5 items.
14 / 47		1921 9 items.
14 / 47		1922 1 item.
14 / 47		1923 1 item.
14 / 47		1924 17 items.
14 / 47		1925 14 items.
14 / 47		1926 24 items.
14 / 47		1927 15 items.
14 / 47		1928 11 items.
14 / 47		1929 12 items.
14 / 47		1930 2 items.
14 / 47		1931 17 items.
14 / 47		1932 50 items.
14 / 47		1933 21 items.
14 / 47		1934 42 items.
14 / 47		1935 44 items.
14 / 47		1936 46 items.
14 / 47		1937 29 items.
14 / 47		1938 60 items.
14 / 47		1939 210 items.
14 / 47		1940 115 items.
14 / 47		1941 47 items.
14 / 47		1942 25 items.
14 / 48		1943 33 items.
14 / 48		1944 55 items.
14 / 48		1945 48 items.
14 / 48		1946 42 items.
14 / 48		1947 51 items.
14 / 48		1948 39 items.
14 / 48		1949 43 items.
14 / 48		1950 49 items.
14 / 48		1951 44 items.
14 / 48		1952 38 items.
14 / 48		1953 26 items.
14 / 48		1954 1 item.
14 / 48		1956 57 items.
14 / 48		1957 42 items.
14 / 48		1963 67 items.
		Receipt stub books (many, but not all, being triplicates of items in folders 47-48)
Box/Folder
14 / 49		1913, 1921, 1927, 1939 5 items.
15 / 50		1943-47; 1962-63 11 items.
Box/Folder
15 / 51		1936-1963 140 items.
		Miscellaneous local funds
Box/Folder
16 / 52		1920, 1964-65 3 items.
16 / 52		1963. 2 items.
16 / 52		undated 1 item.
		Millage tax statement of County Treasurer (funds transferred to Town)
Box/Folder
16 / 53		1914 10 items.
16 / 53		1915 12 items.
16 / 53		1916 12 items.
16 / 53		1917 8 items.
16 / 53		1918 6 items.
16 / 53		1919 11 items.
16 / 53		1920 12 items.
16 / 53		1923 8 items.
16 / 53		1924 6 items.
16 / 53		1936 10 items.
16 / 53		1937 12 items.
16 / 53		1938 12 items.
16 / 53		1939 12 items.
16 / 53		1940 9 items.
16 / 53		1941 11 items.
16 / 53		1942 12 items.
16 / 53		1943 11 items.
16 / 53		1944 12 items.
16 / 53		1945 12 items.
16 / 53		1946 11 items.
16 / 53		1947 12 items.
16 / 53		1948 12 items.
16 / 53		1949 12 items.
16 / 53		1950 10 items.
16 / 53		1951 9 items.
16 / 53		1952 11 items.
16 / 53		1953 6 items.
16 / 53		1955 1 item.
16 / 53		1956 10 items.
16 / 53		1957 7 items.
16 / 53		1962 1 item.
16 / 53		1963 11 items.
16/ 54		1918-1967 90 items.
		Quarterly and monthly reports of Town Treasurer
Box/Folder
17 / 55		1916 1 item.
17 / 55		1917 8 items.
17 / 55		1919 2 items.
17 / 55		1920 4 items.
17 / 55		1921 8 items.
17 / 55		1922 4 items.
17 / 55		1923 1 item.
17 / 55		1924 1 item.
17 / 55		1925 4 items.
17 / 55		1926 3 items.
17 / 55		1927 4 items.
17 / 55		1928 2 items.
17 / 55		1929 2 items.
17 / 55		1936 3 items.
17 / 55		1937 5 items.
17 / 55		1938 8 items.
17 / 55		1939 12 items.
17 / 56		1940 11 items.
17 / 56		1941 12 items.
17 / 56		1942 11 items.
17 / 56		1943 6 items.
17 / 57		1944 12 items.
17 / 57		1945 12 items.
17 / 57		1946 12 items.
17 / 57		1947 12 items.
17 / 58		1948 12 items.
17 / 58		1949 12 items.
17 / 58		1950 12 items.
17 / 58		1951 12 items.
17 / 58		1952 12 items.
17 / 59		1953 8 items.
17 / 59		1956 12 items.
17 / 59		1957 9 items.
17 / 59		1963 11 items.

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Series 4: Utilities (Water and Light)

Container(s)		Description
Box/Folder
18 / 60-63		undated 15 items.
19-22 / 64-67		1936-1963 58 (700 items.)
		1938-1960 15 items.
Box/Folder
22 / 68a		Consumer bills
22 / 68b		Meter Deposit receipts
22 / 68c		List of past due accounts
23 / 69		1916-1917 1 item.
23 / 70		1921-1963 450 items.

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Series 5: Oversize

Container(s)		Description
Folio
1		1805-1909 1 volume.
2		1912-1913 1 volume.
3		1912-1964 1 volume.
4		1938-1945 2 volumes.
5		1948-1959 100
6-16		1913-1932 11 volumes.
17-18		1914-1916 2 volumes.
19		1947-1948 1 volume.
20		1917, 1946-1956, 1963- 1964 100
21-23		1910-1959 2 volumes. 60
24-28		1939-1956, 1960-1964 5 volumes.
		Maps, drawings and photographs:
Folio
29a		1955 5 items.
29b		undated 5 items.
29c		1938 1 item.
29d		1962 11 items.

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Subjects

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.

Personal Names :
Hockley, C. C.
Hoffman, E. R.

Corporate Names :
Albion (Wash.) --Archives ( creator)
Washington (State). Division of Municipal Corporations

Geographical Names :
Washington (State)--Albion

Subject Terms :
Albion (Wash.) --Politics and government
Municipal government--Washington (State)--Albion--Records and correspondence

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Guide to the Town of Albion Records
1896-1969

Overview of the Collection

Historical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Subjects

Finding aid prepared by Lawrence R. Stark
© 1973

Guide to the Town of Albion Records 1896-1969

Overview of the Collection

Historical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Subjects

Finding aid prepared by Lawrence R. Stark© 1973

Guide to the Town of Albion Records
1896-1969

Finding aid prepared by Lawrence R. Stark
© 1973