Isbell Construction Company

The Isbell Construction company was organized in the early 1900s in San Diego, California by John (J.W.) Isbell (all of the family members customarily used their initials in business dealings). The company began as a partnership between J.W. and his four sons: Clement (C.V.), Wilmer (W.J), Guy (G.V.), and Roy (R.S). The company moved to Reno in the late 1920s or early 1930s and was incorporated on March, 1931 in Carson City, Nevada. Founding officers were C.V. Isbell, president; W.J. Isbell, vice president; R.S. Isbell, secretary; and G.V. Isbell, treasurer.

C.V. Isbell was the key to the company’s success. He was credited by Edward L. Pine as being the father of modern-day open pit mining when he convinced Consolidated Coppermines to move dirt from their open pit mine with a truck and shovel rather than on rail cars. With trucks, roads could be built on steeper slopes than was possible with railroads, thereby allowing excavation of deeper pits. C.V. was self-educated. He was president and founder of the Associated General Contractors, a member of the Nevada Public Works Board, and instrumental in persuading the State of Nevada to acquire additional land for the University of Nevada at Reno.

Two important Nevada jobs in the 1930s at Clear Creek and in Verdi made Isbell Construction well-known in the industry and contributed to their status as one of the major construction companies in Nevada from the 1930s until the 1960s. They were also awarded contracts for mining operations, highway construction, and other earth moving projects in Arizona (where they had a regional office), New Mexico, California, Wyoming, and Canada. Each brother managed one aspect of the company: C.V. was the administrator and negotiated contracts; R.S. organized the jobs; W.J. was in charge of the mechanical equipment, assembling gravel and asphalt plants, and directing the general repair shops; and G.V. managed the financial affairs. J.V. withdrew from the Board of Directors on Dec. 31, 1949 because of ill health and moved back to San Diego.

The company was initially headquartered in Carson City, then moved their offices to Reno, on South Virginia Street (where Marie Calendar’s restaurant is located today). Their gravel pit eventually became the lake at the MGM Hotel (later Bally’s and the Reno Hilton).

The company was involved in other business endeavors at various times. They purchased 500 shares of capital stock in the Sanford Tractor and Equipment Company in 1939. The certificate was issued in the name of C.V. Isbell but it was assigned to the Isbell Construction Company. The stock was sold in 1945 for a profit.

The company may have also owned shares in the firm, Sierra Brokers, Inc. Sierra Brokers, Inc. was incorporated in Nevada on March 28, 1963; operations began in late May 1963. No other information is known about the owners or purpose of the business but a yearly audit report for Sierra Brokers is included in the audit reports series.

A wholly-owned subsidiary, Isbell Construction Company of Canada, Ltd. was incorporated on October 31, 1961. Isbell entered into an open-pit strip mining contract with Canadian Tungsten Mining Corporation, Ltd. on properties at Flatriver, Northwest Territories, Canada. Edward L. Pine, who was closely associated with other management aspects of Isbell Construction served as president of Isbell Construction Company of Canada. The name of the company was changed in 1963 to Isbell Mining Company of Canada, Ltd. In July of that year, the open pit mining contract with Canada Tungsten was unexpectedly terminated due to adverse conditions of the tungsten market.

The minutes of the Board of Directors indicate that as early as 1944 there was division among the family members, caused, according to Ed Pine, by jealousies and family intrigues. In 1950 the original stockholders voted to allow themselves to sell or transfer shares of stock to their children and other family members; those members often had different ideas for managing the company.

There were also problems in the late 1950s and 1960s with the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS claimed that Isbell owed $7.5 million in taxes because of incorrect accounting methods for depreciating heavy equipment. Eventually the liability was reduced but these problems plus inter-family animosities led to a point where, by 1961 the company could no longer obtain bonding. Ed Pine was elected president of the company in the mid-1960s to help reverse these problems but resigned in 1965. Within a year of his leaving the company was sold off to various individuals and other companies.

The above information was compiled largely from two sources:

Edward L. Pine. Highlights of My Life. University of Nevada, Reno Oral History Project Office, 1982.

Isbell Construction Company. Minutes of the Board of Directors. 1931-1962.

Scope And Content

The records of the Isbell Construction Company date from 1922-1966 and consist of 36 cubic feet of Boxes and 66 bound volumes. The bulk of these records date from the early 1950s to 1966. There are no restrictions on use of the collection.

Two series are the most revealing about the administration and overall operation of the company: minutes of the Board of Directors, and the financial records. Unlike the secretaries of most corporate boards, those for Isbell (brother R.S. Isbell and later, E.F. Duerr) were quite frank in detailing not only what, but why certain actions were taken. In addition, the Board to some degree practiced a micro-management style of administration because they were both directors and managers. Thus, meetings involved not only policy but action decisions which were faithfully recorded in the minutes.

Audit records of the company reveal not only its yearly financial status but also major directions taken by the company. Audit reports, always compiled by the same accounting firm, contain status reports of certain types of information and text which reiterates the company’s financial picture and new ventures undertaken. The financial series also contains general ledgers for almost every year from 1922-1966. They provide a clear picture of the company’s financial health.

The correspondence files proved to be somewhat of a disappointment, even though they are voluminous. Most of the folders contain rather routine messages regarding purchases or other transactions. There is some administrative correspondence between family members and other administrators which is filed at the end of the correspondence in the “date files” (Box 33).

The project files contain the original contract; change orders; forms documenting quantities of materials used, personnel time expended and the like; some correspondence, and miscellaneous documents pertaining to the contract. Occasionally a file contains daily memos from the job superintendent and some of those have interesting notations not necessarily related to the project. One, written in 1953 at Tem Piute, mentions viewing the mushroom clouds of atomic bomb testing in southern Nevada.

The Canada Tungsten series is tantalizingly brief but contains good documentation detailing how Isbell became interested in investing in this foreign operation. Additional information about this subsidiary can also be found in the minutes of the Board and in the audit files.

 

The records of the Isbell Construction company have been arranged into the following series:

Series 1                        Correspondence

Series 2                        Minutes of the Board of Directors

Series 3                        Financial Records

Subseries 3/1                 Audit Reports.

Subseries 3/2                 Special Trust Investments

Subseries 3/3                 Financial Ledgers and Balance Sheets

Series 4                        Miscellaneous

Series 5                        Project Files

Series 6                        Canada Tungsten Records

 

Series 1 94-44/1            Correspondence. 1939; 1951-1965.  4 cubic feet.

This series consists of correspondence to and from the Company, primarily from its last four years of operation. Correspondents include companies with whom Isbell did business; various state agencies of Nevada, Arizona, and California; and banks. The one exception to these files is one labeled, “Chattel Mortgage,” which contains copies of mortgages of the company. These files are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the company, state, or bank. Also included are a series of files labeled “date files,” which consist of copies of outgoing administrative correspondence, arranged chronologically. This series is contained in Boxes 30-34.

Box 30

“A” Miscellaneous.
Aero-Jet General Corporation.

Aerex Explosives.

Al. J. Goodman & Sons Company.

American Exploration Company.

American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc.

American Machinery Company.

American Smelting & Refining Company.

Anaconda Company.

Apache Powder Company.

Aqualfil Company.

Arizona Highway Department.

Arizona Mining Labor Agreement, 1962.

Arizona Personal Property Return (Tax).

Arizona, State of: Registration Fees.

Arkansas-Louisiana Gas Company.

Armco Drainage & Metal Products.

American General Contractors of America, Inc. (AGC): Arizona.

AGC: Northern and Central California Constructors’ Forum.

AGC: Northern and Central California.

AGC: San Diego Chapter.

AGC: Southern California Chapter.

AGC: Nevada:  Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Newsletters. 1939; 1962-1965.

Atlas COPCO, Inc.

Atomic Minerals News & Views.

B.F. Goodrich Company.

“B” Miscellaneous.

Bank: First National of Arizona.

Bank: Security National.

Bank: Valley National.

Bank of America, 1964, 1965.

Bank of Montreal.

Box 31

Battle Creek Dam.

Bechtel Corporation.

Bell Telephone Company of Nevada.

Blue Sphinx Mines, Inc.

Bonanza Air Lines.

Bretz Mining - Sam Arentz.

Brown, Ernest S., Attorney at law. 1951-1963; 1964-1965.

Bucyrus-Erie Company.

C.I.T. Corporation.

“C” Miscellaneous. 1962-1963; 1964-1965.

Calavaras Cement Company.

California.

California: Dept. of Public Works.

Canada: Dept. of National Revenue.

Canada Tungsten: Contract, Equipment, Inter-office [memos]. Carson City.

Carson-Truckee Water Conservation District.

Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Centex Corp.

Chattel Mortgages.

Cities Service Athabasca, Inc.

Colorado Fuel & Iron Corp.

Commercial Credit Corp.

Contract Samples.

Curtis-Wright Corporation.

“D” Miscellaneous.

Dun & Bradstreet.

Dupont & Company.

Duval Corp.

Duval Sulphur & Potash Co.

E.L. Farmer Construction Co., Inc.

E.W. Bullard Co. (Turtle Club) (Hard Hat).

“E” Miscellaneous.

Eagle-Picher Co.

El Paso Natural Gas Products.

Elko County, Nevada: Assessor.

Engineering and Mining Journal.

Eureka County, Nevada: Assessor.

Box 32

“F” Miscellaneous.

Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd. Westrab.

Fall River Exploration and Mining Co.

Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland.

Fire Fighting Equipment Rental Agreements.

“G” Miscellaneous.

Gardner-Denver Company.

General Motors.

Glover Associates, Inc.

Griner Industrial Supply.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Guy F. Atkinson Company.

“H” Miscellaneous.

Harnischfeger, P. & H.

Hawkins, Rhodes & Hawkins.

Hercules Equipment & Rubber Company.

Hercules Powder Company.

Hood & Strong.

“I” Miscellaneous.

Isbell, Guy & Lucille.

Iseman, W.E.

“J” Miscellaneous.

Jenkins, Holman.

“K” Miscellaneous.

Kennecott Copper Corp.

“L” Miscellaneous.

Labor.

Lakeshore Copper Company.

Las Vegas Concrete (Jim Parker & Arrow Concrete).

League of Women Voters of Nevada.

Les Redman Equipment Company.

Leggett vs Isbell vs City of Reno.

Lindsey, Inc.

“M” Miscellaneous.

Maricopa County, Arizona: Assessor.

Marshall & Stevens, Inc.

Marion Power Shovel Company.

Martin E. Segal Co., Inc. (2 folders).

Memos Directors and Inter-office.

Min-A-Con Equipment Company.

Mining.

Mining Association, B.C. Canada.

Minkler, Harvey E.

Mohave County, Arizona: Assessor.

Molybdenum Corporation of America.

“N” Miscellaneous.

Nevada: Miscellaneous.

Nevada, State of: Contractors’ Board.

Nevada, State of: Division of Water Resources.

Nevada, State of: Highway Dept.

Nevada, State of: Highway Permit Division.

Nevada, State of: Motor Vehicle Dept.

Nevada, state of: Personnel Division.

Nevada, State of: Release, agreement, and wage verification forms.

Nevada, State of: University of Nevada, Reno.

Nevada Citizens’ Committee.

Box 33

Nevada Motor Transport Association.

Newmont Exploration Ltd.

Newspaper clippings.

Nordberg Manufacturing Company.

Northwest Engineering Company.

“P” Miscellaneous.

Petersen, G.W. Phoenix Office.

Pima County, Arizona: Assessor.

Pritzker, A.N.

“R” Miscellaneous.

Regional Planning Commission, Reno, Sparks and Washoe County.

Reno, City of.

Republic Gypsum Company.

Road Machinery Company.

Robert L. Helms Construction Company.

Rogers Construction Company.

Royal Globe Insurance Company.

“S” Miscellaneous.

Safety.

Seegers, Paul.

Seneca Copper Company.

Sierra Brokers, Inc.

Southern Pacific Company.

Standard Oil Company of California.

Stearns-Roger Company.

“T” Miscellaneous.

Tariff information.

Thelen, Marrin, Johnson & Bridges.

Thiede, C.S.

Truckee River Channel.

“U” Miscellaneous.

U.S. Borax Company.

U.S. Census reports.

U.S. Government: Forest Service.

U.S. Government: Interior.

U.S. Lime Company.

“V” Miscellaneous.

Vitro Minerals Corporation.

“W” Miscellaneous.

Wells Fargo.

Western Road Machinery Company.

Western States Tire Company.

Widmer Realty.

William Lubrecht, III Construction Equipment.

Date files, 1962 - August, 1965 (chronological files of outgoing correspondence.)

 

Series 2 94-44/2     Minutes of Board of Directors. 1931-1962. 2 vols.

The minutes of the Board of Directors of the Isbell Construction company contain quite extensive records of the business conducted at the monthly meetings of the directors. Included in the minutes are lists of stockholders and board members and the number of shares held by each, resolutions, records of votes, lists of property and new equipment purchased, details of major financing of company operations, declarations of dividend payments, and discussions of other business matters. As the stockholders grew older, there were often discussions involving transfers or sales of stocks and possible lines of succession of the company’s ownership. During periods of financial difficulties, lengthy discussions about the financial health of the company were recorded. The last years of the company existence were marred by severe disagreements among the stockholders; these too were recorded by the Secretary of the Board.

The minutes consist of two volumes dating from March 27, 1931 to December 4, 1941; and from January 10, 1961 to November 1, 1962. At least two volumes appear to be missing which cover the period from 1942-1960 and from 1963-1965 when the corporation was dissolved.

 

Series 3 94-44/3            Financial Records.  1922-1966.            2.75 cubic feet and 63 volumes.

 

Subseries 3/1 94-44/3/1            Audit Reports. 1928-1965. 1 cubic foot.

Audits of the financial records of Isbell Construction Company were conducted annually by a firm of certified public accountants whose main office was in San Francisco, California. The audits were carried out at the end of Isbell’s fiscal year, which until 1953 was December 31st, and from 1954 on was March 31st.The format for these reports varies but generally they include total dollar values of cash on hand, notes receivable, accounts payable, property value (for both real estate and equipment), deferred income and expenses, and expenditures. Some reports include charts illustrating changes in financial condition, comparing totals for the year in question with those of the previous year. Later reports list construction jobs either underway or completed during the year under audit. Many reports include a narrative description of the company’s yearly profits or occurrences of note. Audits for Isbell Construction Company of Canada, Ltd., and Isbell Mining Company of Canada, Ltd. are filed with the regular audit reports for 1961-1963.

Audit reports are arranged chronologically; reports for the years 1929-1931 are missing. Reports for Sanford Tractor and Equipment Company, 1939-1944; and Sierra Brokers, Inc, 1964, are filed at the end of this subseries. Also included is an actuarial valuation for Isbell’s pension plan for the year 1965.

Box 34

3/1/1-10           Audit reports, Isbell Construction Company and Isbell Construction Company of Canada, Ltd. 1928­1964.

3/1/11             Audit report, Isbell Construction Company, and actuarial valuation of pension plan, 1965.

3/1/12-13         Audit reports, Sanford Tractor and Equipment Company. 1939-1944.

3/1/14               Audit report, Sierra Brokers, Inc. 1964.

 

Subseries 3/2 94-44/3/2  Special Trust Investments.  1958 ­- 1965. 3 folders.

The Board of Directors established a special trust fund in 1958 to serve as a life insurance fund for directors C.V. and W.J. Isbell. They were each insured for $50,000 each, and after the fund had grown to $100,000 it also provided funds for R.S. and G.V. Isbell. This subseries consists of statements of earnings from the trust investments and correspondence regarding the trust. Arranged in reverse chronological order with the oldest statements filed at the back of the last folder.

Box 34

3/2/1-3                                    Special trust investment statements. 1958-1965.

 

Subseries 3/3 94-44/3/3 Financial Ledgers and Balance Sheets. 1922-1966. 1.75 cubic feet and 63 volumes.

This series consists of records documenting the financial history of the company. Ledgers, journals, inventories, payrolls, and voucher registers are included. Most records are in the form of bound volumes but during the last few years of the company’s existence they took the form of individual ledger and balance sheets affixed into file folders.

This subseries is arranged chronologically with no regard to specific type of journal. Several volumes were given accession numbers before it was discovered that they were out of date order.

On the following list all volumes appear in correct date order, even though the volume numbers are not sequential.

The bound volumes were placed in order on open shelving; the Boxed materials for this subseries follow the volumes.

 

94-44/3/3/     VOLUMES

3/3/1            Inventory of equipment, values, and depreciation. 1922­1929.

3/3/2            Accounts receivable. 1922-1930. Also, accounts payable, 1924-1929.

3/3/3            Trial balance. Dec. 31, 1925 - Dec. 31, 1928. Also, general ledger. May 31 - Dec. 31, 1928.

3/3/4            Ledger/accounts payable. Jan. 1927 - Aug. 1928.

3/3/5            General ledger. June - Aug. 31, 1928.

3/3/6            Cash journal. Sept. 1928 - Sept. 1929.

3/3/7            Accounts payable. 1929 - June 1930.

3/3/8            Cash journal. Oct. 2, 1929 - June 18, 1931.

3/3/9             Accounts payable. Oct. 1928 - Sept. 1934.

3/3/10           General journal. 1929 - 1930.

3/3/18           Cash journal. Feb. 15, 1929 - 1936.

3/3/11           General journal. Jan. 1931 - Dec. 1934.

3/3/12           Cash journal. Oct. 22, 1932 - Dec. 1933.

3/3/13           Cash journal. 1934.

3/3/14           Cash journal. 1935 - Feb. 15, 1936.

3/3/15           Accounts payable. 1935 - Feb. 1936.

3/3/16           Weekly time book. Dec. 28, 1935 - Oct. 1936.

3/3/17           General journal. 1935 - Feb. 1936.

3/3/19           Equipment inventory ledger. 1936-1937; 1941.

3/3/20           General ledger. 1936 - 1937.

3/3/21           General ledger. 1938 - 1939.

3/3/22           General ledger. 1940 - 1941.

3/3/23           General ledger. 1942 - 1943.

3/3/24           General ledger. 1944 - 1945.

3/3/25           General ledger. 1946 - 1947.

3/3/26           General ledger. 1948.

3/3/27           General ledger and journal. 1949.

3/3/28           General ledger and journal. 1950.

3/3/29           General ledger and journal. 1951 - 1952.

3/3/30           General ledger and journal. 1951.

3/3/43           Voucher register. 1951 [out of order].

3/3/31           Voucher register. 1952.

3/3/32           Foreman’s daily reports. April - June 1952.

3/3/33           Misc. register and journal. 1953.

3/3/42           General ledger. 1953 [out of order].

3/3/34           General ledger and journal. 1953.

3/3/35           General ledger. April 1954 - Mar. 1955.

3/3/36           General ledger and journal. Jan. - Mar. 1954.

3/3/37           Voucher register. Mar. 1954 - Mar. 1955.

3/3/38           Various registers and journals. April 1954 - Mar. 1955.

3/3/39           Voucher register. 1955.

3/3/40           General ledger. April 1955 - Mar. 1956.

3/3/41           General ledger and register. April 1955 - Mar. 1956.

3/3/44           Reno misc. payroll. April 1955 - June 1956.

3/3/45           Job and equipment operation ledger. April 1955 - Mar. 1956.

3/3/46           Voucher register. April - June 1956.

3/3/47           General register. 1956.

3/3/48           General ledger. April 1956 - Mar. 1957.

3/3/49           General ledger. April 1957 - Mar. 1958.

3/3/50           General ledger. April 1957 - Mar. 1958.

3/3/51           Misc. ledger. April 1958 - Mar. 1959.

3/3/52           General ledger. April 1958 - Mar. 1959.

3/3/53           General ledger. April 1959 - Mar. 1960.

3/3/54           General ledger. April 1960 - Mar. 1961.

3/3/55           General ledger. April 1961 - Mar. 1962.

3/3/56           Administrative payroll journal, Jan. 15, 1955 - Mar. 16, 1957.

                     Reno office journal, Feb. 28, 1956 - Mar. 16, 1957.

3/3/57           Reno office payroll. 1957 - 1959.

3/3/58a&b­-

3/3/62            Administration and Reno office payroll journals. 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965-1966.

Box 35

Monthly ledger sheets, 1960-1962. Arranged in file folders by type of category and by month. Categories include: depreciation, pre­paid taxes, pre-paid insurance, special payroll, payroll vouchers, and closing and adjusting entries.

Box 36

Monthly balance sheets, 1958; 1960-1962. Filed chronologically.

 

Series 4 94-44/4  Miscellaneous files. 1925-1964. 4 folders.

This series contains material which could not be included in any of the other series but which of themselves, were too small to constitute their own series.

Box 36

4/1            List of equipment purchased or borrowed prior to 1964.

4/2            List of employees with last names beginning with the letter “D.” 1946-1956.

4/3            Correspondence and property tax notices for land owned by the Isbells in San Diego and Fresno, California, counties. 1925 - 1958.

4/4            Sample cancelled payroll checks for administrative personnel. Sept. 1, 1964.

 

Series 5  94-44/5  Project Files. 1953-1965. 29 cubic feet.

All contracts into which the Isbell Construction Company entered were given a contract or project number by the Company which did not correspond to the contract number assigned by the client. Project files included the original contract and any later modifications, some correspondence, work orders, change orders and other miscellaneous documents related to individual projects. It is unknown whether the company maintained a master log of project numbers and names; at any rate, this collection does not include an idex. Not all project files were located when the collection was processed; in fact, files for the earliest projects are missing altogether and there are gaps in the numbering of the files. Project titles were taken from the tabs on the original file folders. An attempt was made to clarify obscure project names but that was not always possible. Arranged numerically by project number.

Box 1

10B Force A\C State [Verdi]

10C Force A\C #2

14D Force A\C #3

17A Rattlesnake III Nevada [Between Placer County Line and 1.5 mi. south of

Rattlesnake Creek]

27A Water - Dept. of Highways

28A Force A\C Dept. of Highways

28C Force A\C Dept. of Highways

33A Hwy. 40, Verdi

83C Austin Airport

Box 2

84C Hubbard Airfield

85C Gabbs Valley

86C Chilcoot

87C Intermediate Landing Field near Scotty’s, NV

88C Consolidated Copper Mines Co. Kimberly, NV

Box 3

79A, 88C, 89C (one file) Asphalt shipment

89C Ely Pine County Airport

90C Beckworth Airport, CA

91C Cochise County Airport - Wilcox, AZ

92C Nixon, NV

93C Sparks

Box 4

94A Drilling Record

94C Kennecott Copper Corp. - Kimberly, NV

Box 5

95C Dept. of Highways Washoe County

96C Bridge Construction - Carson River at Brunswick Canyon

97C Wells Ave. Paving - Reno

98C Nevada State Highway Dept.

99C Dam near Verdi

100C Reno Army Air Base U.S.E.D.

101C Agreement Sierra Pacific Power Co.

102C Reno City Westfield Village Improvement Project

103C Lovelock, NV

104C Veterans’ Trailer Project - M&K Corp.

Box 6

105C United Air Lines

106C Franktown

107C Utah Construction Co.

108C Sierra Pacific Power Co., concrete wall, So. Verdi Rd.

109C State of California, Dept. of Public Works

Box 7

110C Austin, NV

111C McGill, NV gravel streets

112C United Airlines

113C Nevada Dept. of Highways 8th St. Sparks - Pyramid Rd.

114C Reno Street Paving Project

115C Southridge Estates Improvement Dist.

128C 1948 Reno St. (street) Sealing (Contract)

129C Prater Way, Sparks

130C Ely, NV \ Kimberly, NV

Box 8

131C Boone Springs

132C Reno - Sterling Village

133C Hash Ln. to Mt. Rose on So. Virginia

134C Reno Roadmix Project

135C Reno St. Paving

136C Tuscarora Job

138C Kennecott Rd. Santa Rita, New Mexico

Box 9

140C Reno Highway from Kietzke to 2nd St.

141C Huffaker to Hash Ln.

142C City of Reno Paving 1950

143C Reno Roadmix Surfacing 1950

144C Grass Lake to Galena Creek on Mt. Rose Rd.

145C Sparks 1950 Paving

146C Reno Resurfacing streets business dist.

149C Highway Dept. Resurfacing Reno Streets

Box 10

150C Foothill Rd. between Scossa Ranch and Genoa

151C State Highway south of Denio

153C Grading and Paving of Wells

155C Carlin School Dist.

157C Wedge Pit - Kennecott

158C Humboldt Co.

160C Douglas County Oiling

161C 1951 Street and Alley Improvement Program Reno, NV

Box 11

162C Bureau of Public Roads - Glenbrook

163C City of Ely Streets 1951

164C Jiggs - Humboldt River Elko Co.

165C Reno High School

166C California, Foster, and Booth Sts., Reno

167C West First St. Reno

168C Booth St. Reno

Box 12

170C Sparks and Vista Highways

171C Park Repairs for Ely City streets

173C 1952 Street and Alley Improvement Program - Reno

177C Showlow Creek Dam

178C New Ruth Townsite

180C Leviathan Sulfur Mine Access

Box 13

181C Mormon Mesa

182C Verdi to State line

Box 14

184C Arizona Highway Dept. Kingman - Ashfork

185C Stead Air Base - Sealing Runway

186C City of Reno 1953 Paving Program

187C Stead Air Base Access Road

188C Stead Air Base. Resurface streets.

189C Slide Mountain

193C Kingman Ashfork Highway

195C McNary - Edgar Highway

196C Arizona 1954 monthly billings

199C Reno Street and Alley Improvement 1954

Box 15

200C Reno 1954 Resurfacing

201C Arizona Bureau of Public Roads Clifton - Alpine

202C Reno - Sewer lines

203C Globe Showlow

205C Oracle Juction - Globe Highway

206C Salt River Canyon Passing Bays

207C Vine St. west 1955

210C Washoe County, NV Pyramid Rd.

Box 16

211C Doyle/Lassen/Plumas

212C Carson City

216C Reno 1955 Street Alley Improvement Program

217C Herlong, CA

218C Phoenix - Prescott Highway

219C Arizona Highway Dept.

Box 17

221C Washoe County, NV South of Reno to Steamboat Springs

222C Maricopa County, AZ - County Road

223C S.E. Sewage Project, Reno

224C Bell Telephone Company of Nevada

225C Maricopa County, Mockingbird Ln.

227C Peach Springs, AZ

228C Reno Street work - 1956

229C Arizona Highway Dept. Holbrook - Lupton Highway

230C Washoe County Home and Gardens - Delucchi Ln.

231C Washoe Hill

Box 18

232C Sparks Paving

233C Bell of Nevada - Micro-wave Station

234A Newmont Rd.

234C Benson-Steins Pass Highway, Texas Canyon, AZ. (Apparently, number was duplicated)

235C Arizona Highway Dept. Wilcox-Chiricahua National Monument Highway

236C Clear Creek

237C Bureau of Public Roads, AZ - Salt River Valley

238C Town of Gilbert

239C Arizona Highway Dept. Dreamy Draw and Shea Blvd.

243C Duval Corp. Tailings - Dan and Access Road, Tucson

244C Duval Corp. Sahuarita, AZ

Box 19

244C continued

245C Nevada Highway Dept. Carson City, NV

246C Vista Highway 40 east of Sparks

Box 20

   247C Kennecott Copper Corp. Ray, AZ

   248C 1957 Reno Street and Alley Improvement Program

   249C Arizona Highway Dept. Phoenix - Payson Highway

   251C Bell Telephone Co.

   254C Globe-Showlow Highway. AZ

   255C Kaiser Engineers - Lovelock, NV

   256C Boca - Floriston Job, CA

   257C North Central Groves Improvement District, AZ

   258C Auburn - Grass Valley California Highway Dept.

Box 21

   260C Sun Valley

   261C Cordes Jct. Flagstaff, Arizona Highway Dept.

   264C Washoe County, NV US 40

   265C Kietzke Ln. at 2nd St.

   266C Cordes Jct. Flagstaff, Arizona Highway Dept.

   267C V & T Storm Drain, Reno.

   269C Holbrook - Lupton Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

Box 22

270C Beckworth - Calpine Rd. Plumas County, CA

273C Pyramid Lake Rd. Nevada Highway Dept.

274C Globe - Showlow Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

275C Truckee River Channel Improvement U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers

276C Airport Sanitary Sewer, Reno

Box 23

278C Frenchman Dam

279C Nevada Highway Dept. Holcomb Ln. and 15th St.

280C Nevada Highway Dept. US Rt. 40 between Vine St. and Stanford Way

281C Phoenix - Globe Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

282C Peavine Dam Flood Control

283C Walker Lake Rd. Nevada Highway Dept.

284C Hobart Mills, CA

286C Clear Creek Paving, Nevada Highway Dept.

288C Arizona Country Club

290C Petrified Forest National Monument

Box 24

291C Globe - Showlow Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

292C Holbrook - Lupton Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

293C Rust Engineering (Snowflake)

294C Reno Municipal Airport

295C Hwy. 395 north of Reno

296C Phoenix Interstate Freeway, Arizona Highway Dept.

Box 25

   297C Martin Construction Co. Globe Showlow Hwy.

   298C Reno 1960 Sanitary Sewer Improvement

   299C Sierra Pacific Power Co., Moana Ln.

   300C Spooner Summit, Nevada Highway Dept.

   301C Stearns - Roger MFG Co. Moab, UT

   302C City of Reno. Resurfacing streets.

   303C Ashfork Flagstaff Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

   304C Ashfork Flagstaff Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

   305C Sierra Pacific Power Co. Power Plant

   306C Embasco, Farmington, New Mexico

   307C Bear Creek Rd., Alpine Meadow of Tahoe

   308C Nevada Highway Dept., Wadsworth

   309C Milwhite Mud Sales Co., Battle Mountain

   310C Arizona Highway Dept. (Wickenburg - Kingman Hwy.)

   311C Offsite Parking, Nevada State Hospital

   312C Sierra Pacific Power Co., Plumas St. Pipe

   313C Stone and Webster Engineering Corp.

   314C Stead Air Force Base

Box 26

    315C Ashfork - Flagstaff Hwy. Arizona Highway Dept.

    316C Access Road, Frenchman Dam, Forest Service Road Relocation

    317C Reno 1962 Street and Alley Program

    318C Reno Sewer Project

    319C Verdi

    323C San Diego

    328C Mineral Park

    332C Plumb Ln., Reno

    334C Reno, City Program 1963

    336C Campo - Tonopah, State of Nevada

Box 27

    344C Sewer Plant, Reno-Sparks

    347A Chilcoot - Teichert (originally numbered by Isbell as 347C but that was a duplicate number)

    347C Vista, NV

    348C Elburts Tunnel - Elko, NV. Sierra Pacific Power Co.

    350C Newmont Mine, Carlin

    354C Newmont Millsite - Betchel Corp.

    356C Reno Streets Program 1964

    360C Thisbe

Box 28

    361C Municipal Airport Sewer

    364C Reno, U.S. 395 and Kietzke Ln.

    365C Tailings Dam - Carlin - Betchel

    366C Silver Springs, NV

    367C Municipal Airport French Drain

    368C Terminal Way, Reno

    370C Tonopah Test Range

    371C East Carson General Improvement

    372C Carson City Oliver subdivision

    373C South Virginia St. Reno

    374C Gardnerville Rancho Improvement District

Box 29

The following folders had no project numbers and could not be positively identified as belonging to any of the above files.

-City of Reno. Change orders. 1964.

-Oasis Mobile Estates. 1965.

-State Highway, Calif.-Nev. State Line to Churchill-Pershing County Line (Hwy 40?). 1954.

-State Highway between 1.5 miles west of Reno and Vine Street in Reno. 1955.

-Sacramento Airport. 1964.

-Skyline Blvd, Reno Properties Corporation. 1962.

-Incline Beach Subdivision. 1961.

-Carson Meadows Unit #1. n.d.

-Ruby Valley. 1963.

-Las Vegas - Mercury. 1963.

-Mesquite - Littlefield Highway, AZ. 1961.

-Southern Pacific Railroad ballast (Salt Lake, UT). 1962.

-Sierra Pacific Power Company Industrial Park. 1966.

-Fallon, south 9 miles on Highway 95. 1963.

-Magnolia Road Extensions, Improvement, and Realignment. 1958.

-Tern Piute daily progress reports. March-April, 1953. (Contains mention of seeing cloud from atomic test blast.)

 

Series 6 94-44/6  Canada Tungsten Records.  1960-1964.  .25 cubic feet and 1 volume.

This series consists of only a few documents which were received or generated in the Isbell headquarters office in Reno. It is presumed that even these do not constitute a complete collection of the Canadan Tungsten records. Included is correspondence regarding initiating and terminating Isbell’s participation in this venture, a closing inventory of materials, miscellaneous quotations for purchase of equipment, and a general ledger.

General information about Canada Tungsten may also be found in the minutes of the Board of Directors (Series 2) and in Audit Reports for the Isbell Construction Company. There are also separate audit reports for Canada Tungsten filed with the subseries 3/1 “Audit Reports.”

Box 36

6/1-3       Correspondence. 1960-1965.

6/4-5        Correspondence. 1963-1965.

6/6            Inventory. n.d.

6/7            Miscellaneous quotations for equipment purchase. 1961­-1962.

6/8            General ledger. April 1962 - Mar. 1963. Placed on shelf with other bound materials.

Manuscripts | Special Collections

Please direct questions to Jacquelyn Sundstrand
Updated July 4, 2008