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Adolph Sutro, born in Germany in 1830, arrived in California in 1850, and was to have a profound impact on the state, as well as on Nevada and its mining industry, and on the city of San Francisco. Trained as a mining engineer, he moved to Nevada in 1860 to mine for silver, and soon hit upon a plan to drain the water from the mines of the Comstock through a long tunnel. The Sutro Tunnel faced many obstacles, both from lack of funding and opposition by rival miners, but its completion in 1878 led to his great fortune, and vast real estate holdings. At one time he owned one twelfth of the acreage of San Francisco. He build the Sutro Baths, owned the Cliff House, was a populist mayor of the city, and owned the finest private library in America, much of which was destroyed during the fire that followed the Great Earthquake of 1906. Sutro died in 1898.

The archive presents nearly fifty years of Sutro's life, from his early years in San Francisco, to the Nevada frontier in the 1860's and '70's, and his final days in San Francisco. Binder One includes: Manuscript promissory note, for $1,000 to be paid to Gottlob Mitchler, signed for Emil Sutro by Adolph Sutro as his “attorney in fact.” June 25, 1858. * Deed for transfer of land in San Francisco from Thomas O. Larkin to Adolph Sutro, filled out in ink but not signed. 1858. * Two manuscript abstracts of title for the of the transfer of ownership of the land in question, Lot No. 57, bounded by Clay, Washington and Dupont streets. Each 4 leaves, one with a map. * Letter in German to Adolph Sutro, 1864. * Invoice of M. Meyer & Co., Groceries, Provisions, Liquors, etc., for items bought by A. Sutro, dated Dayton, N.T., over crossed out “Chinatown,” Feb. 1, 1865. * Three Western Union telegraph message forms, written and signed by Sutro: April 1, 1871, to R.W. Raymond, of the Mining Journal querying “Will Newberry accept. Get his opinion on continuity of lodes”; April 2, 1871, to Professor J.D. Whitney, “Will you accept Commissionership on Sutro Tunnel and start the work shortly”; April 27, 1871, to John D. Bethel, in Dayton, Nevada, “Put on three shifts May first select good miners.” * Seven telegraph message forms, filled out in ink, for telegrams to Adolph Sutro, regarding finances, mining equipment, etc.; one reads “Col. Hayes and Fillmore, Hobart wriggle hoffman agitator for sunder scab. Yule.” 1865-1881. * Closing Argument of Adolph Sutro, on the Bill before Congress to Aid the Sutro Tunnel, Delivered before the Committee on Mines and Mining…, 96 pp, thin blue cloth pictorially stamped in gilt. 1872. * Another issue of preceding, in wrappers dated 1873. * The California Monopolists Against the Sutro Tunnel, 6-page pamphlet. * Issue of The Daily Independent of Virginia City, Nevada, 1874, containing “Lecture of Mines and Mining, Delivered by Adolph Sutro.” * 6 small printings on various bills, etc., regarding the Sutro Tunnel, including Letters from the Secretaries of the Treasury and the Interior, relative to the Sutro tunnel, 7 pp., 1868; Sutro Tunnel. Remonstrance…against any appropriation by Congress for the construction of the Sutro tunnel, by James G. Fair, Edmond Patten, and others, 3 pp.; The California Bank Ring Against the Sutro Tunnel, Opinion of Judge Black, 2 pp., 1874, etc. * Five freight bills to Adolph Sutro and the Sutro Tunnel Co., from the Virginia and Truckee Railroad Company. * Unused check of the Sutro Tunnel Company. * A.L.s. to Sutro from James Butler of the U.S. Surveyor-General’s Office, Virginia City, “Dear Sir, Your favor at hand will forward you a certified copy of Sutro Tunnel Grant on Monday…” March 16, 1878. * Memorandum of Ore Assays, partially printed from the Sutro Tunnel Company’s Assay Office, filled out in ink. 1879. * A.L.s. to Adolph Sutro from the Rev. J. Haupt in Virginia City, Nevada, congratulating him on “your marvelous success over those, who, spared neither money, nor their crafty designs to deceive you…” 3 pp. 1879. * Manuscript court record in the case of Sutro Tunnel Company vs. Overman Silver Mining Company, regarding the sinking of mining shafts, 4+ pages. 1886. * A.L.s. from Pelham W. Ames, secretary of the Sutro Tunnel Co., regarding sale of Seg. Belcher Mine, 1887. * Plus other items.

Binder Two includes: A half dozen business cards of Adolph Sutro. * Poll tax receipt for Sutro from Lyon County, Nevada Territory, $2, 1862. * Flyer touting Adolph Sutro for Mayor of San Francisco. * Approximately 14 checks signed by Adolph Sutro. * Executor's Report and Account. Jan. 19, 1899 to Feb. 1, 1900. In the Matter of the Estate of Adolph Sutro, Deceased. 108 leaves, carbon typescript on rectos only, wrappers. (Soiled.) * And other items.

Binder Three contains: Approximately 140 billheads for items sold to Adolph Sutro, most from San Francisco businesses, from the 1890’s.

Binder Four contains: Billheads for real estate taxes paid by Sutro in the 1890’s.