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Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records - Aurora Laboratory Records

 Record Group
Identifier: CB&Q-A-7

  • Staff Only

Scope and Content of the Collection

Reports are from Engineers William O. Webber, Phillip Wallis, F.W. Sargen, C.H. Quereau, J.A. Carney M.H. Wickhorst, and others; as well as from Chemists E.A. McCulloch, Walter Lee Brown, and George H. Ellis. Reports were made to Purchasing Agents C.M. Higginson from 1876-1879; Wm. Irving, 1879-; George B. Harris, 1882; G.W. Rhoades, Superintendent, 1885-1886, and various others. Reports include quality of oil, and its efficacy on the brake surfaces, testing of kerosene and other chemicals, testing of axles, bridge rods, brakes, boiler braces and plates, coal, copper, hoses, iron, nuts, rope, rail, rivets, springs, sewer pipes, wire, etc. Many report books have indexes to their contents in the front of the volume. Index to all reports is in Book 1.

Also included are minutes from the Aurora Foreman's Association meetings from 1898-1904, Payroll and expense information, Etchings (rubbings) of rail cross sections and axles, and diagrams made by fitting paper to a steam-pressure cylinder to gauge its variations of pressure or vacuum.

Forms part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records.

This finding aid describes additions to the original deposit of records inventoried in the Guide to the Burlington Archives in the Newberry Library, 1851-1901 (Chicago: Newberry Library, 1949). Certain materials have been deaccessioned and donated to the Burlington Route Historical Society; see curator for details.

Dates

  • Creation: 1876-1906

Creator

Language

Materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 1 box at a time (Priority III).

Ownership and Literary Rights

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections at reference@newberry.org.

History of The Aurora Laboratory Records

The Aurora Testing Labs served as an adjunct of the CB&Q's Purchasing Office and was active from 1876 into at least the 1940s. Engineers and scientists were employed to test a variety of materials and substances for their suitability for use in manufacturing rails, train car parts, and various structures. Bulk of collection is 65 volumes of reports in letterpress copy books from two main departments: Chemical (Oil and other chemicals), and Physical (Iron, Steel, and other materials). The Departments combined in 1891.

Extent

8.6 Linear Feet (20.5 boxes)

Abstract

Reports and minutes of the engineers and scientists working at the CB&Q’s testing laboratories in Aurora, Illinois. Includes results from their testing a variety of materials and substances for their suitability for use in manufacturing rails, train car parts, and various structures. Forms part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records.

Organization

Organized by type of material: Reports, then Miscellaneous. Reports are arranged in the order they were numbered on the outside. For photographs, see CB&Q A-5-4: Aurora Laboratory Photographs, 1898-1905.

Collection Stack Location

4a 40 2

Provenance

Deposit of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Company, 1943, with subsequent additions, 1948-onward. Ownership transferred to Newberry Library by Burlington Northern Company, 1975.

Processed by

Martha Briggs, Alison Hinderliter, Lisa Janssen, Kelly Kress, Emma Martin, Andrew Olofsson, and Pamela Olson, 2014.

Title
Inventory of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company Records - Aurora Laboratory Records, 1876-1906
Status
Completed
Author
Alison Hinderliter and Kelly Kress
Date
©2014.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512