(Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
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Andrew Hallidie was born on March 16, 1836, in London, England, the son of Andrew and Julia (Johnstone) Smith. By family consent he adopted the name of his godfather and kinsman, Sir Andrew Hallidie, a Scottish physician of note, which action was afterwards legalized by the California legislature.
Andrew was apprenticed to a machine shop and drawing office.
Andrew Hallidie left England for California in 1853, when he was seventeen years old. A fortune in gold was his ambition, but after two years of mining without any real success, Andrew Smith Hallidie undertook to earn a living as a surveyor and contractor. In the course of his first year he ran lines for water ditches and for roads to mines, and was engaged to build a flume across the Middle Fork of the American River. Before coming to the United States he had had some experience with wire-rope structures, in connection with the business of his father who was engaged in manufacturing wire rope in accordance with certain inventions he had made in 1835. Accordingly, for the American River Hallidie designed and built a wire suspension structure to carry an open flume three feet wide and two feet deep. The span was 220 feet and when completed was in every way successful. Hallidie was then but nineteen years of age. His reputation was established, however, and in the succeeding twelve years he designed and built at least fourteen wire suspension bridges and flumes in various sections of the Pacific Slope and in British Columbia.
Some time in 1857 Hallidie decided to manufacture wire rope. The following year he erected a factory in which was produced the first wire rope on the Pacific Coast. This enterprise subsequently developed into the California Wire Works, of which Hallidie was president at the time of his death.
In 1867 Hallidie invented a rigid suspension bridge, and in the same year perfected a method of transporting freight over canyons and rough surfaces by means of endless wire ropes, which became known as the “Hallidie ropeway. ” He also made several inventions for the transmission of power by means of rope.
The success of his ropeway for the transportation of freight suggested to Hallidie the application of the same principle to the pulling of the loaded streetcars up the steep hillsides of San Francisco streets, which work at the time was being performed by horses. By 1871 he had devised an underground endless moving cable and a mechanical gripping device to be attached to the under side of the streetcars. When the idea was presented to the public it was more or less ridiculed and generally considered visionary, but through the perseverance of Hallidie and a few friends, sufficient money was raised to install the system on one street. The installation was completed on August of 1873, and proved so completely successful that other installations were made, not only in San Francisco but in other cities as well, all of which brought fame and fortune to Hallidie.
Hallidie was a regent of the University of California from its founding in 1868, chairman of its finance committee from 1874 until his death, and acting president during the period between the election and the installation of President Wheeler. He was president of the Mechanics Institute of San Francisco; vice-president of the James Lick School of Mechanical Arts; and much interested in the organization of the Wilmerding School. Though he did not enter politics, he took an active part in municipal affairs, especially in reform movements. He was a founder of the San Francisco Public Library and a member of two boards of freeholders formed for the purpose of framing the charter for the government of San Francisco. He served, too, on the Executive Committee of the World’s Columbian Exposition, 1892-1893.
(Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)
Hallidie was a member of the Art Society.
Hallidie was married in November 1863 to Martha Elizabeth Woods of Sacramento, California.
