Schussler, Hermann
1911

San Francisco Twin Peaks Tunnel maps and proposal

SOLD

Plan for Rapid-Transit System which, while closely connecting the Mission with Golden Gate Park, - at the same time connects both, jointly with the easterly part of Richmond and the Westerly part of the Western Addition,- with Ocean Avenue, Sloat Boulevard, and Great Highway.

DESCRIPTION: SOLD

This lot is a report: "The Twin Peaks Tunnel Problem", produced by Civil Engineer Hermann Schussler on June 1, 1911, one of five competing proposals for the San Francisco Twin Peaks Tunnel that were considered by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1912. Schussler's report consists of a two-page text summary of his tunnel plan along with three lithographed maps, all disbound but in excellent condition, along with the original report cover. Rare on the market.

The Twin Peaks Tunnel is a 2.27-mile-long light rail/streetcar tunnel in San Francisco, California built over a three-year period beginning in 1914. The tunnel was constructed in order to support the growth of San Francisco by developing roughly 5,000 acres in the southwest part of the county that were then lightly inhabited.

The three fine lithographed maps in Schussler's report are:
1. Rapid Transit Tunnel System. (Birdseye topographic map of San Francisco with Schussler's proposed route). 20' contour intervals. 16" x 13".
2. Plan for Rapid-Transit System which, while closely connecting the Mission with Golden Gate Park, - at the same time connects both, jointly with the easterly part of Richmond and the Westerly part of the Western Addition,- with Ocean Avenue, Sloat Boulevard, and Great Highway. 39" x 26".
3. Continuation of #2. Details of Construction of open cuts, tunnels, and of transfer station under crossing of 17th and Shrader streets, etc. 27" x 24".

Hermann Schussler
(1842 - 1919)

Hermann Schussler was a pioneering civil engineer whose remarkable accomplishments transformed water systems in California (1). Born in Rastebe, Germany, he received his education at the Prussian Military Academy of Oldenburg, followed by two years of civil engineering studies in Zurich and Karlsruhe.

In 1864, Schussler emmigrated to California to pursue his passion for engineering. Hired by the Spring Valley Water Works of San Francisco, he quickly proved his prowess in water projects. From constructing dams to solving complex water system challenges.One of Schussler's most significant achievements was the design and construction of the San Andreas Dam in 1868. Through a groundbreaking 3,400-foot tunnel, he ingeniously transported water from the San Andreas Valley to San Francisco using gravity, eliminating the need for a pumping station.

Schussler's keen eye for landscapes and meticulous understanding of damming sites allowed him to secure property around the San Andreas Valley for future projects. He further extended water supply by acquiring the Alameda Creek area.

In 1871, Schussler journeyed to Nevada, where he skillfully engineered water delivery systems for the Virginia and Gold Hill Water Companies. Upon his return to the Spring Valley Water Works in 1875, his crowning engineering feat was the construction of the Crystal Springs Dam on San Mateo Creek, which impressively withstood the 1906 Earthquake despite its location on the San Andreas Fault.

(1) A water-systems engineer and architect of dams. The San Mateo Daily Journal. June 8, 2009. Online.

CREATOR: Schussler, Hermann

PUBLICATION DATE: 1911

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States

BODY OF WATER: N/A

CONDITION: Excellent! Scarce use. Clean. Folds sharp. 9.5 / 10. No holes or stains. One tear neatly repaired from verso archivally. Lithographed on thin crisp paper.

COLORING: N/A

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SIZE: " x "

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