• [excerpts] Born -- December 8, 1878 in Virginia City, Nevada. Mother said it was a cold day with lots of snow on the ground. Left Virginia City for San Francisco in 1879, this seemingly marked the initial step in the decline of that center of mining activity.481, p 1
Entered University of California in the College of Mechanics, graduating, in May 1899 with the degree of B. S. Completed the course with an average “2” or the equivalent of the present “B” grades.481, p 2
At college was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, Theta Nu Epsilon and Skull & Keys; weighing 99 lbs. in my freshman year was chosen as coxswain of the Crew, they were then rowing in 4 oar barges, the only competition being with the South End Rowing Club and in inter class races. In my senior year was elected Manager of the Base Ball Team, was instrumental in hiring Joe Corbett, former pitcher of the Baltimore Orioles as our coach and for the first time winning the annual series with Stanford. At the final Stanford Game played at Recreation Park in San Francisco, the California boys stole from the Stanford Rooters a large Broad Axe which had been put on display before their crowd to emphasize the yell “Give em The Axe.” This axe has since become the annual Big Game Trophy.481, p 2
May 14, 1902, I was married to Edna Josephine Donaldson, who later became the mother of Eleanor Carlisle.481, p 3
May 1912 - Employed by C. E. Grunsky, acting City Engineer of San Francisco, as Asst. engineer, working under general direction of John R. Freeman, in connection with preparation of his report on the Hetch Hetchy and other sources of supply for San Francisco. Prepared report on the Feather River and assisted on reports on the Mokelumne and Yuba Rivers.
September 1913 – Appointed Asst. Engineer under M. M. O’Shaughnessy, to take charge of construction of the Municipal Railway Extensions under a $3,500,000 Bond issue. These extensions were designed primarily to serve the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition in the Marina District. This work involved the construction of some 35 miles of single track with overhead and involving design and purchase of 125 cars. A detailed program and schedule was prepared covering all contracts, this was scrupulously adhered to and the railway extensions were completed and service inaugurated in time. In the early years of operation, the railway was a huge financial success and further extensions were constructed out of surplus earnings.
The work on construction of the Hetch Hetchy Project in the meantime had got underway, a number of camps had been opened on the Mountain Division, tunnel driving had gotten started in several headings. The 68 mile H. H. Railroad had been virtually completed when a suit was instituted by the railroad contractor against the City for extra work. C. R. Rankin, construction engineer on the project, who had been in charge of all the field work, was called to San Francisco to prepare the case for the City. I was thereupon, in 1919, appointed Construction Engineer to take charge of the work to relieve Rankin, while he was on the suit. With my family, I took up headquarters in Groveland, and Rankin and his family took over the house which we had been renting in San Francisco. (In December 1913, shortly after entering the City’s employ I married Grace Knowlton, who on April 18, 1916, became the mother of William Nelson, and on Feb. 26, 1918, of Elizabeth Hilton, with Eleanor, this was the family that moved into Groveland, presumably for a stay of two or three months.) In this capacity, I supervised the completion of the R.R., continued the tunnel driving work, opening up several new audits, involving completion of two shafts, supervised inauguration of contract work on the construction of the O’Shaughnessy Dam, by the Utah Construction Co. About this time the City had difficulty selling the bonds for the continuation of the work. To overcome this, they conceived the idea of completing the tunnel driving in the Mountain Division, under a cost plus a fixed fee type of contract, under which the contractor undertook to arrange for the purchase of the necessary bonds. A. J. Cleary, Chief Asst. City Engineer went over with the newly formed contracting firm, the Construction Company of North America, C. C. Tinkler, president.
In 1921, following resignation of Cleary, was appointed Chief Asst. City Engineer, in charge of design and construction of all public utility work of the City Engineer’s office, including the Hetch Hetchy Project. In this capacity [I] carried on the Hetch Hetchy operations, involving the Mocassin Power plant and transmission line, the 35 mile Coast Range tunnels, the San Joaquin and Bay Crossing pipe lines, the Pulgas tunnel and also in San Francisco, the Duboce tunnel for the street railway system. During this period participated in the negotiations with the P.G.&E. for the handling of the output of the Mocassin power and with the Mayor and City Attorney in Washington seeking approval of the Agreement by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. On the H.H. work, L. T. McAfee took over as construction engineer on the tunnels, C. R. Rankin took over on the Dam, Paul Ost took over on the Street Railways and the Mocassin Power Plant.
March 1930 – Appointed General Manager and Chief Engineer of the newly created San Francisco Water Department at a salary of $15,000 per year.481, pp 4-5,489

• At 1921 Thanksgiving dinner, 3014 Clay Street, San Francisco.33

• Signed guest book at wedding of Joy Folger Matteson and Eleanor Carlisle Eckart.475, p 3

• His son, Nelson A. Eckart, who afterward became chief engineer of the S. F. Water System, gained some of his early engineering experience on the Electra project. (pps 164-170)416,417, p 168

• Nelson Andrew was a hydraulic engineer, I believe, who ran the water department for San Francisco during the building of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. He must have been in some very large battles.400, p 2

• Eckart Not Scared by Job of Running Spring Valley
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O’Shaughnessy’s Aid is Well Experienced in Engineer’s Field
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Big jobs are no novelty to Nelson A. Eckart, first assistant to City Engineer M. M. O’Shaughnessy. So he looks forward with no trepidation to assuming operative control of the Spring Valley Water Company when it is taken over by the city in March. Practically assured of the job by Mayor Rolph, Thursday, and heartily recommended by O’Shaughnessy, Eckart yesterday was hand-shook and congratulated all over the City Hall. To every congratulation he made the same response:
“It will be a big job, and no one knows that better than I do. I have no plans yet. All I know is that I will do the work as well as I know how.”
FITTED FOR JOB
Eckart is just over 50 years old, but in action and energy and quick-wittedness is one of the youngest men in the City Engineer’s department. He is married and the father of three children—Eleanor, 19; William, 13, and Elizabeth, 11, and it is common report around the Eckart home at 243 Thirtieth avenue that he is their idol.
Eckart admits he is a victim of three hobbies—tennis, golf and the movies. His tennis, he tells friends confidentially, is better than his golf, but his golf isn’t so bad.
VIRGINIA CITY NATIVE
Born in Virginia City in 1879, Eckart was brought to San Francisco when he was a year old and has lived here since. He attended Lowell High School and was graduated from the University of California in 1899 as a mechanical and electrical engineer. After serving an apprenticeship with the Union Iron Works he was commissioned by the old Standard Electric Company to construct the Electra power plant on the Mokelumne River, east of Jackson.
Followed then a year with the Westinghouse Company at East Pittsburg, after which he returned to California to become engineer of the State Prison Board and later of the State Department of Engineering. In this position he took part in the reconstruction of San Quentin and Folsom prisons.
RETURNED TO S. F.
After a period as resident executive engineer for the Snow Water and Power Company, and resident engineer for the Oro Development Company at Belden, in the Feather River canyon, he returned to San Francisco to assist John R. Freeman on water reports for San Francisco. In the City Engineer’s department in 1913 he was assigned charge of construction work of municipal street car lines, and in 1919 was appointed construction engineer in the field on the Hetch Hetchy project.
In 1921 he was appointed chief assistant to City Engineer O’Shaughnessy and has been associated with him in all construction work carried out by the department.490

• [excerpts] A half century of farsighted leadership by a succession of mayors and engineers finally paid off on March 3, 1930, when San Francisco purchased the Spring Valley Water Company for $39,962,606.51, creating the San Francisco Water Department under the Board of Public Works. Nelson A. Eckart, Hetch Hetchy Chief Assistant Engineer under City Engineer O’Shaughnessy, was named the first general manager and chief engineer of the newly acquired water works. This takeover of the 70-year-old private utility took place four years before Hetch Hetchy water was to reach the Pulgas Temple in San Mateo County and when the Spring Valley system had the capability of supplying 65 million gallons of water per day, under normal rainfall conditions.491, p 14

• Good afternoon!
I am a fellow ancestry.com member and found you on the website as a relative of Mr. Eckart. In case you missed it, I wanted to bring to your attention an article in this morning's San Francisco Chronicle that concerns him. The newspaper has a weekly feature that highlights news stories from 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago, and this morning's feature reads as you see below.
It seems that Mr. Eckart took a strong stand for justice!
Take good care,
Scott McKinzie
Oakland

March 6, 1942
The hotly debated and inflammable case of the Negro motorman, Audley Cole, 21, of 2141 Bush Street, broke into the open yesterday as Nelson A. Eckart, acting manager of utilities, called for a showdown with Municipal Railway carmen. In a dramatic move to remove the stigma of race prejudice from the city's civil service system, Eckart ordered grumbling motormen to train Cole in the operation of a streetcar or face dismissal. Eckart's order came simultaneously with the disclosure that several months ago, Utilities Manager Cahill ordered a two-day suspension penalty imposed on motormen refusing to train Cole. Under authority of their union local, Division 518, AFL Carmen's Union, 10 motormen defied Cahill's order and were suspended for two days each. The men were reimbursed for their loss of wages by the union. The order, which came yesterday from Eckart, instructed William Scott, manager of the railway, to suspend for four days any motorman who refuses to instruct Cole in the operation of a streetcar. The motorman who refuses a second time will be suspended for eight days. Threats to strike rather than to train the young Negro have been reported in the ranks of the union, which several months ago voted to fine any member instructing Cole $100.492

• Passenger on the Andrea Doria from Gibraltar to New York, 15 Oct – 24 Oct 1955.483

• In Memoriam
Nelson A. Eckart
Resolution No. 44-58
WHEREAS, The hearts of all San Franciscans have been immeasurably saddened by the death of Nelson A. Eckart, retired Manager of the San Francisco Water Department, and
WHEREAS, The passing of Nelson A. Eckart brings to a close a most distinguished career of accomplishments, and takes from the community a citizen whose character and competence were of marked superiority, a man whose 36 years of service as a public official far transcended the bounds of duty, and a kind, considerate and gracious gentleman whose creed was a simple one, finding expression wholly in good works; and
WHEREAS, The deep sorrow felt by legions from all walks of life, who were privileged to know, admire, respect and love Nelson A. Eckart during his lifetime, is tempered by the remembrance of his productive career as an engineer and water expert which may well serve as an inspiration to those who follow him, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco, noting with profound regret and a keen sense of civic and personal loss the passing of Nelson A. Eckart, adjourns its meeting this day out of respect to his memory, and that a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution be tendered to Mrs. Grace Knowlton Eckart, his bereaved widow, as an expression of this Board’s sincere sympathy and heartfelt condolence.
The foregoing Resolution was introduced by Supervisor Henry R. Ralph and adopted by unanimous vote of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco at its regular meeting on Monday, January 20, 1958.493

• 1900 Census: Clinton Village, Amador, California. Age 21, b Dec 1878, NV. Listed as Partner. Single. Electrical engineer. Father b OH; mother b KY.494
• 1910 Census: San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Age 31, b NV. Widower. Civil engineer. Enumerated with his parents.424
• 1920 Census: Groveland, Tuolumne, California. Age 41, b NV. Civil Engineer. Father b OH; mother b US.495
• 1930 Census: San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Age 51, b NV. Civil engineer, City. Father b OH; mother b CT.496

• Cannot find in 1880 Census.