Temporary record

George Clinton Gardner served as assistant to William H. Emory in surveying the California-Mexico boundary from 1848-1853. He spent the following year working for his father, Charles K. Gardner, a former journalist and army officer who was then surveyor general of the Oregon Territory. From 1855-1865, Clinton Gardner acted as assistant astronomer and surveyor for both the Northwest and Southwest Boundary Commissions.

In 1869, Garnder was placed in charge of dredging operations at Erie Harbor, working for the Philadelphia and Erie Rail Road. His job involved an early experimental use of nitroglycerine (manufactured by George M. Mowbry) for submarine blasting. Ten years later, Gardner was general manager for the Mexican National Construction Co., and in 1895 he was involved in topographical engineering in Peru.

Scope and contents:

The Clinton Gardner Papers includes two letters and some accounts of Charles K. Gardner along with Clinton Gardner's correspondence concerning real estate dealings in Buffalo, NY. Three of Clinton Gardner's letterbooks are also included:

1. 1869 February 9-1870 February 25 (33 pp.; re: dredging at Erie, with reports of drilling, equipment and crew and experiments with nitroglycerine);
2. 1881 Sept. 8-1882 July 3 (212 pp.; re: business and family, contracting, trade, road construction, travel and mapping in Mexico);
3. 1895 July 5-November 9 (84 pp.; re: engineering and travel in Peru). There are 10 letters of recommendations for Clinton Gardner written by prominent military and engineering experts.

M-1898

Dredging--Pennsylvania--Erie
Engineers--United States
Mexico--Surveys
Nitroglycerine
Peru--Description and travel
Peru--Surveys
Real property--New York--Buffalo
Road construction--Mexico
Surveying--Mexico
Surveying--Peru
Surveyors--United States

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