An introduction to the Paul Seiler Electrical Works Catalogue of 1900
states that: "Paul Seiler, of this firm, has been in the electrical
business on this coast since 1867."
The earliest reference I've found to
Paul Seiler working in the electrical business is with the firm of William
Lundberg as a telegraph instrument maker for the years 1871 and 1872. From 1873
to 1877 he is listed as a foreman with the Electrical Construction and
Maintenance Company of San Francisco. During parts of 1876 and 1877 Seiler was
involved with Joseph Herz in the California Electric Power Company,
manufacturers of telegraph instruments. This company, along with EC&M Co.
and Pacific Electro-Depositing Works, was bought and reorganized as the
California Electrical Works in June 1877. Seiler was appointed mechanician to
the California Electrical Works on June 22, 1877, at $200.00 per month. He
worked his way up to manager and superintendent and sold five of his patents to
the company during his employment.
Most of us are familiar with the CD 734
McMicking insulator and Mr. McMicking's contributions to the telegraph and
telephone industries in British Columbia. (See "The McMicking
Insulator" by John Werstuik, pages 10-11 in the August '77 issue of Crown
Jewels.) While Paul Seiler was with the California Electrical Works the
following was read into the Record Book at a Board of Directors meeting on March
10, 1880: "A communication from Manager Seiler relative to the appointment
of R. B. McMicking as agent of the Company at British Columbia was read and on
motion of Mr. Tevis seconded by Mr. Wilson Mr. McMicking was duly appointed as
such agent on such commission as may be hereafter established."
I haven't
heard of any California Electrical Works insulators or apparatus turning up in
British Columbia, but it is a possibility, especially since Mr. McMicking
represented the Company there. Perhaps some of the Canadian collectors will do
some research and eventually find something interesting from this California
company.
The Paul Seiler Electrical Works is first found listed in an
1889 San Francisco Directory, but Seiler may have been in business earlier than
this. Until a business license or other documentation can be located, I will
accept a May 1889 date for the establishment of the Paul Seiler Electrical
Works. It was only Oct. 31st of the previous year that Seiler was discharged
from the California Electrical Works. The second and third reasons for his
discharge may cover the fact that he was working a second job or was already in
business competition with the California Electrical Works. According to the
account from the Record Book of a meeting of the Board of Directors on Oct. 16,
1888, we learn:
..."The amount of 1200.87 being credited by Supt. Seiler
without authority.
___On motion of Mr. Spring seconded by Mr. Greenwood it was
unanimously Resolved that Paul Seiler be discharged from the service of this
Company for the following reasons:
___First. For giving credit to persons in
violation of express orders of the Board of Directors.
___Second. For acts
detrimental to the interests of this Company.
___Third. For his violation of
his contract with this Company.
___And that such discharge take effect on and after
October 31st 1888, and that the Secretary be instructed to inform Mr. Seiler of
the action of the Board.______"
The May 1889 San Francisco Directory lists
Paul Seiler and James H. Beggs as proprietors of the Paul Seiler Electrical
Works at 406 Market Street. From 1889 until the earthquake and fire of 1906
destroyed the business, Seiler's location is listed variously at 406, 408 and
406 & 408 Market Street. The Works were relocated to 845 Octavia Street just
outside the western limits of the fire's progress. In 1908 the business was
moved to its final location at 322 Market Street, where it remained until at
least 1916. I have not been able to find photographs of these locations as yet.
Maybe some of you collectors in California can look into this area of research.
(from 1906 San Francisco Directory)
Seiler's son, Adolph Paul, worked with his
father in the business for some years before his untimely death. A. P. Seiler
has been seen on Company advertisements and as a signature on a 1900 bill of
sale. Paul Seiler died Nov. 7, 1914, but his Works remained in business until at
least 1916 while his survivors contested his will and estate.
During his
lifetime Paul Seiler filed for as many as sixteen patents. The earliest I've
found is his telegraph insulator filed for in 1876, and the latest I've found is
for an aerial machine filed for in 1910. Some of his patents include: telegraph
signal boxes, electric annunciators, a telephone, a locomotive, a building
foundation, and a synchronizing device for picture machines and phonographs. To
my knowledge, two physical results of his patents have been found to date: his
telegraph insulators and an electro-magnetic alarm bell. (See Crown Jewels, May
1978, pages 31-33, for photos of the latter.)
There is much electrical apparatus
identified as being supplied by the Paul Seiler Electrical Works to be seen in
museums and private collections. I have seen a total of five telephones in three
different styles (See Crown Jewels, July 177, page 11, and February 1978, pages
9-11, for photos.), a Hercules battery jar (See Crown Jewels, October 1976, page
3, for photo.), a sounder, a box sounding relay, two district telegraph registers
of the tape reel type, and an electromagnetic alarm bell already mentioned. I
heard one lucky collector received at Christmas a complete "Domestic"
electro-medical device which was supplied by the Paul Seiler Electrical Works.
There is a 1900 catalogue in a San Francisco library and two bills of sale in
private collections. For collectors of Paul Seiler Electrical Works apparatus
there are probably many more exciting items to be found in the future.
I want to
thank Mr. Norman Hawker of the Telephone Pioneers of America, George S. Ladd
Chapter 27 in San Francisco, for his help and use of the museum-archives, where
the California Electrical Works Record Book is located and which book I've
quoted from in this article. Also many thanks to Elaine Gilleran and and staff
for the photograph of Paul Seiler from Men of California in the collection of
Wells Fargo Bank History Room, San Francisco, California. The patents are from
the patent Gazettes.
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