Series 3896
Governor (1909-1917 : Spry) Letter books
Dates: 1909-1913.
2.50 cubic feet
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Scope and Content
The letterbooks consist of copies of letters, most of which were sent from the Governor or from the Governor's office. Included are replies to citizens, private institutions, and businesses; communications within state government; with officials from other states; with officials from the federal government; and with officials from foreign governments.
Governor Spry, as the chief executive officer of the state, dealt with a wide variety of administrative and political issues. The series gives an insight into the Governor's role in the accomplishment of several goals: to construct a state capitol building, to erect a new arsenal and armory, to build and maintain roads, to develop conservation measures, to protect natural resources, to find a larger market and establish higher standards for agricultural products, to expand water resources for irrigation and power, to drill wells in dry farming areas, to increase mining resources, to upgrade banking practices; to institute more equitabletaxation, to improve the accuracy of property assessment; to provide better working conditions for children, and to promote industrial safety.
Documented is the Governor's support for participation in several events and celebrations, the more prominent include the following: the presentation of a silver service during the ceremonies for the launching of the Battleship Utah, the participation of the High School Cadets at the World's Fair, the creation of exhibits for the United States Land and Irrigation Expositions, and the entertainment of Civil War veterans at the encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Spry offered rewards for the arrest and conviction of criminals, directed communication to the legislature about various bills, issued proclamations about a variety of topics, participated in relief programs for victims of disasters, and notified applicants for state positions of their acceptance.
The Governor frequently became involved in helping people with personalproblems. He wrote letters of recommendation for persons seeking employment, recommended releases for prisoners who he felt deserved their freedom, and arranged visits for patients in the mental hospital.
Access Restrictions
This series is designated as Public.
Reproduction and Use
These records are available for reproduction and use.
Finding Aids
Indexes: The Letterbooks contain alphabetical indexes, usually by name and occasionally by subject; they list the page numbers where specific letters are located.
Related Records
Correspondence from the Governor (1909-1917 : Spry), Series 226, contains letters responded to in this series.
Employment correspondence from the Governor (1909-1917 : Spry), Series 2937, contains job application requests responded to by letters in this series.
Indexing Terms
Utah. Governor (1909-1916 : Spry)--Administration.
Industrial safety--Laws and legislation--Utah.
Natural resources--Utah.
Irrigation--Utah.
Water rights--Utah.
Banking law--Utah.
Taxation--Utah.
Exhibitions--Utah.
Congresses and conventions--Attendance.
Utah--Politics and government.
| BOX | FOLDER | DESCRIPTION |
| 1 | 1 | Vol. 1, Jan. 4, 1909-July 29, 1909 |
| 1 | 2 | Vol. 2, July 29, 1909-Feb. 28, 1910 |
| 2 | 1 | Vol. 3, Feb. 28, 1910-Oct. 7, 1910 |
| 2 | 2 | Vol. 4, Oct. 7, 1910-Mar. 23, 1911 |
| 3 | 1 | Vol. 5, Mar. 23, 1911-June 29, 1911 |
| 3 | 2 | Vol. 6, June 30, 1911-Feb. 19, 1912 |
| 4 | 1 | Vol. 7, Feb. 20, 1912-Aug. 6, 1912 |
| 4 | 2 | Vol. 8, Aug. 6, 1912-Feb. 15, 1913 |
| 5 | 1 | Vol. 9, Feb. 15, 1913-July 8, 1913 |
| 5 | 2 | Vol. 10, July 9, 1913-Sept. 19, 1913 |