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Cage 224
Otis Halbert (Hal) Holmes
Papers, 1943-1958

This collection of congressional papers of Otis Halbert (Hal) Holmes, Republication Member of Congress for 4th District of the State of Washington from 1943 to 1958, was acquired by the Washington State University Library from Mrs. Catherine May Bedell in 1971. The collection consists of the papers, which Holmes passed to Mrs. May in 1959 when she succeeded him as 4th District Representative. These are the only extant congressional papers of Representative Holmes. The papers were processed by Lawrence R. Stark in December, 1971.

Number of containers:16
Linear feet of shelf space: 8

BIOGRAPHY

O. H. (Hal) Holmes was born at Cresco, Iowa on February 22, 1902. He was educated at Whitman College at Walla Walla, and Columbia University in 1928 to 1929, then returned to Washington to become a member of the Central Washington State College faculty, where he was employed until 1940. At that time, he became a wheat and livestock rancher in the Ellensburg area. Holmes was elected to Congress in 1942 and served successively until his retirement in 1958. During his congressional career he served on the Ways and Means, Irrigation and Reclamation, Public Lands, Indian Affairs, and Pension committees.

Holmes is the grandson of Dudley Chase Haskell, Republican member of Congress from Kansas from 1876 to 1883.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The arrangement is that of Holmes' subject-based filing system. There are five series, the titles of which largely describe the contents. These series are 1: Post Office, 2: Irrigation and Power, 3: Bills, 4: Schools, and 5: Veterans Administration Claims. Series 2, 3, & 4 cover the period from 1954-1958, while series 1 & 5 cover Holmes' entire tenure as Congressman. The user is reminded that this is but a portion of the original Holmes papers, most of which were destroyed by Representative Holmes. In addition some of Congressman Holmes' papers were incorporated into the files of his successor, Mrs. Catherine May, and may be found in the collection of her papers (Cage 304).

SERIES LIST
  Description Boxes
 
Series 1: Post Office, 1943-1958 1-8
Series 2: Irrigation and Power, 1954-1958 8-12
Series 3: Bills, 1954-1958 13
Series 4: Schools, 1954-1958 14
Series 5: Veterans Administration Claims, 1943-1958 15-16

Number of containers: 16
Linear feet of shelf space: 8

CONTAINER LIST
Box  Description
 
Series 1: Post Office, 1943-1958
 

1

Adrian - Coulee City

2

Dayton - Goodnoe Hills

3

Goose Prairie - Lowden

4

Lyle - Palouse

5

Pasco - Ritzville

6

Ronald - Tekoa

7

Thornton - Waitsburg

8

Walla Walla - Zillah
 
Series 2: Irrigation and Power, 1954-1956
 
1954-1956

9

    Bonneville, Chief Joseph, Columbia Basin Plan, Columbia Basin Project, Columbia River, Connell and Mesa Areas, Grand Coulee, Hells Canyon

10

    Ice Harbor, John Day, Kennewick, Kittitas District of Yakima Project, Klickitat Project, Mabton and Satus 4, McNary, Priest Rapids, Quincy, Satus 3, Snake River, The Dallas, Touchet River, Walla Walla River

11

    Wapato, Yakima River
1957-1958

11

    Bonneville, Chief Joseph, Columbia Basin Plan, Columbia Basin Project, Columbia River, Esquatizel Canyon, Grand Coulee

12

    Ice Harbor, John Day, Kennewick, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lower Monumental Dam, Mabton-Satus 4 Unit, McNary, Palouse River (Colfax Flood Control Project), Priest Rapids, Roza, Snake River, The Dallas, Touchet River (Dayton Irrigation and Flood Control Project), Walla Walla River, Wapato, Yakima River, Zintel Canyon.
 
Series 3: Bills
 
84th Congress

13

    H. R. 8945 Kittitas Division, Yakima Project
   H. R. 9178 Amend Internal Revenue Code for amortization of grain storage facilities.
   H. R. 7483 For the Relief of Adel Kamal
85th Congress

13

    H. R. 1938 To increase certain annuities, civil retired employees
   H. R. 2549 Enlarge Whitman National Monument
   H. R. 5127 Authorize sale of wheat for feeding purposes
   H. R. 5128 Exempt wheat production
   H. R. 5410 Provide for aid, Control of mosquitoes
   H. R. 5474 For the relief of Grant County School District, Warden
   H. R. 5668 For the Relief of Quincy School District #144
   H. R. 6366 Kittitas Reclamation District, Yakima Project
   H. R. 7157 Boundary between Washington and Oregon
   H. R. 7395 Credit for rental payments, Richland
   H. R. 9078 To retain National Grange Building
   H. R. 7995 Sell McNary Dam land to Port of Walla Walla
   H. R. 2649 For the Relief of Jesse Blake
 
Series 4: Schools, 1954-1958
 

14

Benton City - Yakima
 
Series 5: Veterans Administration Claims, 1943-1958
 

15

A - K

16

L - Z