Andrew Smith Hallidie (March 16, 1836 – April 24, 1900) was an American entrepreneur who was the promoter of the Clay Street Hill Railroad in San Francisco. This was the world's first practical cable car system, and Hallidie is often therefore regarded as the inventor of the cable car and father of the present day San Francisco cable car system, although both claims are open to dispute. He also introduced the manufacture of wire rope to California, and at an early age was a prolific builder of bridges in the Californian interior.
Early life
Andrew Smith Hallidie was born Andrew Smith, later adopting the name Hallidie in honor of his uncle, Sir Andrew Hallidie. His birthplace is variously quoted as London in the United Kingdom. His mother, Julia Johnstone Smith, was from Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire and his father, Andrew Smith (a prolific inventor in his own right, responsible for inventing the first box door spring, a floor cramp and had an early patent for wire rope) was born in Fleming, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1798. has him taking over the promotion of the line when the original promoter, Benjamin Brooks, failed to raise the necessary capital. In another version,
The named engineer of the Clay Street line was William Eppelsheimer. However, Hallidie's previous experience of cables and cable haulage systems make it likely that he contributed to the design of the system.
The Clay Street line started regular service on September 1, 1873, and was a financial success. In addition, Hallidie's patents on the cable car design were stringently enforced on cable car promoters around the world and made him a rich man.
Other activities
thumb|Hallidie Plaza in San Francisco is named after Andrew Smith Hallidie
Hallidie occupied many positions in San Francisco society. He served as a regent of the University of California from 1868 until his death, and as a trustee and vice-president of the San Francisco Mechanics Institute in 1864 and president from 1868 to 1877 and from 1893 to 1895. In 1873, Hallidie stood for election to the California State Senate, and in 1875 he stood for election as mayo] of San Francisco, but in both cases, he was defeated.
Hallidie served as a trustee of the First Unitarian Church, and as its moderator in 1883 and 1884. He held memberships in the American Society of Inventors, American Geographical Society, California Academy of Sciences, and other scientific and literary bodies. He was a member of the old California Historical Society and of the Pacific-Union, Olympic, and Sierra clubs.
A. S. Hallidie & Co. became the California Wire Works in 1883 with Hallidie as president. In 1895, it was sold to Washburn and Moen Co., the oldest manufacturers of wire in the United States (established in 1831).
Death and legacy
Hallidie died on April 24, 1900, at the age of 64 of heart disease at his San Francisco residence. He was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, and his remains were moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California by 1941.
In San Francisco, Hallidie Plaza (near the Powell and Market Street cable car turntable) and the Hallidie Building (an office building in the city's Financial District) are named after him.