John J. Peebles was a professor of civil engineering at the University of Idaho from 1963 to 1972. The papers include materials that he used for the recovery of the base line established near Boise in 1899 for the control of topographic surveying in southwestern Idaho, and materials relating to the Atlantic Steam Shovel.

Trask’s collection includes his field notes, survey results and conclusions. It also includes correspondence between him and commissioners of the state of Idaho.