A. LIETZ CO. HISTORY
by Francois "Bud" Uzes

Adolph Lietz was born in Leubeck, Germany in 1860. He immigrated to San Francisco in 1879 and worked in several scientific instrument shops before opening his own business. Lietz purchased the business of Carl Rahsskopff in 1880 and began his own business in 1882.  He enlisted the aid of two respected San Francisco engineers, C.E. Grusky and Otto Von Geldern, to better meet the needs of the engineering profession.


Lietz originally joint ventured with another maker, Gottlieb A. Mauerhan, to form "Lietz and Mauerhan," a relationship that lasted for about a year. Following Mauerhan's departure, Lietz paired up with Conrad J. Weinmann who had previously worked for Carl Rahsskopff.  The company was renamed "A. Lietz & Co." and at that time produced surveying instruments and related tools.   The firm incorporated in 1892 under the name "The A. Lietz Company" and Weinmann possibly left at about that time.
  

He invented and patented the cyclotomic transit, heralded as one of the most important improvements of the age, in March 1896.The cyclotomic transit had a floating exterior ring with engraved figures from 0 to 360 and a single spindle turning within the leveling head. Ease of use, greater solidity of the axis and greater rigidity were cited as advantages of the instrument.


A steadily growing business, Leitz had a new factory built in 1905 at 632 Commercial Street in the heart of San Francisco. This new factory was occupied for only one month when the great earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906 completely destroyed the building and its contents. Lietz instruments serial numbers began at number 5000 after the quake.


In 1910 a complete line of drafting materials and engineering equipment was added. In 1947, after 65 years of production, the firm discontinued the manufacturing of surveying instruments. The reason given was that it would be necessary and very costly to retool in order to manufacture the types of modern instruments then being marketed. Their business changed to being an importer and distributor. In 1960 the company started handling the Umeco brand of surveying instruments, and then added instruments from Japan made by Sokkisha. The Frank Paxton Company purchased the business in 1965 and moved its headquarters to Kansas City, Missouri.  The company name was also changed to "The Lietz Company."  Additional restructuring took place during the early 1990's and the firm name was again changed, this time to "Sokkia."