Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 29

The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western Railway

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western Railway Company, herein called the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, located in southeastern Texas. The owned mileage consists of a main line extending in a general easterly direction from Houston to Beaumont, with a branch line from Grayburg to Sour Lake. The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western wholly owns and uses 84.263 miles of road, and 21.917 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 106.180 miles of all tracks owned.

The property of the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western is operated as a part of the Louisiana division of the Gulf Coast Lines.

Introductory

The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western is a corporation of the State of Texas, having its principal office at Houston, Tex. It is controlled by The New Orleans, Texas & Mexico Railway Company, through ownership of the entire outstanding capital stock.

The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western, The St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railway Company, The Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway Company, and Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company jointly control the Houston Belt & Terminal Railway Company, through the ownership by each of these companies of 25 per cent of the capital stock.

The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western operated its own property from the date it was placed in operation until July 9, 1913, when the property was placed in the hands of a receiver. On April 17, 1916, the receiver was discharged and the property was turned back to the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western which resumed and continued operation thereof until December 31, 1917.

On January 1, 1918, the common-carrier property of the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration, which operates it on the date of valuation.

Corporate History

The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western was incorporated August 8, 1903, for a period of 50 years under the provisions of Chapter One, Title Ninety-four of the revised statutes of Texas, as the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Port Arthur Traction Company. On June 30, 1904, the name of the corporation was changed to The Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western Railway Company. The purpose for which the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western was incorporated was to construct, acquire, maintain, and operate a line of railway from Beaumont, Tex., to Houston, Tex., and from Beaumont, Tex., to DeQuincy, La.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The road owned by the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western on date of valuation had been acquired by it as indicated hereunder:

Termini	Construction commenced	Acquired for operation	Mileage
By construction:
Beaumont to Sour Lake.	October, 1903	June, 1904	21.030
Grayburg to Houston.	November, 1905	December, 1907	63.233
Total road mileage owned on date of valuation.			84.263

In the construction of the road all branches of the work were done by contract. The line from Beaumont to Sour Lake was built by the Beaumont and Sour Lake Construction Company, whose officers are officers of the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western. The line from Grayburg to Houston was constructed by the Kenefick, Hammond Quigley Construction Company. This company was not affiliated with the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western.

Leased Railway Property

The property of the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western has been operated by the United States Railroad Administration from December 31, 1917, to date of valuation. On December 31, 1917, the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western used facilities owned by other companies to the extent indicated in the statement below. The description of the property, the terms of use, and the rentals accrued and charged to income for the year ended December 31, 1917, are as follows:

	Mileage
Jointly used, but not owned, owned by—
Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway Company—
Tracks, 28.04 miles, from Beaumont to Ruliff; rental, 2½ per cent per annum on valuation and proportion of maintenance and taxes.	$32,960.47
Passenger terminals at Beaumont; $2 per passenger train, minimum $120 per annum.	3,165.40
Houston Belt & Terminal Railway Company—
Freight and passenger terminal facilities at Houston, including 6.42 miles of track; rental based on 25 per cent of interest on the owning company's bonds and an equal proportion of sinking fund for retirement of these bonds. Maintenance and operation based on number of cars and engines handled over terminals.	86,901.87

The equipment used in the operation of the property of the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western on December 31, 1917, was owned by the New Orleans, Texas & Mexico and the St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico. This equipment was not formally leased but was assigned as the operating conditions of the Beaumont, Sour Lake & Western warranted. The rent therefor was paid on a per diem basis. Repairs were pooled and charged out on a mileage basis.