Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Fort Smith and Van Buren Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 75

Fort Smith and Van Buren Railway

Location and General Description of Property

The Fort Smith & Van Buren Railway Company, hereinafter referred to as the Fort Smith, is located entirely within the state of Arkansas. The total track mileage owned by the Fort Smith on valuation date was 2.419 miles, of which 2.112 miles were main tracks and 0.307 of a mile spur tracks.

Corporate History

The Fort Smith was incorporated under the general laws of the State of Arkansas on April 9, 1910, for a period of 50 years. The incorporation was procured at the instance of The Kansas City Southern Railway Company and the incorporators themselves all were residents of Fort Smith, Ark., Messrs. James B. McDonough and W. D. Pratt of that place being the representatives of The Kansas City Southern Railway Company and acting for it in the matter.

The purpose of the corporation was to construct, own, and maintain a standard-gauge railroad beginning on the edge of the city of Fort Smith, Ark., at or near a point on the boundary line between the States of Oklahoma and Arkansas, and extending in a general northeasterly direction to the city of Van Buren, Ark., a distance of approximately 6 miles.

The office of the secretary and treasurer of the company is established in Fort Smith, Ark., while the president's office is located in Kansas City, Mo., and the accounts are kept in the office of The Kansas City Southern Railway Company in Kansas City, Mo.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The track mileage owned by this company on June 30, 1914, aggregated 2.419 miles and consisted of 2.112 miles of main track, with a spur 0.307 of a mile in length leading therefrom. It connects with a branch of the Kansas City Southern Railway Company at Fort Smith, Ark., and in reality is nothing more than a switching facility for that road in Fort Smith.

Surveying for the line was commenced in August, 1910, and the property was opened for service on August 1, 1913. Considerable delay in the construction was caused by a dispute with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company over the right to cross that company's tracks.

The original surveys and the grading work were undertaken by independent forces and contractors. The remainder of the work of construction, including the engineering incident to actual construction, was performed by the forces of The Kansas City Southern Railway Company.

No additions, betterments, improvements, or substantial renewals of any sort have been made to the property since the original installation.