Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Kanawha and West Virginia Railroad

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 28

Kanawha and West Virginia Railroad

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of the Kanawha and West Virginia Railroad Company, herein called the Kanawha and West Virginia, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, located in West Virginia. The main line extends from Charleston to Blakeley, a distance of 33.329 miles, and a detached line extends from Belva to Swiss, 3.929 miles, a total of 37.258 miles. The Kanawha and West Virginia also owns 9.077 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 46.335 miles of all tracks owned.

Introductory

The Kanawha and West Virginia is a corporation of the State of West Virginia, having its principal office at Columbus, Ohio. This company was originally incorporated as the Imboden and Odell Railroad Company.

The Kanawha and West Virginia is controlled, through ownership of a majority of its capital stock by The Kanawha & Michigan Railway Company, which is controlled by The Toledo and Ohio Central Railway Company, the latter company, in turn, being controlled by The New York Central Railroad Company. On the other hand, the records do not indicate that this company, itself, controls any common-carrier corporation.

The property of the Kanawha and West Virginia has been operated by its own organization from the respective dates that sections of its road were acquired, to December 31, 1917, with exception of the detached line extending from Belva to Swiss, W. Va., which was operated for the company's account under contract by the Flynn Lumber Company from April 15, 1910, to December 31, 1917. On January 1, 1918, the common-carrier property of the Kanawha and West Virginia was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration, which operates it on date of valuation.

Corporate History

The Kanawha and West Virginia was incorporated January 12, 1903, under the general laws of West Virginia, as the Imboden and Odell Railroad Company, for the stated purpose of constructing and operating a railroad from Summersville to Blue Creek, W. Va. The Kanawha and West Virginia subsequently acquired the property, rights, and franchises of two other railroad corporations. The following chart shows the names of the corporations, the respective dates of incorporation, and for each predecessor the date of succession. Reference to each of these corporations is made in the last column by its respective number shown in the first column.

No.	Name	Incorporation	Succession
1	Kanawha and West Virginia Railroad Company.	See 2.
2	Imboden and Odell Railroad Company.	Under general laws of West Virginia, Jan. 12, 1903.	Name changed May 16, 1905, to 1.
3	Kanawha and Pennsylvania Railway Company.	Under general laws of West Virginia, Feb. 9, 1903.	Sold and conveyed Sept. 20, 1917, to 1.
4	Allegheny & Western Railway Company.	Under general laws of West Virginia, May 18, 1905.	Sold and conveyed May 24, 1918, to 1.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The owned mileage of the Kanawha and West Virginia, 37.258 miles, was all acquired by construction. The years when the various portions of the line were constructed are indicated in the following statement:

Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation, 37.258 miles.

• Charleston to Blue Creek, W.Va., 1905-1906, 13.000 miles.
• Blue Creek to Quick, W.Va., 1903-1905, 9.700 miles.
• Quick to Blakeley, W.Va., 1905-1906, 10.700 miles.
• Belva to Swiss, W.Va., 1906-1907, 4.000 miles.
• Less, Difference between total recorded mileage and mileage inventoried as of date of valuation, 0.142 miles.

The lines from Charleston to Blue Creek, W.Va., and Belva to Swiss, W.Va., were constructed by Rinehart-Wyatt & Company, and the line from Blue Creek to Blakeley, W.Va., by T. J. Carmack, all independent contractors. The right of way from Charleston to Blue Creek, W.Va., was purchased from the Kanawha and Pennsylvania Railway Company. The right of way from the Junction of Meadow and Gauley rivers to Camden-on-Gauley, W.Va., was acquired with the property of the Allegheny & Western Railway Company.

Leased Railway Property

The property of the Kanawha and West Virginia devoted to common-carrier purposes was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration on January 1, 1918, and is so operated on date of valuation.

The arrangement of the Kanawha and West Virginia with another carrier, in effect December 31, 1917, covering the use of joint facilities, has been continued by the United States Railroad Administration. The description of the property, the period and terms of use, and the rental accrued and charged to income for the year ending December 31, 1917, are as follows:

• Jointly used, but not owned, owned by The Kanawha & Michigan Railway Company:
  • Tracks, 0.85 mile, at Charleston, W. Va., used as main track by the Kanawha and West Virginia. Of the foregoing 0.78 mile is used without formal agreement and 0.07 mile is used under agreement dated Aug. 12, 1907. For the use of the latter track, the Kanawha and West Virginia pays a rental of 5 per cent per annum on $750, or one-half of the valuation; also one-half the cost of maintenance, including taxes and assessments. For the year ending Dec. 31, 1917, the Kanawha and West Virginia paid $37.50 for the use of this track.

Predecessor Companies

Kanawha and Pennsylvania Railway Company

The accounting records of the Kanawha and Pennsylvania Railway Company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings or investments. However, certain data indicated below were obtained from the corporate history of the Kanawha and West Virginia. The records reviewed do not indicate whether the Kanawha and Pennsylvania Railway Company was controlled by any individual or corporation on September 20, 1917, the date of sale, or, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation. It did not own any completed railroad on the date of sale. Its property consisted of right of way between Charleston, and Blue Creek, W.Va. No outlay by this company for property can be stated.

Allegheny & Western Railway Company

The accounting records of the Allegheny & Western Railway Company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings or investments. However, certain data indicated below were obtained from the corporate history of the Kanawha and West Virginia. The records reviewed do not indicate whether the Allegheny & Western Railway Company was controlled by any individual or corporation on May 24, 1918, the date of sale, or, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation. It did not own any completed railroad on the date of sale. Its property consisted of right of way between the junction of Meadow and Gauley Rivers, up Gauley River to Camden-on-Gauley, W.Va. No outlay can be stated for this property.