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Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 31

The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway[edit]

Location and General Description of Property[edit]

The railroad of The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway, herein called the carrier, is a standard-gage, steam railroad, located in the States of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Kentucky. The principal main line owned by the carrier extends from Chattanooga, Tenn., via Nashville, Tenn., to Hickman, Ky. The carrier also operates, under lease, the so-called Paducah and Memphis division of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company, which extends from Paducah, Ky., to Memphis, Tenn.; and the line of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, owned by the State of Georgia, extending from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Atlanta, Ga.

The branch-line mileage comprises 60 per cent of the total mileage owned. The principal branches extend from Bridgeport, Ala., to Pikeville, Tenn.; Decherd to Columbia, Tenn.; Tullahoma to Clifty and Ravensport, Tenn.; Colesburg to Allen's Creek, Tenn.; and from Elora, Tenn., via Hobbs Landing, Ala., to Gadsden, Ala.

The carrier wholly owns and uses 842.594 miles of road. It also wholly uses under lease 390.513 miles of road, of which 136.818 miles is owned by the Western & Atlantic and 253.695 miles by the Louisville and Nashville. The carrier wholly owns and uses 1,239.539 miles of all tracks and wholly uses but does not own 523.372 miles of all tracks. It also jointly owns and uses 33.763 miles of all tracks. These tracks are classified according to ownership and use and by States in the trackage table in Appendix 1. In that appendix, also, is given further description of the properties operated by the carrier.

Corporate History[edit]

The carrier was incorporated as The Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad Company by a special act approved by the Legislature of the State of Tennessee, December 11, 1845. The organization of the carrier was perfected January 24, 1848. The name of the carrier was changed to its present name by decree of the chancery court of Tennessee under date of May 31, 1873. For the purposes of this report the two companies are treated as one.

The carrier was first incorporated for the purpose of establishing a communication by railroad between Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn. The rights and powers of the carrier were extended at various times by amendatory acts of the Tennessee Legislature and decrees of the chancery court of Tennessee to include, among other things, the lease or purchase of other railways, acquisition of stock of other companies, guaranteeing bonds of other companies, increasing its capital stock, and the construction of new lines and extensions. Its principal office is located at Nashville, Tenn.

The carrier has always operated its own road, except during a part of the Civil War period, when it was operated by military authorities of the Federal Government.

The following chart shows the names of the corporations, the respective date of incorporation and for each predecessor the date of succession, the immediately succeeding corporation, and the manner 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 The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway. In Tennessee, Dec. 11, 1845.
2 Nashville and North Western Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Jan. 22, 1852; in Kentucky, Mar. 8, 1856. State of Tennessee took over property some time prior to 1870 under statutory lien and sold it to 1, Nov. 10, 1871.
3 Hickman and Obion Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Dec. 20, 1853; in Kentucky, 1853-1854. Sold to 2 in 1855 under authority of act of General Assembly of Tennessee approved Nov. 16, 1855.
4 Sequatchie Valley Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Dec. 9, 1868. Conveyed to 1, Jan. 27, 1877.
5 McMinnville and Manchester Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Feb. 4, 1850. Sold at foreclosure sale to The Memphis and Charleston Railway Company, July 10, 1875, and conveyed by it to 1, July 28, 1877.
6 Winchester and Alabama Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Feb. 9, 1850, and Dec. 5, 1851. Sold at foreclosure sale to The Memphis and Charleston Railway Company, June 28, 1875, and conveyed to 1, July 28, 1877.
7 Southwestern Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Jan. 31, 1852. Sold to 1 in 1877.
8 Nashville & Tuscaloosa Railroad Company In Tennessee, June 5, 1877. Sold to 1, Mar. 13, 1883, and June 20, 1884.
9 Tennessee and Pacific Rail Road Company. In Tennessee, May 24, 1866. Sold to 1, Mar. 1, 1877.
10 West Nashville Railway Company. In Tennessee, Mar. 17, 1887. Sold to Nashville Land Improvement Company, June 1, 1887, and conveyed by it to 1, July 6, 1887.
11 Huntsville and Elora Rail Road Company. In Alabama, Feb. 8, 1887. Conveyed to 1, Oct. 28, 1887.
12 Duck River Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad Company. In Tennessee, Nov. 4, 1872. Sold to 1, Nov. 23, 1887.
13 Bon Air Railway In Tennessee, Nov. 28, 1887. Conveyed to 1, Dec. 3, 1887.
14 Tennessee and Coosa Railroad Company. In Alabama, Jan. 16, 1884. Conveyed to 1, Apr. 6, 1891.
15 Rome Railroad Company. See 16. Conveyed to 1, Dec. 31, 1896.
16 Memphis Branch Railroad and Steamboat Company of Georgia. In Georgia, Dec. 31, 1839. Name changed to 15, Jan. 16, 1850.
17 Middle Tennessee & Alabama Railway Company. In Tennessee, Feb. 24, 1883. Sold, foreclosed to Joseph Dickson and wife, May. 17, 1897, who conveyed it to 1, Oct. 13, 1897.
18 Decatur, Chesapeake and New Orleans Railroad Company. In Tennessee, July 28, 1887. Sold, foreclosed to J. E. Simmons and associates, Jan. 7, 1893, who conveyed it to 17, Mar. 20, 1893.

Development of Fixed Physical Property[edit]

Of the 842.594 miles of road owned by the carrier, approximately 329 miles was constructed by the carrier, and approximately 513 miles was acquired by purchase.

The Hickman and Obion Railroad Company, Southwestern Railroad Company, and Huntsville and Elora Rail Road Company completed no construction. The property constructed by the remaining corporations, the years when various portions of the line were constructed, and the manner in which the carrier acquired the property are indicated in the following table, wherein, to facilitate comparison with the table showing the corporate succession, previously given, the same order of corporations is maintained.

Mileage
Acquired after foreclosure proceedings:
From the Nashville and North Western Railroad Company
Constructed by—
Nashville and North Western Railroad Company and the Federal Government prior to 1867; Union City to Nashville, Tenn. 154
Partially by the Hickman and Obion Railroad Company and completed by the Nashville and North Western Railroad Company prior to 1867; Hickman, Ky., to Union City, Tenn. 14
From the Middle Tennessee & Alabama Railway Company
Constructed by this company and the Decatur, Chesapeake and New Orleans Railway Company — date unknown — Fayetteville, Tenn., to Lax, Ala. 37
205
Acquired by direct purchase:
From the Sequatchie Valley Railroad Company
Constructed by the carrier for the Sequatchie Valley Railroad Company, 1876-1878, Jasper to Victoria, Mich. 8
From The Memphis and Charleston Railway Company
Constructed by—
McMinville and Manchester Railroad Company, 1855, McMinville to Tullahoma, Tenn. 35
Winchester and Alabama Railroad Company, date unknown, Decherd to Fayetteville, Tenn. 39
From the Nashville & Tuscaloosa Railroad Company
Constructed by this company, 1878-1883, Dickson to Kimmins, Tenn. 46
From the Tennessee and Pacific Rail Road Company
Constructed by this company, 1869-71, Nashville to Lebanon, Tenn. 29
From the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company
Constructed by—
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, 1882, Victoria to Inman, Tenn. 5
Sewance Mining Company, 1853–1860, Cowan to Tracy City, Tenn. 19
From the West Nashville Railway Company
Constructed by this company, 1887, Nashville to West Nashville, Tenn. 2
From the Duck River Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad Company
Constructed by the carrier as lessee of this company, 1882, Petersburg to Fayetteville, Tenn. 13
Manner of construction not known, 1874, Columbia to Petersburg, Tenn. 35
48
From the Bon Air Railway
Constructed by the carrier for this company, 1887, Sparta to Bon Air, Tenn. 7
From the Tennessee and Coosa Railroad Company
Constructed by this company, date not known, Gadsden towards Gunterville, Ala . 30
From the Southern Iron Company
Constructed by this company, date not known, Kimmins to Allen's Creek, Tenn. 17
From the Rome Railroad Company
Constructed by this company, date not known, Kingston to Rome, Ga. 18
From the Campbell Coal and Coke Company
Constructed by this company and the Needmare Company, 1904, Bridgeport, Ala., to Orme, Tenn. 10
From the Charleston, South Carolina, Mining and Manufacturing Company
Constructed by The S. M. Ward Mining Company prior to 1903, end of Stewart's spur to Ward Mines. 2
Total acquired by purchase. 520
Less mileage abandoned—
Acquired from the Nashville & Tuscaloosa Railroad Company, Dickson to Colesburg, Tenn., at purchase. 2
Acquired from Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, Inman to Victoria, Tenn., 1895–1903. 5
7
Mileage acquired by purchase, owned on date of valuation. 513
Acquired by construction:
Nashville to Chattanooga, Tenn., 1848–1851. 151
Wartrace to Shelbyville, Tenn., 1851. 8
Bridgeport, Ala., to Jasper, Tenn., 1867. 12
Victoria to Dunlap, Tenn., 1888. 18
Dunlap to Pikesville, Tenn., 1894. 20
Elora, Tenn., to Huntsville, Ala., 1887. 27
Huntsville to Hobbs Island, Ala., 1893. 15
McMinville to Sparta, Tenn., 1884. 26
Bon Air to Ravencroft and Clifty, Tenn., 1905. 16
Tracy City to Coalmont, Tenn., 1905. 8
West Nashville, Tenn., branch, 1898. 4
Kimmins to Allen's Creek, Tenn., spurs, various. 7
Tracy City to Coalmont, Tenn., spur, 1909. 6
Change of line at Hickman, Ky., 1899. 3
Completion of the Tennessee and Coosa Railroad Company to Guntersville, Ala., 1893. 8
329
Total. 842

In the construction of the road built for the carrier, all branches of the work were done by individual contractors and company forces. The obtainable records did not indicate that the contractors were affiliated with the carrier.

Leased Railway Property[edit]

The carrier uses on date of valuation facilities owned by other companies and other companies use facilities owned by the carrier to the extent indicated in the statement below. The description of the property, the period and terms of use, and the rentals accrued and charged or credited to income for the year ending on date of valuation, are as follows:

Rental
Solely owned, but jointly used, used with—
The Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company
Tracks from Chattanooga to Wauhatchie, Tenn., 5 miles. Contract terminates on 3 years' notice. Annual rental $14,400. $14,400.00
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Tracks from Morange to Attalla, Ala., 2.32 miles. Contract terminates on 6 months' notice. Annual rental 5 per cent on agreed valuation. Maintenance and taxes divided on wheelage basis. 3,803.40
Freight depot at West Nashville, Tenn. No formal contract. Maintenance and operation divided on tonnage basis. ......
Southern Iron and Steel Company
Tracks at Alabama City, Ala., 1.27 miles. Contract terminates on 30 days' notice. Rental $102.85 monthly. Maintenance divided on wheelage basis. 1,131.35
Southern Railway Company
Tracks from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Stevenson, Ala., 37.619 miles. Contract terminates on 2 years' notice. Annual rental $60,000 and one-third of local passenger fares. 67,730.41
Solely used, but not owned, leased from—
Western & Atlantic
Entire property, hereinbefore described. Lease dated Dec. 27, 1890, and runs for 29 years. Maintenance and operation paid by the carrier. Additions and betterments placed on the property by the carrier revert to the lessor at expiration of lease. Annual rental $420,012. 420,012.00
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Line extending from Paducah, Ky., to Memphis, Tenn., a distance of 229.558 miles, and a branch extending from Lexington to Perryville, Tenn., a distance of 24.137 miles, total 253.695 miles of first main line. Leased dated Sept. 9, 1896, and runs for 99 years from Dec. 14, 1895. Rental is 5 per cent on $3,093,000 plus expenditures for additions and betterments by the lessor from time to time. Maintenance, taxes, and operations are paid by the carrier. 206,506.20
Jointly used, but not owned, owned by—
The Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company
Tracks at Chattanooga, Tenn., 0.25 mile. Agreement terminates on written notice. Rental $2 per loaded car moved over tracks. 823.00
The Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway Company
Passenger and freight station at Boyce, Tenn. Contract terminates on 6 months' notice . Annual rental 5 per cent of one-half of agreed valuation. Cost of operation and maintenance borne equally. 223.38
Illinois Central Railroad Company
Tracks from Martin, Tenn., to Fulton, Ky., 12 miles. No formal agreement. Carrier pays 92.18 per cent of cost of handling two daily passenger trains over these tracks. ......
Passenger station at Paducah, Ky. Contract subject to termination on 60 days' notice. Annual rental $1,200. 1,200.00
Incline and steamer transfer at Paducah, Ky. Contract subject to termination on 90 days' notice. Cost of operation, maintenance, and rent of equipment divided on wheelage basis. 7,237.38
Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad Company
Yard tracks at Memphis, Tenn., 1.69 miles. Agreement is to be in force during corporate existence of each party. Annual rental 5 per cent of agreed valuation. Maintenance, operation, and taxes divided between the users on wheelage basis. 171.87
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Depot facilities and 1.34 miles of tracks at Gadsden, Ala. Agreement terminates on 6 months' notice. Rental 4 per cent per annum on agreed valuation. Maintenance and taxes divided on wheelage basis. 2,829.49
Passenger station at Columbia, Tenn. No formal contract. Annual rental $600. Cost of operations divided on basis of ticket sales. 600.00
Lewisburg and Northern Railroad Company, operated by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Passenger station at Lewisburg, Tenn. Contract subject to termination on 12 months' notice. Operating cost and annual rental of $600 divided on basis of ticket sales. 339.76
Memphis Union Station Company
Passenger station and facilities at Memphis, Tenn. Perpetual agreement, subject to termination by default. Expenses, taxes, and interest on bonds of the Memphis Union Station Company are borne equally by tenant carriers. 23,216.09
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Tracks in Nashville, Tenn., 5.88 miles. These tracks are operated jointly by the carrier and the Louisville and Nashville as a part of the Nashville Terminals. Rental 4 per cent on agreed valuation divided on wheelage basis, the carrier's proportion of which is included in the amount paid as rental in connection with the operation of the Nashville Terminals. ......
Louisville and Nashville Terminal Company
Leased for joint operation by the carrier and the Louisville and Nashville, under terms set forth in the chapter on leased railway property of the part of this appendix devoted to the Louisville and Nashville Terminal Company. Carrier's proportion of expenses. 57,666.86
Solely leased but jointly used:
Leased from Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company, used with—
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company
Tracks, 1.6 miles, and depot and office building at Paducah, Ky. Contract terminates on 60 days' notice. Annual rental 5 per cent on agreed valuation. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis. 1,260.80
Paducah and Illinois Railroad Company
Tracks at Paducah, Ky., mileage not stated. Contract terminates on 60 days' notice. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis. ......
Illinois Central Railroad Company
Tracks at Paducah, Ky., 2.16 miles. Contract terminates on 90 days' notice. Maintenance, operation, and rental divided on wheelage basis. 51.94
Tracks at Memphis, Tenn., 3.780 miles. Lease continues during corporate existence of parties. Rental 4 per cent on agreed valuation. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis. ......
The Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad Company
Tracks at Memphis, Tenn., 3.78 miles. Lease continues during corporate existence of parties. Rental 4 per cent on agreed valuation. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis. ......
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Tracks from Aulon to Memphis, 5.39 miles, and freight facilities. Contract for period of 99 years, subject to termination on 6 months' notice. Annual rental 5 per cent on agreed valuation. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis, except for freight depot, which is divided on basis of work performed. 17,016.11
Leased from the Western & Atlantic, used with—
Southern Railway Company
Tracks at Dalton, Ga. Contract terminates on 6 months' notice. Annual rental $3,000. 3,000.00
Passenger station at Dalton, Ga. No formal contract. Maintenance and operation divided on 50 per cent basis. Annual rental $240. 240.00
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company
Tracks and facilities from Junta to Atlanta, Ga., a distance of 47.5 miles. Contract terminates at expiration of lease of Western & Atlantic. Annual rental 5 per cent on agreed valuation and 75 per cent of local passenger fares. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis. 49,777.83
Seaboard Air Line Railway Company
Tracks from Atlanta to Howells, Ga., a distance of 2 miles. Contract terminates at expiration of lease of the Western & Atlantic. Annual rental calculated on wheelage on certain business from Birmingham district in excess of other business of the Seaboard Air Line Railway Company. Maintenance and operation divided on wheelage basis. 18,841.89
Jointly owned by the carrier and the Western & Atlantic, used jointly with the Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railroad Company:
Passenger station and facilities at Chattanooga, Tenn. Annual rental $1,200. 1,200.00

Lessor Company[edit]

Predecessor Railroads[edit]

Nashville and North Western Railroad Company[edit]

The Nashville and North Western Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved January 22, 1852, and by a special act of the Legislature of the State of Kentucky, approved March 8, 1856.

On the date of its demise the company owned about 168.10 miles of railroad, extending from Nashville, Tenn., to Hickman, Ky. That part of its road from Hickman, Ky., to Union City, Tenn., a distance of 14.10 miles, was acquired by purchase from the Hickman and Obion Railroad Company in 1855, in an uncompleted condition, and was completed by the Nashville and North Western. The remainder of its road, which consisted of about 154 miles, was constructed prior to 1867, partly by the Nashville and North Western and partly by the United States military forces.

The State of Tennessee aided the Nashville and North Western by a loan of Tennessee State bonds, the loan being protected by a statutory lien on the property of the Nashville and North Western. The court records show that the Nashville and North Western failed to pay the principal and interest on these bonds, and that the debt amounted to $4,541,129.41, on January 1, 1871. The State of Tennessee took over the property of the Nashville and North Western sometime prior to 1870, and on January 1, 1870, leased it to the carrier for a term of six years.

On November 10, 1871, the State commissioners sold the property, rights, and franchises of the Nashville and North Western to the carrier, the sale being confirmed by a chancellor's decree November 21, 1872.

The records of the carrier show that it advanced and expended $724,070.40 for improvements and additions and betterments to the property of the Nashville and North Western during the period that property was operated under lease, and that a net loss of $323,420.69 resulted from operations during the same period.

The accounting records of the Nashville and North Western were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Hickman and Obion Railroad Company[edit]

The Hickman and Obion Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved December 20, 1853, and by a special act of the Legislature of the State of Kentucky, approved some time during 1853–1854. The company began the construction of a line of railroad from Hickman, Ky., to Union City, Tenn., a distance of 14.10 miles, but before the completion of its railroad the company, under authority of an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved November 16, 1855, sold its property, rights, and franchises to the Nashville and North Western Railroad Company. The accounting records of this company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Sequatchie Valley Railroad Company[edit]

The Sequatchie Valley Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved December 9, 1868.

On the date of its demise the company owned a line of railroad extending from Jasper to Victoria, Tenn., a distance of 7.71 miles. The construction of the road built for the company was performed by the carrier under the terms of a contract with the Southern States Coal, Iron and Land Company. Construction work began in July, 1876, but was not completed until the latter part of 1878, after the property had been conveyed to the carrier.

The records of the carrier show that it advanced and expended $91,110.37 in money outlay in the construction of the property for and on account of the company, which amount represents the obtainable outlay incident to the cost of the property owned by the company on the date of its demise. On January 27, 1877, the company conveyed its property, rights, and franchises to the carrier by deed bearing that date.

The accounting records of this company were not obtained. Therefore, no further information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

McMinville and Manchester Railroad Company[edit]

The McMinville and Manchester Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved February 4, 1850. On the date of its demise the company owned about 35 miles of railroad extending from McMinville to Tullahoma, Tenn. The road was completed and put in operation during 1855. The property, rights, and franchises of the company were sold at foreclosure sale July 10, 1875, to the Memphis and Charleston Railway Company, which company held the property until July 28, 1877, when it conveyed the property, rights, and franchises formerly owned by the McMinville and Manchester Railroad Company, to the carrier. The accounting records of this company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Winchester and Alabama Railroad Company[edit]

The Winchester and Alabama Railroad Company was incorporated by special acts of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee approved February 9, 1850, and December 5, 1851. On date of demise it owned 38.85 miles of railroad, extending from Decherd to Fayetteville, Tenn. The property, rights, and franchises of the company were sold at foreclosure sale June 28, 1875, to the Memphis and Charleston Railway Company, which company held the property until July 28, 1877, when it conveyed the property, rights, and franchises formerly owned by the Winchester and Alabama Railroad Company to the carrier. The accounting records of this company were not obtained. Therefore no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Southwestern Railroad Company[edit]

The Southwestern Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved January 31, 1852. The company completed no construction work, but did a small amount of grading. On July 6, 1871, the property, rights, and franchises of the company were sold at foreclosure sale and were purchased by the Southwestern Railroad Company. Sometime during the year 1877 the Southwestern Railroad Company sold its property, rights, and franchises to the carrier. The records do not indicate the manner in which the company disposed of its title in the property to the carrier. The accounting records of this company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Nashville & Tuscaloosa Railroad Company[edit]

Introductory

The Nashville & Tuscaloosa Railroad Company was a corporation of the State of Tennessee. The company owned on the date of its demise 46.17 miles of single-track, narrow-gage, steam railroad, extending from Dickson to Kimmins, Tenn. From the date it was placed in operation, to date of demise, the property of the company was operated by the carrier, under lease agreement dated December 14, 1878. The records of this company were found to be incomplete, and for that reason only partial information can be given from the accounts in connection with the finances, operations, aids, investments, or original cost. Certain information has been taken from sources other than the company's records, as pointed out hereinafter.

Corporate History

The company was incorporated June 5, 1877, under the general laws of the State of Tennessee. The date of organization was not disclosed by the records reviewed. The company disposed of its property, rights, and franchises covering that part of its road from Dickson to Duck River, Tenn., by sale to the carrier on March 13, 1883, and on June 20, 1884, it disposed of the remainder of its property, rights, and franchises covering that part of its line from Duck River to Kimmins, Tenn., by sale to the carrier.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The road owned by the company on the date of its demise had been acquired by construction, commenced on the various parts of the line in the years indicated below:

Mileage
Dickson to Graham Station, Tenn., 1878. 22.80
Graham Station to Duck River, Tenn., 1882. 9.20
Duck River to Kimmins, Tenn., 1883. 14.17
Total. 46.17

In the construction of the road built for the company the grading and the necessary bridges on that part of the line from Dickson to Graham, Tenn., was done by company forces, and the remainder of the work was done by the forces of the carrier under a contract dated December 14, 1878. That part of the road from Graham to Kimmins, Tenn., was constructed by the carrier for and on account of the Nashville & Tuscaloosa.

Tennessee and Pacific Railroad Company[edit]

Introductory

The Tennessee and Pacific Railroad Company was a corporation of the State of Tennessee. The company owned and operated on the date of its demise 29.21 miles of single-track, steam railroad, extending from Nashville to Lebanon, Tenn. From the date its property was placed in operation to the date of its demise, the property of the company was operated by it for its own account.

Corporate History

The company was incorporated under a special act, approved May 24, 1866, of the Legislature of the State of Tennessee. The date of organization was not disclosed by the records reviewed. The company disposed of its property, rights, and franchises by sale to the carrier on March 1, 1877.

West Nashville Railway Company[edit]

The West Nashville Railway Company was incorporated March 17, 1887, under the general laws of the State of Tennessee. On the date of its demise, the company owned about 2.27 miles of railroad extending from Nashville to West Nashville, Tenn. From the date it was placed in operation to the date of its demise the property of the company was operated by the carrier, under an agreement. On June 1, 1887, the company sold its property, rights, and franchises to the Nashville Land Improvement Company, which, on July 6, 1887, conveyed the property, rights, and franchises formerly owned by the company, to the carrier. The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Huntsville and Elora Railroad Company[edit]

The Huntsville and Elora Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Alabama, approved February 8, 1887. By deed dated October 28, 1887, the company conveyed its property, rights, and franchises, consisting chiefly of right of way and partly graded roadbed, to the carrier. The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

Duck River Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad Company[edit]

Introductory

The Duck River Valley Narrow Gauge Railroad Company was a corporation of the State of Tennessee. The company owned on the date of its demise 47.50 miles of single-track, narrow-gage, steam railroad, extending from Fayetteville to Columbia, Tenn. From the date it was placed in operation, to November 1, 1879, the property of the company was operated by its own officers for its own account. From that date to the date of demise its property was operated by the carrier, under lease agreement.

The records of the company were found to be incomplete for the period from the date of its organization to the date of demise. For that reason only partial information can be given from the accounts in connection with the finances, investments, or original cost. Certain information appertaining to that period has been taken from sources other than the company's records, as pointed out hereinafter.

Corporate History

The company was incorporated November 4, 1872, by a decree of the chancery court, Waverly, Tenn. The date of organization was not disclosed by the records reviewed. The company disposed of its property, right, and franchises, by sale to the carrier on November 23, 1887.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The road owned by the company on the date of its demise had been acquired by construction, commenced in the years indicated below:

Mileage
Columbia to Petersburg, Tenn., 1874. 34.30
Petersburg to Fayetteville, Tenn., 1882. 13.20
Total. 47.50

The records do not indicate how that part of the road from Columbia to Petersburg, Tenn., was constructed. That part from Petersburg to Fayetteville, Tenn., was constructed by forces of the carrier during the period it operated the line under lease.

Bon Air Railway[edit]

The Bon Air Railway was incorporated November 28, 1887, under the general laws of the State of Tennessee. On the date of its demise it owned about 6.50 miles of steam railroad, extending from Sparta to Bon Air, Tenn., which was constructed in 1887 by the carrier for and on account of the Bon Air Railway. The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. On December 3, 1887, the company conveyed its property, rights, and franchises to the carrier.

Tennessee and Coosa Railroad Company[edit]

The Tennessee and Coosa Railroad Company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Alabama, approved January 16, 1884. On the date of its demise the company owned about 30 miles of steam railroad, extending from Gadsden, Ala., toward the Tennessee River, all in the State of Alabama. The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. By deed dated April 6, 1891, the company conveyed its property, rights, and franchises to the carrier.

Rome Railroad Company; Memphis Branch Railroad and Steamboat Company of Georgia[edit]

The first-named company was successor through change in name of the last named company. For the purpose of this report the two companies are treated as one and hereinafter referred to as the Rome Railroad Company.

The company was controlled by the carrier on the date of its demise, through ownership of a majority of the outstanding capital stock.

The company was incorporated by a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, approved December 21, 1839, as the Memphis Branch Railroad and Steamboat Company of Georgia. By a special act of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia approved January 16, 1850, its name was changed to Rome Railroad Company.

At the date of its demise the company owned 18.15 miles of standard-gage railroad, extending from Kingston to Rome, Ga. The obtainable accounting records did not disclose when the property was constructed. By deed dated December 31, 1896, the company conveyed its property, rights, and franchises to the carrier. The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. Details obtained from other sources are given as hereinafter described.

The Middle Tennessee & Alabama Railway Company[edit]

The Middle Tennessee & Alabama Railway Company, was incorporated February 24, 1893, under the general laws of the State of Tennessee. On the date of its demise, the company owned about 37 miles of completed railroad, which extended from Fayetteville, Tenn., to Lax, Ala., and certain right of way on which some construction work had been performed.

It was not determined what portion of the property owned by the company was acquired from The Decatur, Chesapeake and New Orleans Railway Company, or whether any portion of the property was constructed by or for the company.

The property, rights, and franchises of the company were sold at foreclosure sale May 17, 1897, to Joseph Dickson and wife, who, on October 13, 1897, conveyed the same property to the carrier.

The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefor, no information can be given from its accounts in connection with its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments.

The Decatur, Chesapeake and New Orleans Railway Company[edit]

The Decatur, Chesapeake and New Orleans Railway Company was incorporated July 28, 1887, under the general laws of the State of Tennessee. It was not determined what property the company owned on the date of its demise. The property, rights, and franchises of the company were sold at a foreclosure sale January 7, 1893, to J. Edward Simmons and associates, who, on March 20, 1893, conveyed the same property to The Middle Tennessee & Alabama Railway Company. The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from the accounts in connection with the finances, operations, aids, investments, or original cost.