Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Natchez and Louisiana Railway Transfer Company

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 40

Natchez and Louisiana Railway Transfer

Location and General Description of Property

The Natchez and Louisiana Railway Transfer Company is a carrier by water. It owns and operates certain floating equipment for transferring locomotives and cars across the Mississippi River between Vidalia, La., and Natchez, Miss. In addition to its floating equipment, this company owns an incline and cradle at each point of call upon which are located 0.638 mile of main line, standard-gage tracks, of which 0.341 mile is in Louisiana and 0.297 mile is in Mississippi.

The Natchez and Louisiana Railway Transfer Company is controlled by the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and provides important transfer facilities for that company and other connecting carriers.

Introductory

This company is a corporation of Pennsylvania, having its corporate office at Titusville, Pa., and its general administrative office at St. Louis, Mo. It is controlled by the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company through stock ownership. The records reviewed do not indicate that this company controls any common carrier corporation.

The property of this company was operated by its own organization from November, 1900, to February 20, 1917. From that date to December 31, 1917, it was operated jointly by the Louisiana & Arkansas Railway Company, the Natchez & Southern Railway Company, The Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad Company, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and its predecessor, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Company, as agents for this company. From January 1, 1918, to date of valuation, it was operated by the United States Railroad Administration.

The original books of account which had been kept for this company were discontinued as of April 30, 1905, when control passed to the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Company through acquisition of all of the outstanding capital stock. In May, 1905, a new set of books were opened, the first entry therein being based on the par value of the capital stock outstanding.

Corporate History

The company was incorporated October 31, 1900, under the general laws of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of transferring freight and passengers across the Mississippi River at or near Vidalia, La., and Natchez, Miss., by means of boats or barges and to make connections by inclines with railroads and industries.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The incline and tracks and cradles, 0.341 mile on the Louisiana side and 0.297 mile on the Mississippi side of the Mississippi River, were acquired by construction in November, 1900. The records reviewed do not indicate whether the work was done by the forces of this company or by others.