Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 34

The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of The Wichita Falls & Northwestern Railway Company, herein called the Wichita Falls & Northwestern, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, located in western Oklahoma. The main line extends northwesterly from the Red River at the Oklahoma-Texas State line, near Devol, to Forgan, a distance of 286.479 miles, with a branch line extending from a connection with the main line at Altus westerly to the Oklahoma-Texas State line, near Otex, 41.899 miles, aggregating 328.378 miles of first main track. The company also owns 42.778 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 371.156 miles of all tracks wholly owned and used.

In addition, the Wichita Falls & Northwestern jointly owns and uses with another carrier 0.434 undivided mile of sidetracks, its portion thereof, based on ownership, being 0.217 mile.

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern has connections at the Oklahoma-Texas State line with the lines of subsidiary Texas corporations whose properties are operated by an affiliated Texas corporation. The lines owned by the Wichita Falls & Northwestern and its subsidiaries afford continuous service from Wichita Falls and other points in Texas to Forgan, Okla., and from Altus, Okla., to Wellington, Tex. These lines form an important link in the system of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company which controls the Wichita Falls & Northwestern.

Introductory

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern is a corporation of the State of Oklahoma, having its principal office at Altus, Okla.

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern is controlled by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company through ownership of its entire capital stock, except directors' shares.

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern was controlled by J. A. Kemp and Frank Kell of Wichita Falls, Tex., until July, 1911, through ownership of its entire capital stock. Kemp and Kell also controlled the Texas and Oklahoma Construction Company of Wichita Falls, Tex., which constructed under various contracts part of the Wichita Falls & Northwestern and affiliated lines. In July, 1911, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company acquired the controlling interests of Kemp and Kell.

On the other hand, the Wichita Falls & Northwestern controls, through ownership of their entire capital stock, except directors' shares, The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway Company of Texas, The Wichita Falls Railway Company and the Wichita Falls and Wellington Railway Company of Texas, whose several common-carrier properties are operated under lease by The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company of Texas.

The property of the Wichita Falls & Northwestern was operated by its own organization from date of completion to May 31, 1917, by a receiver from June 1, 1917, to December 31, 1917, and by the United States Railroad Administration from January 1, 1918, to date of valuation.

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern and The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway Company of Texas were, on January 1, 1909, combined into one operating unit under the operation of the Wichita Falls & Northwestern. In March, 1910, the Wichita Falls & Northwestern leased for sole operation the properties of the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma and the Wichita Falls and Wellington Railway Company of Texas. The operation of the four companies mentioned was continued as one operating unit until May 1, 1914, when the lines in the State of Texas were leased to The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company of Texas.

Corporate History

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern was incorporated October 5, 1906, under the general laws of the Territory of Oklahoma, for the purpose of constructing and operating a railroad from a point on the Red River southwest of Lawton, Okla., to a point at or near Englewood, Kans., about 375 miles. Amended articles of incorporation were filed with the secretary of State for Oklahoma, on January 10, 1912, for the purpose of including the property of the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma, which had been acquired by the Wichita Falls & Northwestern.

Through a deed of conveyance dated August 23, 1911, the Wichita Falls & Northwestern acquired the property, rights, and franchises of the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma, which had been incorporated February 18, 1910, under the general laws of the State of Oklahoma. This company is the only predecessor of the Wichita Falls & Northwestern.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The wholly owned mileage of the Wichita Falls & Northwestern is 328.378 miles, of which 41.90 miles was purchased from the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma and 286.478 was constructed by the Wichita Falls & Northwestern. The years when the various portions of the line were constructed are indicated in the following table.

		Recorded mileage
Acquired by construction:
Texas-Oklahoma State line at Red River near Devol to Grandfield, Okla., 1907.	9.10
Grandfield to Frederick Junction, Okla., 1907.	23.68
Frederick Junction to Frederick, Okla., 1907.	.69
Frederick Junction to Mangum, Okla., 1910.	46.37
Mangum to Elk City, Okla., 1910.	38.94
Elk City to Hammon, Okla., 1911.	18.00
Hammon to Leedy, Okla., 1911.	18.00
Leedy to Woodward, Okla., 1912.	48.33
Woodward to Forgan, Okla., 1912.	83.67
		286.78
Acquired from the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma, August 23, 1911, constructed by that company, Altus (Wellington Junction) to Oklahoma-Texas State line, 1910.		41.90
Total.		328.68
Difference between total recorded mileage and mileage inventoried as of date of valuation.		.302
Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation.		328.378

In addition to the above, the Wichita Falls & Northwestern owns equally with The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway Company 0.434 mile of yard tracks and sidings at Mangum, Okla., the details concerning the construction of which were not determined.

In the construction of the road built for the Wichita Falls & Northwestern, the line extending from the Texas-Oklahoma State line at Red River to Hammon was constructed under contracts by the Texas and Oklahoma Construction Company of Wichita Falls, Tex., affiliated contractors, and the line extending from Hammon to Forgan was constructed under contract with J. A. Kemp and Frank Kell of Wichita Falls, Tex.

Leased Railway Property

The Wichita Falls & Northwestern uses on date of valuation facilities owned by other companies and other companies use facilities owned by the Wichita Falls & Northwestern to a minor extent. For the year ended December 31, 1917, joint-facility rents receivable from joint use of station facilities at Frederick, Elk City, Woodward, and Altus, Okla., amounted to $1,248, while joint-facility rents payable for joint use of station facilities at Mangum, Okla., amounted to $14.55.

Predecessor Company

Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma

Introductory

The Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma was incorporated February 18, 1910, in the State of Oklahoma. No accounting records of this company were obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. However, certain data given below were obtained from its minute book and from the records of the Wichita Falls & Northwestern.

The Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma was controlled on August 23, 1911, the date of sale, by the Wichita Falls & Northwestern through ownership of the entire outstanding capital stock. On the other hand, the records reviewed do not indicate that this company then controlled any common-carrier corporation.

The property of the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma was operated by the Wichita Falls & Northwestern, as lessee, from the date of completion to date of sale.

The railroad owned by the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma on date of sale consisted of a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, extending from Altus, Okla., to the Oklahoma-Texas State line, 41.90 miles.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The entire road owned by the Altus, Wichita Falls and Hollis Railway Company of Oklahoma on date of sale was acquired by construction during 1910. The construction work was performed by the Texas and Oklahoma Construction Company, affiliated contractors.