Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Findlay Belt Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 28

Location and General Description of Property
The railroad of The Findlay Belt Railway Company, herein called the Findlay Belt Railway, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, located in the northwestern part of Ohio. The owned mileage is at Findlay, and the road is 0.777 mile in length. It also owns yard and sidetracks totaling 0.139 mile. Its road thus embraces 0.916 mile of all tracks owned. All of the property is leased to and operated by the Big Four.

Introductory
The only obtainable record of the Findlay Belt Railway consists of a cash book, covering the period from April, 1887, to November, 1892, and a book of the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors and stockholders covering the period from April, 1887, to April, 1913. The information incorporated in this report regarding the Findlay Belt Railway's financial affairs and investments, and the results from the operation of its property, was obtained from these records, the records of the Big Four, and the returns filed by the Findlay Belt Railway in response to the several valuation orders.

Corporate History
The Findlay Belt Railway was incorporated on April 1, 1887, under the general laws of Ohio for the purpose of constructing a railroad in and around the village of Findlay, Ohio. The principal office is at Findlay, Ohio.

The records do not show the manner in which this property was constructed, except that a minute book of the company indicates that the construction work was commenced in June, 1890, and the road, as originally constructed, was put in operation about May, 1891. Most of the road originally constructed was taken up.

Leased Railway Property
The property of the Findlay Belt Railway has been operated by the Big Four by virtue of corporate control through stock ownership, without any formally executed agreement, from the date the road was placed in operation to date of valuation.