Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Lehigh and New England Railroad

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 35

Location and General Description of Properties
The railroad of the Lehigh and New England Railroad Company, herein called the carrier, is a standard-gage, steam railroad, located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. One main line extends from Nesquehoning, Pa., southwardly to Tamaqua, Pa., and thence in a general northeasterly direction, through Pen Argyl, Pa., to Hainesburg Junction, N. J. The other main line extends from Swartswood Junction northeasterly to the New York-New Jersey State line. These two sections of main line are connected by means of trackage rights between Hainesburg Junction and Swartswood Junction. The company also has trackage rights between Pine Island Junction and Campbell Hall, N. Y., and Tamaqua and Tuscarora, Pa. Branches extend to Bethlehem, Allentown, Catasauqua, Martins Creek, Saylorsburg, and Maryd Colliery, Pa., and Sussex, N. Y. All of the above lines are single track, with the exception of 4.228 miles of road between Lansford and Tamaqua, Pa., which is double track.

The carrier owns 174.311 miles of road, all of which it uses. It also uses 8.461 miles of road owned by other carriers, of which 0.955 mile, between Hauto and Lansford, Pa., is owned by the Nesquehoning Valley Railroad Company. The remaining road, owned by lessors of the carrier, is described in the paragraphs below.

The carrier wholly owns and uses 291.514 miles of all tracks and wholly uses but does not own 10.507 miles of all tracks. These tracks, consisting of the first main track, second main track, and yard tracks and sidings, are classified in the trackage table in Appendix 1.

Introductory
The carrier is a corporation of the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, having its principal office at Philadelphia, Pa. It is controlled by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, through ownership of a majority of its capital stock. On the other hand, the carrier controls through ownership of a majority of its capital stock the Campbell Hall Connecting Railroad Company, and through ownership of its entire capital stock the Pochuck Railroad Company. The common-carrier properties of these two companies are operated in connection with the property of the carrier.

From the date of its acquisition until December 31, 1896, the property of the carrier was operated by other carriers; that portion extending from Swartswood Junction, N. J., to Liberty Corners, N. Y., being operated by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad Company, and that portion extending from Hainesburg Junction, N. J., to Slatington, Pa., being operated by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company. From January 1, 1897, to December 31, 1917, it operated its own property with the exception of the period October 14, 1904, to March 4, 1905, when certain property it had acquired from the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company and the Lehigh and Delaware Railroad Company was operated by the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey. On January 1, 1918, the common-carrier property of the carrier was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration, which still operates it on date of valuation.

Corporate History
The carrier was incorporated May 2, 1895, under the general laws of the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, for the purpose of acquiring the property, rights, and franchises of the Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad Company. Pursuant to the above purpose, the carrier acquired at its organization the property, rights, and franchises of the corporation named and also the properties, rights, and franchises of several other corporations. The carrier, itself, and those corporations, together with their predecessors, total 12 different corporations, of which two underwent a change of name, and comprise the line of corporate succession culminating in the carrier as at present constituted. The following chart shows the names of the corporations, the respective dates 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.

Development of Fixed Physical Property
The owned mileage of the carrier, amounting to 174.311 miles, was acquired as follows: Of the 11 corporations that comprise the line of succession culminating in the carrier as at present constituted, five corporations did not construct any road or other common-carrier property. These companies were: The property constructed by the remaining corporations, the years when the 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:
 * Pennsylvania and New England Railroad Company, New Jersey Division.
 * Delaware and Slatington Railroad Company.
 * Lehigh and Delaware Railroad Company.
 * Bethlehem Railroad Company.
 * Panther Creek Railroad Company.

Leased Railway Property
The carrier used facilities owned by other companies and other companies used facilities owned by the carrier on December 31, 1917, as indicated in the statement below. The description of the property, the period and terms of use, and the rentals paid or received during the year ending December 31, 1917, are as follows:

Lessor Companies

 * Campbell Hall Connecting Railroad
 * Pochuck Railroad

Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad
Introductory

The records reviewed did not indicate that this company was controlled by any individual or corporation on January 30, 1895, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, that it controlled any common-carrier corporation.

The property of this company was operated by its own organization from January 1, 1890, until the receivership, February 17, 1891. From that date until April 30, 1892, it was operated by receivers. From May 1, 1892, to July 31, 1893, it was operated by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, as agent. From August 1, 1893, until the date of its demise, that part of its property known as the Pennsylvania Division, which comprised approximately 24.90 miles, was operated by the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, and that part known as the New Jersey Division, which comprised approximately 22 miles, was operated by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad Company.

The only accounting records of the Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad Company obtained, were those for the period from November, 1889, to February 17, 1891. For that reason only partial information can be given from the accounts in connection with the finances, operations, or investments. Certain information indicated hereafter, pertaining to the period, February 18, 1891, to the date of demise, was taken from annual reports to this commission and from other sources.

The railroad owned by the Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad Company on the date of demise aggregated 46.90 miles of single-track, standard gage, steam railroad, located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Its main line, aggregated approximately 43.90 miles, and consisted of three disconnected sections, namely: Slatington to Benders Junction, Pa.; Wind Gap, Pa., to Hainesburg Junction, N. J.; and Swartswood Junction, N. J., to Liberty Corners, N. Y. Its branch line projected from Slate Valley to Hower's Quarries, Pa., approximately 3 miles.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

Of the 46.90 miles of road owned by the Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad Company on the date of its demise, it had acquired approximately 18.30 miles from the Pennsylvania, Slatington and New England Railroad Company, 6 miles from the Slate Valley Railroad Company, and approximately 33.36 miles were acquired by construction. There were several abandonments and revisions of road by the Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad Company aggregating approximately 10.76 miles. Details with respect to the construction of this property are given in the chapter on development of fixed physical property of the carrier.

Slate Valley Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. Certain information stated below was obtained from the accounting records of the Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston Railroad Company. The records reviewed did not indicate whether the Slate Valley Railroad Company was controlled by any individual or corporation on January 19, 1891, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation. The company owned on the date of its demise approximately 6 miles of railroad, extending from Lockport to Hower's Quarries, Pa. The property was all acquired by construction, performed under contract by Smart and Company of Philadelphia, Pa.

Pennsylvania, Slatington and New England Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. Certain information stated below was obtained from the return of the carrier to Valuation Order No. 20 — Corporate History. The records reviewed did not indicate whether the company was controlled by any individual or corporation on June 28, 1887, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation. The railroad of the Pennsylvania, Slatington and New England Railroad Company was in course of construction on the date of demise of that company. Two sections, one extending from Portland to Wind Gap, Pa., approximately 13.20 miles, and the other extending from Sussex to Pellettown, N. J., approximately 5.10 miles, had been completed. The property of the company was placed in the hands of a receiver on June 9, 1885, and thereafter the construction of the road was practically suspended.

Pennsylvania and New England Railroad Company-New Jersey Division, Originally Named South Mountain and Boston Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings or investments. Certain information stated below was obtained from the return of the carrier to Valuation Order No. 20, Corporate History. The records reviewed did not indicate whether the Pennsylvania and New England Railroad Company-New Jersey Division was controlled by any individual or corporation on July 7, 1882, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, whether it con trolled any common-carrier corporation. The railroad which this company proposed to construct was to extend from a point on the Pennsylvania-New Jersey State line, near Portland, Pa., through Warren and Sussex Counties, N. J., to the New Jersey-New York State line. Right of way, between Baleville and the Walkill River, N. J., and in the vicinity of Swartswood Junction, N. J., was acquired, but only a small part of the construction work had been performed at the date of demise of the company.

Delaware and Slatington Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings or investments. Certain information stated below was obtained from the return of the carrier to Valuation Order No. 20, Corporate History. The records reviewed did not indicate whether the Delaware and Slatington Railroad Company was controlled by any individual or corporation on July 7, 1882, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation. The railroad which this company proposed to construct was to extend from a point near Portland, to Slatington, Pa. Right of way between Bangor Junction and Portland was acquired, but only a small part of the construction work had been performed at the date of demise of the company.

Northampton Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings or investments. However, certain information stated below was obtained from its minute book, and from the return of the carrier to Valuation Order No. 20, Corporate History. The records reviewed did not indicate whether the Northampton Railroad Company was controlled by any individual or corporation on September 28, 1903, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation. Construction was begun by the Northampton Railroad Company shortly after the date of its incorporation, September 3, 1901. The railroad, as projected, was to extend from a point on the Martin's Creek branch of the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, near the west bank of the Delaware River, to a point near the borough of Bath, located entirely in the State of Pennsylvania, and at the date of demise had not been completed.

Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. However, certain data stated below were obtained from its minute book, from reports on file with this commission and from the return of the carrier to Valuation Order No. 20, Corporate History. The Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company was controlled on October 14, 1904, the date of its demise, by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company through ownership of capital stock. On the other hand, the records reviewed did not indicate that it controlled any common-carrier corporation.

This company owned on the date of its demise approximately 7.86 miles of single-track, standard-gage steam railroad all in the State of Pennsylvania. Its main line extended from a point near Wind Gap, to Bangor, approximately 4 miles, and its branch line projected from Saylorsburg Junction to Lake Poponoming, approximately 3.86 miles. The above-described railroad was all acquired by construction.

The property of the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company was leased to the Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company in April, 1883, and was operated by that company until April 2, 1888. On the last-mentioned date the property was leased to the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey and it was operated by that company during the remaining life of the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company.

The Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company was the lessee of 1 1/6 miles of railroad located in Northampton County, Pa., for a period of 999 years, from July 31, 1891. This property was leased from the Harrisburg and New England Railroad Company and the Harrisburg and Delaware River Railroad Company, who appear to have been the joint owners thereof. The rent payable for use of the property was stipulated to be $1 per annum, but, under an agreement bearing the same date as the agreement for lease, the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company was exempted from the payment of any rent.

In connection with the 1 1/6 miles of railroad mentioned above, the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company was the possessor of a lien of $1,920 on that property. This lien was the result of a judgment obtained by an individual for damages to his property caused by the construction of the railroad. The judgment was assigned to the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company by the holder on August 27, 1891.

Lehigh and Delaware Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. However, certain data indicated below were obtained from the records of the carrier.

The company was controlled on October 14, 1904, the date of its demise, by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company through ownership of its capital stock. On the other hand, the records reviewed did not indicate that it controlled any common-carrier corporation.

The property of the company was operated by the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey under lease, from the date it was acquired from Lewis A. Riley, July 8, 1904, until the date of demise. The Lehigh and Delaware Railroad Company owned on the date of its demise approximately 26.26 miles of single-track railroad extending from Bethlehem to Wind Gap, Pa., all of which was acquired from Lewis A. Riley, who had purchased it at a foreclosure sale on June 13, 1904, from the Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company.

Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad, Originally Named Bethlehem Railroad
The accounting records of the company were not obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. However, certain data indicated below were obtained from its minute book, from its report to this commission for the year ended June 30, 1904, and from the return of the carrier to Valuation Order No. 20, Corporate History.

The records reviewed did not indicate whether the Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company was controlled by any individual or corporation on July 8, 1904, the date of its demise, nor, on the other hand, whether it controlled any common-carrier corporation.

The Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company owned on the date of its demise approximately 26.26 miles of single-track, standard-gage railroad, between Bethlehem and Wind Gap, Pa., all of which was acquired by construction.

A contract was entered into on September 7, 1863, with William R. Moffitt for the construction of the road between Bethlehem and Bath, Pa., at a price of $7,000 per mile, payable $2,000 in cash and $5,000 in stock. After some work had been done the contract was assigned to Charles Brodhead, Augustus Wolle, and William Chapman. Brodhead and Wolle were, respectively, the president and treasurer of the company, and also, were two of its directors. Those men, with the aid of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, completed the grading work between Chapman's Quarries and Wind Gap, approximately 10 miles. The laying of ties and rails on that part of the road was performed by Charles Brodhead under contract, and was completed on August 12, 1878. Another contract was made with the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company on January 5, 1867, for the completion of the road to Bath, and a supplemental agreement was made with the same company on March 9, 1867, for extension of the road from Bath to Chapman. That part of the road between Bethlehem and Chapman's Quarries was completed on November 28, 1867, and the entire road was opened for traffic on August 14, 1878.

The property of the Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company was leased to the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company under an agreement, dated January 23, 1867, for 99 years. A supplemental agreement, dated March 13, 1867, was made, and operation of the property was begun on January 16, 1868, by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, and conducted by that company until March 31, 1871, when the property was leased to the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey and operated by it until May 29, 1883, subject to the terms of the first-mentioned agreement. The agreement was then modified and the lease was transferred to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, which operated the property until December 31, 1886. The Central Railroad Company of New Jersey again acquired the property for operation on January 1, 1887, through court proceedings, and continued the operation thereof during the remaining life of the Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company, with the exception of the period from February 12 to August, 1892, during which it was operated by the Port Reading Railroad Company as lessee of the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey. There were several modifications of the agreements mentioned above. The final agreement, dated August 17, 1893, provided for a rental equivalent to 21 per cent of the gross receipts, or a minimum of $1,500 per month. This rental included the properties of the Lehigh and Lackawanna Railroad Company and the Wind Gap and Delaware Railroad Company.

Panther Creek Railroad
The Panther Creek Railroad Company was organized by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company for the purpose of acquiring and operating certain railroad property, known as the Panther Creek Railroad, of which the last mentioned company was the owner.

The company was controlled on November 28, 1913, the date of its demise, by the carrier through ownership of capital stock. On the other hand, the records reviewed did not indicate that it controlled any common-carrier corporation. The property of this company was operated by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, from the date it was acquired from that company until November 28, 1913, the date of demise.

The Panther Creek Railroad Company owned on the date of its demise approximately 19.86 miles of single-track railroad, located entirely in the State of Pennsylvania. Its main line consisted of two disconnected parts, one extending from a point near Nesquehoning, to a connection with the tracks of the Nesquehoning Valley Railroad Company at Hauto; the other extended from a connection with the tracks of the same company at Lansford to Tamaqua. The length of its main line aggregated approximately 5 miles. Its numerous branch lines aggregated approximately 14.86 miles. The entire 19.86 miles of road owned by the company on the date of its demise had been acquired through purchase from the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, under deed, dated September 26, 1913. Details with respect to the construction of this property are given in the chapter on development of fixed physical property in the report on the carrier.

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The deed, dated September 26, 1913, under which the above-mentioned property of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company was conveyed to the Panther Creek Railroad Company, also conveyed the right, title, and interest of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company to exclusive use of the Nesquehoning Tunnel, (property of the Nesquehoning Valley Railroad Company), for the term expiring on November 3, 2867. This right passed to the carrier in its acquisition of property of the Panther Creek Railroad Company.

Crane Railroad
The Crane Railroad Company was controlled on November 30, 1914, the date of its demise, by the carrier, through ownership of capital stock. On the other hand, the records reviewed did not indicate that it controlled any common-carrier corporation. The property of this company was operated by the Crane Iron Works and affiliated companies from the date it was acquired to the date of demise. The railroad owned by the Crane Railroad Company consisted of 3.31 miles of standard-gage tracks located in the borough of Catasauqua, Pa., and vicinity, of which 1.90 miles had been acquired from the Crane Iron Works and 1.41 miles by construction. Further details with respect to the construction of this property are given in the chapter on development of fixed physical property in the report on the carrier.