Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Concord and Claremont New Hampshire Railroad
Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 30
Concord and Claremont New Hampshire Railroad
[edit]Location and General Description of Property
[edit]The railroad of Concord and Claremont New Hampshire Railroad, herein referred to as the Concord and Claremont, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, situated entirely within the State of New Hampshire. The main line extends from Concord to Claremont, about 56.30 miles, and a branch extends from Contoocook to Hillsborough, about 14.60 miles, or after adjustment is made for the commission's measurements, a total of 71.561 miles of road. The Concord and Claremont also owns 13.518 miles of yard tracks and sidings, a total of 85.079 miles of all tracks. This property is operated by the carrier as lessee through the Boston and Lowell. The Boston and Lowell's lease of the property is included in its lease of the property of the Northern Railroad, which owns the entire capital stock of the Concord and Claremont.
Corporate History
[edit]The Concord and Claremont is a consolidation of Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad, the Contoocook River Railroad, and the Sugar River Railroad. This consolidation, which took place on October 31, 1873, was effected under the charter privileges of the Sugar River Railroad, as contained in the special act of New Hampshire of July 7, 1866, incorporating that company. The Concord and Claremont is controlled by the Northern Railroad through stock ownership. Its principal office is at Concord, N. H.
The corporations whose properties, rights and franchises have gone to make up the Concord and Claremont and the dates and characters of the changes in these several corporations are shown in the following table. All of these companies were incorporated under special acts of New Hampshire.
| No. | Name | Incorporation | Succession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Concord and Claremont New Hampshire Railroad. | Under charter privileges of 2, July 7, 1866. | |
| 2. | Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad. | Jan. 8, 1853. | Consolidated on Oct. 31, 1873, with 4 and 6 to form 1.1 |
| 3. | Concord and Claremont Railroad. | June 24, 1848 | Consolidated under Jan. 8, 1853, with New Hampshire Central Railroad (whose property later was sold or abandoned) to form 2. Consolidation effective May 3, 1853. |
| 4. | Contoocook River Railroad. | July 12, 1856. | Consolidated on Oct. 31, 1873, with 2 and 6 to form 1. |
| 5. | Contoocook Valley Railroad. | June 24, 1848. | Sold at public auction on Oct. 1, 1857, and conveyed by purchaser, R. N. Corning, to 4 on Oct. 29, 1858. |
| 6. | Sugar River Railroad. | July 7, 1866. | Consolidated on Oct. 31, 1873, with 2 and 4 to form 1. |
1The portion of the Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad's road that was acquired from the Concord and Claremont Railroad was surrendered on Jan. 23, 1856, to trustees of the first-mortgage bonds of that company, by whom it was operated until July 20, 1866. On this date it was sold under foreclosure for the benefit of the first-mortgage bondholders to J. A. Burnham, V. Crocker, and J. Minot, directors of the Northern Railroad. The property was operated by Burnham and others, under the Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad's charter until the consolidation mentioned above took place.
Development of Fixed Physical Property
[edit]The property owned by the Concord and Claremont on date of valuation, acquired in the consolidation of October 31, 1873, was constructed and placed in operation as follows:
| Mileage | |
|---|---|
| By Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad, constructed by the Concord and Claremont Railroad, Concord to Bradford, N. H., Sept. 1, 1849-July 10, 1850. | 27.38 |
| By Sugar River Railroad, Bradford to Claremont, N. H., Nov., 1871-Sept., 1872. | 28.92 |
| By Contoocook River Railroad, constructed by the Contoocook Valley Railroad, Contoocook to Hillsborough, N. H., Dec., 1849. | 14.60 |
| Total. | 70.90 |
The properties contributed by the Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad and the Sugar River Railroad were constructed under contract with independent contractors.
Leased Railway Property
[edit]The property of the Concord and Claremont was operated by the Boston and Lowell from July 1, 1884, to June 30, 1887, and has been operated by the carrier as lessee through the Boston and Lowell since January 1, 1888. The Lowell's lease of the property is included in its lease of the property of the Northern Railroad. The stockholders of the Northern Railroad who held stock of the Concord and Claremont, by vote of the directors of June 18, 1884, assented to the assignment of the lease. The present lease runs for a period of 99 years dating from January 1, 1890. The rental paid for the use of the property is the interest on the Concord and Claremont $500,000 of 5 per cent 20-year first-mortgage bonds. The carrier maintains the property and pays all taxes.