Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Houston and Shreveport Railroad

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The railroad of Houston and Shreveport Railroad Company, hereinafter called the Houston and Shreveport, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, extending in a northerly direction from the Texas-Louisiana State line at the Sabine River to Shreveport, La., a distance of 39.771 miles. The Houston and Shreveport also owns 6.437 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 46.208 miles of all tracks owned.

CORPORATE HISTORY

The Houston and Shreveport was incorporated September 9, 1891, under the general laws of the State of Louisiana, for the purpose of taking and holding the property and franchises of the Shreveport and Houston Railway Company, which had been incorporated for a period of 99 years.

DEVELOPMENT OF FIXED PHYSICAL PROPERTY

The road owned by the Houston and Shreveport was acquired by purchase from Joseph Richardson and M. C. Hawley, who had bought the property of the Shreveport and Houston Railway Company under foreclosure proceedings on June 2, 1890. It then consisted of a single-track, 3-foot gage, railroad, extending from Shreveport to the Sabine River, near Logansport, a distance of 39.77 miles. The Houston and Shreveport changed the gage to standard in 1894. A contract was made on June 28, 1897, for relaying the line with improved 60-pound steel rail and for reconstructing the Houston and Shreveport's half of the Sabine River bridge. The contractor completed his work about July 1, 1898. On date of valuation, the common carrier-property of the Houston and Shreveport, which in addition to a main-line mileage of 39.77 miles, includes 6.43 miles of yard tracks, sidings, and spurs, is being operated by the United States Railroad Administration.

HISTORY OF CORPORATE FINANCING

CORPORATE HISTORY

The Shreveport and Houston Railway Company was incorporated June 9, 1883, under the general laws of the State of Louisiana, for a period of 99 years. From July 25, 1885, to December 5, 1885, the property was in the hands of a receiver. On October 7, 1889, the property again went into a receivership. It was sold on June 2, 1890, under foreclosure proceedings, to Joseph Richardson and M. C. Hawley to whom title passed by deed dated July 15, 1891. On October 23, 1891, Richardson and Hawley disposed of the property to the Houston and Shreveport, which had been organized to receive it.

DEVELOPMENT OF FIXED PHYSICAL PROPERTY

The Shreveport and Houston Railway Company constructed a single-track, 3-foot gage, steam railroad between Shreveport and Logansport in the period from May 1, 1884, to October 1, 1885. Of this, 23 miles were placed in operation on May 20, 1885, and the remainder of the 39.77 miles built was placed in operation October 1, 1885.

HISTORY OF CORPORATE FINANCING

[from later valuation] The property of the Houston and Shreveport was operated by its own organization from October 23, 1891, to December 31, 1917, and from March 1, 1920, to February 28, 1927. During the period from January 1, 1918, to February 29, 1920, it was operated by the United States Railroad Administration. From March 1, 1927, to December 31, 1931, the proeprty has been operated by the carrier [T&NO] under lease, 117 I. C. C. 504.