Page images
PDF
EPUB

By Transfer

NOV 21 1916

PREFACE

One of the first official acts of this Commission was an order requiring all companies under its jurisdiction to file with the Commission all documents relative to their incorporation, fran chise rights and intercorporate relations. About 7,000 documents have thus been filed. They have proved indispensable to the Commission in performing its varied duties of regulation. Questions are continually arising in connection with the approval of new franchises, the approval of security issues, the valuation of property and the regulation of service, the solution of which are rendered easier by the data contained in this document file.

The present volume is a summary of some of the essential data relating to railroad companies. It aims to include all railroad companies that have ever been organized to operate routes within the present limits of New York City This excludes holding companies and also the New Jersey steam roads that have terminals but no operated routes within the City. Such companies are, however, included on the charts.

The volume summarizes the record of 726 companies that have been organized to operate routes within the present limits of New York City. Of these 726 companies 455 are now dead, dormant or inchoate. They are not represented in any way in the existing system of operated routes. This leaves 271 companies that are represented in the existing operated routes. Of these 271 companies, however, 195 have lost their identity by merger, foreclosure or change of name, thus leaving but 76 distinct companies in the present operated systems. Of these 76 companies 31 are operated under lease or agreement by other companies, thus leaving but 45 companies* at present operating railroad routes within the limits of New York City.

*See list pages 1444 to 1450.

The record is brought down to July 1, 1913, though in some cases documents subsequent to that date are included. The documents upon which the histories are based consist of:

1. Copies of documents filed by the companies pursuant to general orders of the Commission. These include their annual, quarterly and special reports, tariff schedules, certificates of incorporation, by-laws, extensions and abandonments of route, increases or decreases of capital stock, approval of mortgages and bond issues, consolidation and merger agreements, consents of local authorities, changes of motive power, Dock and Bridge Department permits, federal permits, consents of property owners, certificates of the Railroad Commission and judicial decrees relative thereto, deeds, mortgages, leases and other instruments of title, right-of-way maps showing title, traffic or operating agreements, and references to court decisions.

2. Copies of documents filed by the companies in proceedings before the Commission, and held in the general files.

3. Copies of documents filed by the companies pursuant to specific request from the Secretary's office.

4. Copies of documents obtained from the office of the Secretary of State. These include certificates of incorporation and amendments thereto, extensions of route, certificates of increase of capital stock, merger agreements, etc.

5. Papers filed with the Railroad Commission, on applications by the companies to that body.

6. Copies of the minutes of the franchise-granting municipalities, obtained by the Franchise Bureau of the Commission.

7. Copies of maps, deeds, leases, contracts, judgments and miscellaneous papers, obtained in like manner from the various City and County offices, and in the Federal and State courts.

8. Extracts from the minutes and papers of the various Rapid Transit boards since 1875.

On January 1, 1898, there were consolidated into the Greater New York four counties and part of a fifth, four cities, 21 towns and 15 villages, all of which, at one period or another, were possessed of the franchise-granting right. These bodies were represented as to such franchises by five boards of supervisors, 21 town

« PreviousContinue »