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Railroad Commission of Texas, Rail Division:An Inventory of Annual reports of railroad companies at the Texas State Archives, 1859-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-1996
Agency HistoryThe Texas Railroad Commission had its origin in the demands of the shipping public in the late 1880s that insisted that railroads be subject to regulation based on public interest. An advocate for government regulation, Attorney General James Stephen Hogg, ran for Governor in 1890 with the issue of railroad regulation as the focal point of the campaign. Hogg was elected Governor in the general election and the voters also approved an amendment to Article X, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution that empowered the Legislature to enact statutes creating regulatory agencies. These elections paved the way for the Legislature to enact on April 3, 1891 "An Act to Establish a Railroad Commission of the State of Texas," that later was placed in the Texas Revised Civil Statutes under article 6444 et seq. (House Bills 1, 3, and 58, 22nd Legislature, Regular Session). The Commission originally consisted of three members appointed by the Governor for three year terms. Governor Hogg appointed the first three Commissioners in 1891 including John H. Reagan, who resigned as U.S. Senator from Texas to serve as the first Chairman. The Texas Constitution, Article XIX, Section 30 was amended in 1894 to provide for elective six year overlapping terms for the Commissioners. John H. Reagan was elected the same year and served until his retirement in 1903. The Texas Railroad Commission was the first regulatory agency created in the State of Texas and originally had jurisdiction over the rates and operations of railroads, terminals, wharves and express companies. The legal focus was on intrastate passenger and freight activities. Interstate jurisdiction fell under the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission. For the first twenty-five years of its existence, the Railroad Commission was largely concerned with regulating railroads, setting rates, receiving complaints, and making investigations. As other controversies arose where the Legislature deemed that the public interest could best be served by regulation, additional duties were assigned to the Railroad Commission. The Commission's authority over railroads diminished over the latter half of the twentieth century. The Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 vested rail safety responsibilities in the Federal Railroad Administration. In 1980, the Federal Staggers Rail Act largely eliminated the Commission's responsibility for setting rates for intrastate railroads. By 1984, the Commission ceased its role in the economic regulation of the Texas rail industry. Regulatory powers over rail safety were granted to the agency in 1985 when the 69th Legislature authorized the Commission to implement a rail safety program in conjunction with the Federal Railroad Administration Act of 1970 (Senate Bill 444, Regular Session). The Railroad Commission today regulates the oil and gas industry to prevent the waste of resources and to protect property rights and the environment. It oversees hazardous materials pipelines and natural gas pipelines and distribution systems as well as propane, butane, compressed natural gas, and liquefied natural gas. The Commission licenses and conducts seminars for dealers and their employees. It also oversees railroad safety and rail planning; surface mining for coal, uranium, and iron ore gravel; and land reclamation when mining is complete. Four divisions have regulatory functions: the Gas Services Division, the Oil and Gas Division, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, and the Rail Division. The Office of the General Counsel's Enforcement Section has enforcement powers, and the Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division has research and education functions. Support divisions include the Public Information Office, Personnel, Finance and Administration, Information Technology Services, Intergovernmental Affairs, and the Office of Internal Audit. The three Commissioners direct the operations of the agency. Legal authority for the Railroad Commission is the Texas Constitution, Article X, Sec. 2 and Article XVI, Sec. 30; and the V.T.C.A., Natural Resources Code, Chapter 81. The Rail Division is responsible for checking equipment and track, railroad and signal operations, and hazardous material handling; conducting investigations of accidents and complaints concerning railroads; and securing federal funds to improve branch lines and preserve rail service to rural areas. The Division enforces rules aimed at removing obstructions on railroad rights-of-way and operates a crossing safety education program. There are two main sections in this division - Rail Safety and Rail Planning. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Contents of the RecordsThese are annual reports of railroad companies. Dates covered are 1859-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-1996. Railroad companies operating in the State of Texas were required by law to prepare annual reports concerning their activities beginning in 1853. Legislation approved February 7, 1853, entitled, "An Act to Regulate Railroad Companies," designated the Comptroller of Public Accounts as the receiver of such reports. Railroad companies continued to file annual reports with the Comptroller until 1894. The act creating the Railroad Commission in 1891 gave the Commission authority to elicit information in the form of a report. Comprehensive annual reports encompassing a wide range of subjects were soon required of all companies operating lines within the State. The first reports filed with the Railroad Commission, known as the Circular Number 22 reports, were filed in 1891. Each report details the company's organization, operation, and financial condition. Data present may include the names of officers, directors, and stockholders; incorporation and organizational structure; capital stock; funded debt; property owned or leased; cost of road, equipment, and permanent improvements; operating expenses; income account; stocks and bonds owned; earnings from operations; rentals received; employees and salaries; number of passengers; amount of freight transported; mileage of track operated; and injuries to persons or other accidents. Most of the reports cover the company's operations for the calendar year. A few of the earlier reports cover partial year operations. In later years, the large Class I railroads began submitting copies of their reports prepared for the Interstate Commerce Commission to the Railroad Commission to fulfill the reporting requirements. These ICC reports generally include a separate statistical report compiled by the company for the Railroad Commission, titled State Statistics. The smaller (Classes II and III) railroads annual reports were prepared primarily on RRC forms, though some companies used the ICC reporting forms instead. Recent changes in federal law removed the requirement that rail companies file the annual reports with the Railroad Commission. Staff at the Railroad Commission believe the larger companies will continue to file reports. These records have been appraised and processed. A list of the railroad company reports is in a database accessible through the website of the Library and Archives Commission at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/findingaids/rrannualintro.html. A printed list in alphabetical order and one in chronological order is also available in the search room of the Archives and Information Services Division. Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents RestrictionsRestrictions on AccessNone Restrictions on UseThe large bound volume containing reports to the Comptroller for 1891 is in fragile condition and cannot be photocopied. Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents Related Material
Return to the Table of Contents Administrative InformationPreferred Citation:Annual reports of railroad companies, Rail Division, Railroad Commission of Texas. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Accession InformationAccession numbers: 1936/002, 1941/007, 1961/046, 1963/173, 1971/152, 1971/165, 1990/141, 2000/078, 2000/139, 2001/024, and 2001/025 These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Governor's Office on October 8, 1936; by the Comptroller's Office on March 19, 1942; and by the Railroad Commission on May 9, 1962; May 1964; August 6 and 23, 1971; May 24, 1990; December 16, 1999; and April 12, 2000. Accession numbers were also assigned for purposes of control on October 9, 2000. Processing InformationPaul Beck, July 1986 Tony Black, October 1990 Laura K. Saegert, October 2000 AccrualsThe Railroad Commission is expected to continue transfering the annual reports of railroad companies every 3-4 years. Return to the Table of Contents |
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