Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division:

An Inventory of Express companies annual reports at the Texas State Archives, 1908-1949

Agency History

The 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 that 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.

In 1891, the 22nd Legislature (by House Bill 275) placed express companies under the regulatory jurisdiction of the newly-created Railroad Commission: "Every person, firm or corporation, which shall do the business of an express company, upon railroads or otherwise, in this state, by the carrying of any kind of property, money, papers, packages or other things, are hereby declared to be common carriers." These companies were required to make full annual statements or reports to the Railroad Commission.

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. It no longer has regulatory authority over express companies.

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.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

This series consists of the annual reports of the express companies operating in Texas between 1908 and 1949. The reports of each company include such information as history, organization, officers, routes of operation, capital stock, value of express property in Texas, value of and expenditures for real property and equipment, current assets and liabilities, income account, operating revenues, operating expenses, employees and salaries, important changes during the year, and gross receipts for transportation. Between 1908 and 1916, the reporting year ended on June 30; thereafter, it ended on December 31.

The following is an alphabetical list of the express companies represented:

Adams Express Company, 1910-1918

American Express Company, 1908-1918

American Railway Express Company, 1918-1928

Electric Express and Baggage Company, 1920-1947

Empire Express Company, 1913-1916

Interurban Express and Baggage Lines, Inc., 1931-1934

Jefferson County Express Company, 1920-1924

Missouri, Kansas & Texas Transportation Company, 1931-1949

Pacific Express Company, 1908-1911

Railway and Express Company (formerly American Railway Express Company), 1929

Railway Express Agency, Incorporated, 1929-1949

Santa Fe Transport Corporation, 1935-1938

Southern Pacific Transport Company, 1931-1938

Texas and Pacific Motor Transport Company, 1929-1938

United States Express Company, 1908-1914

Wells Fargo and Company Express, 1908-1918

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None

Restrictions on Use

None

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Express companies annual reports, Transportation Division, Railroad Commission of Texas. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession number: 1990/141

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by Rail Planning/Rail Safety Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas on May 24, 1990.

Processing Information

Tony Black, October 1990

Laura K. Saegert, October 2000

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Detailed Description of the Records

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