Railroad Commission of Texas: An Overview of Records at the Texas State Archives, 1836-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-2001 (bulk 1891-1996)


Overview
	Creator:	Railroad Commission of Texas.
	Title:	Records
	Dates:	1836-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-2001
	Dates:	(bulk 1891-1996)
	Abstract:	Records consist of minutes, correspondence, original orders, docket files, hearing files, reports, tariffs, oil and gas statistics, maps and plats, surveys, photographs, and other records. Dates covered are 1836-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-2001, the bulk dating 1891-1996. Files are present from most of the divisions of the Railroad Commission of Texas, including the old Main and Transportation Division, which eventually became the Rail Division; the Oil and Gas Division; and the Gas Services Division (formerly the Gas Utilities Division); the Surface Mining and Reclamation Division; and the Motor Transportation Division, now a part of the Texas Department of Transportation. Topics covered in these files include regulation and operation of railroads, including railroad companies annual operations, rail company mergers, rail construction, and freight and passenger rates; oil and gas activities, including the issuance of orders governing the drilling of oil and gas wells and the operation of the fields; oil and gas conservation and safety, including spacing of wells; disposal of oil and gas waste and pollution cleanup efforts; natural gas issues, include rate hearings, deregulation, and odorization of natural gas; reclamation of abandoned mine lands; and issuance of permits or certificates of convenience to operate commercial motor vehicles on public highways.
	Quantity:	1182.96 cubic ft., 297 microfilm rolls, processed;
	Quantity:	78 cubic ft., 59 microfilm rolls, 119 microfiche, unprocessed
	Location:	Please note that the oversize exhibits in the Special permits and Rule 37 case files are stored at the Texas State Records Center. Records requested before 10:00 a.m. will usually be available by 4:00 p.m. the same day. Records requested after 10:00 a.m. and before 3:00 p.m will usually be available by noon the next day.
	Location:	Most of the Gas utility company annual financial reports are in off-site storage at the State Records Center on master negative microfilm. This film is unique and fragile and requires that a duplicate use copy be made of any reel that a researcher wishes to view. A duplicate use copy can be made at the researcher's expense. Arrangements for duplication and prepayment need to be made with the State and Local Records Management Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
	Repository:

Agency History

The Railroad Commission of Texas had its origin in the demands of the shipping public in the late 1880s which insisted that railroads be subject to regulation based on public interest. An advocate for governmental 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. That same year John H. Reagan was elected 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 Railroad Commission's authority was broadened beginning in 1917 with the passage of the Pipeline Petroleum Law, Senate Bill 68, 35th Legislature, Regular Session, that declared pipelines to be common carriers like railroads and placed them under the Commission's jurisdiction. This was the first act to designate the Railroad Commission as the agency to administer conservation laws relating to oil and gas.

The Commission's regulatory and enforcement powers in oil and gas were increased by Senate Bill 350 of the 36th Legislature, Regular Session, the Oil and Gas Conservation Law, effective June 18, 1919. This act gave the Railroad Commission jurisdiction to regulate the production of oil and gas. Acting upon this legislation, the Commission adopted in 1919 the first statewide rules regulating the oil and gas industry to promote conservation and safety, including Rule 37. This rule requires minimum distances between wells at drilling sites in order to protect field pressure and correlative rights.

The Gas Utilities Act of 1920, House Bill 11, 36th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, gave the Commission regulatory and rate authority over individuals and businesses producing, transporting, or distributing natural gas in Texas. In 1937, following a large natural gas explosion in a school in New London, Texas, the 45th Legislature passed legislation giving the Railroad Commission the authority to adopt rules and regulations pertaining to the odorization of natural gas or liquefied petroleum gases (House Bill 1017, Regular Session). The passage of the Public Regulatory Act of 1975 (PURA), House Bill 819, 64th Legislature, Regular Session, required certain state regulatory agencies, including the Commission, to set the overall revenues of a utility based on its "cost of service."

Regulation of liquefied petroleum was added to the Commission's responsibilities in 1939 by House Bill 792, 46th Legislature, Regular Session. The legislation authorized the Commission to adopt and enforce safety rules and standards in the storage, handling, transportation, and odorization of butane or LP-gases. Regulation of compressed natural gas was added to the Railroad Commission's responsibilities in 1983 (Senate Bill 617, 68th Legislature, Regular Session).

The Motor Bus Law of 1927, House Bill 50, 40th Legislature, Regular Session, and the Motor Carrier Law of 1929, House Bill 654, 41st Legislature, Regular Session, extended the Commission's regulatory powers to commercial transportation of persons and property on state highways. Motor transportation activities were handled by the Motor Transportation Division. In 1995, following federal deregulation of motor carriers, the 74th Legislature eliminated the Commission's authority to regulate commercial carriers involved in intrastate transport and transferred the remaining responsibilities related to commercial carriers (motor carrier registration, insurance verification, and safety) to the Texas Department of Transportation (Senate Bill 971, Regular Session), and the Department of Public Safety (Senate Bill 3, Regular Session).

The Texas Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975, Senate Bill 55, 64th Legislature, Regular Session, authorized the Commission to regulate the exploration for and surface mining of coal, lignite, and uranium within the state and to oversee the reclamation of lands disturbed by surface mining operations. In 1991, the 72nd Legislature, Regular Session, passed House Bill 451, the Texas Aggregate Quarry and Pit Safety Act, that authorized the Commission to regulate quarry and pit operations.

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 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, 69th Legislature, Regular Session).

The Railroad Commission 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 oil and gas 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.

The Gas Services Division works to ensure that a continuous safe supply of gas is available to Texas consumers at the lowest, reasonable rates. The division establishes rates and services that are fair and reasonable for gas utilities and their customers; enforces those rates; maintains safety standards in the gas and hazardous liquids pipeline systems throughout the state by inspection and investigation of any hazards or accidents; oversees intrastate gathering and storage services; and adopts and maintains adequate safety rules and standards in the handling, transportation, and odorization of LP-gases (liquefied petroleum gases) for dealers, handlers, and consumers. It further regulates propane and compressed natural gas by requiring anyone working with these gases to pass a written qualifying exam administered by the Commission. The division also focuses on regulatory policy and analysis as well as identifying and eliminating natural gas transportation problems. There are four main sections in this division - Audit, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Pipeline Safety, and Regulatory and Analysis.

The Oil and Gas Division works to prevent the waste of oil, gas, and geothermal resources and to prevent the pollution of fresh water from oil and gas operations. The division holds statewide hearings on market demand and provides for equitable production among operators by establishing monthly production allowables. It issues drilling permits, reviews and approves oil and gas well completions, collects data on oil and gas operations, and promotes public safety. It also protects underground drinking water through regulation of the underground injection of fluids in oil field operations, a program approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. It oversees well plugging operations, site remediation, underground hydrocarbon storage, hazardous waste management, and maintains a large amount of data on wells - their location, production, etc. The division also investigates complaints and conducts other investigations. This division maintains 10 district offices where field enforcement and support personnel monitor oil and gas operations. The commission does not have the authority to set oil and gas prices at the wellhead. The departments within the Oil and Gas Division are: Administration, Permitting/Production Services, Information Management Services, Environmental Services, Compliance, and the Oil Field Cleanup Operations Unit, which includes Site Remediation and Special Response, and Well Plugging.

The Surface Mining and Reclamation Division oversees the exploration of and surface mining for coal, uranium, and iron ore gravel and the reclamation of land disturbed by surface mining operations. It also conducts a program for reclaiming lands that were mined before 1975 and left unrestored. Companies must have a permit from the commission for each mining site operated in the state. Before permits are issued, the companies must submit a performance bond that will provide funds for reclamation if the company fails to do an adequate reclamation job. The division also studies mining sites to ensure the mining will not harm the quality or quantity of water in the area. It determines which abandoned mines pose the greatest threat to public health and safety and the environment, and designs a reclamation plan to address the greatest problems. Private contractors are used to do the reclamation.

Railroad regulation was initially overseen by the Main Office, later the Main and Transportation Division, then the Transportation Division. The division charged with rail responsibilities today is the Rail Division. This 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.

The Office of the General Counsel is the enforcement branch of the agency. It provides legal support through five sections: Enforcement, Gas Utilities and LP-Gas, General Law, Oil and Gas, and Surface Mining. The Enforcement Section handles enforcement cases for all the agency's regulatory areas and ensures the commission's orders and rules are followed. The Gas Utilities and LP-Gas Section handles rate-setting cases for gas transportation and utility companies and safety compliance cases involving the natural gas, LP-gas, and compressed natural gas industries, as well as cases involving enforcement of the gas utility tax. The General Law Section provides legal research and advice to staff and provides staff attorneys for complex hearings arising in other divisions. It also tracks proposed state regulations and reviews submissions to the Texas Register. The Oil and Gas Section holds hearings on matters dealing with producing, storing, transporting, reclaiming, and processing oil and gas. It also conducts hearings to determine responsibility for the proper plugging of abandoned wells and preventing and controlling oil and gas pollution. The Surface Mining Section reviews and processes applications for permits, revisions, renewals, variances, and bond releases. It also conducts rule-making hearings involving surface mining for coal, uranium, and iron ore gravel; abandoned mine land reclamation; and safety of quarries and pits. It also holds hearings involving new and amended authority, rates, new or amended rules, and compliance with rules and statutes.

The Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division works to educate the public and conduct research on LP-gas and other environmentally beneficial fuels. The division is currently researching the contribution of propane to cleaner air and is developing marketing, advertising, and informational programs about propane.

Railroad Commission support divisions include the Public Information Office, Personnel, Finance and Administration, Information Technology Services, Intergovernmental Affairs, and the Office of Internal Audit. Three elected Commissioners direct the operations of the agency.

In 1999, the agency had approximately 848 FTE (full-time equivalent) employees. Legal authority for the Railroad Commission is the Texas Constitution, Art. X, Sec. 2 and Art. XVI, Sec. 30; and the Natural Resources Code, Chapter 81.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

Records consist of minutes, correspondence, original orders, docket files, hearing files, reports, tariffs, oil and gas statistics, maps and plats, surveys, photographs, and other records. Dates covered are 1836-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-2001, the bulk dating 1891-1996. Files are present from most of the divisions of the Railroad Commission of Texas, including the old Main and Transportation Division, which eventually became the Rail Division; the Oil and Gas Division; and the Gas Services Division (formerly the Gas Utilities Division); the Surface Mining and Reclamation Division; as well as the Motor Transportation Division, now a part of the Texas Department of Transportation. Minutes are present for most of the agency's existence, detailing the regulatory and administrative actions of the commission. Annual reports of railroad companies and gas utility companies document the operations of these companies (railroads 1859-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-1996; gas utilities 1920-1996) giving a good overview of the history of these types of operations and their oversight by the Railroad Commission. Correspondence, reports, and similar files, generally pre-1950, document rail and commercial motor vehicle regulation activities of the Commission and regulation of the oil and gas industry including early conservation efforts by the commission. Dockets, original orders, and hearing files show actions by Commissioners regarding changes in or establishment of rules and regulations, and such records, along with the minutes, reflect Commissioners' decisions in disputes or their approval or disapproval of requests for exceptions to various Railroad Commission regulations, such as the Rule 37 regulation, which governs the spacing between wells within an oil field.

Correspondents include Commissioners and agency staff, railroad companies, oil and gas companies and operators, natural gas companies, commercial motor vehicle companies and operators, public utilities, businesses, state and federal officials and agencies, and the general public. Topics covered in these files include regulation and operation of railroads, including railroad companies' annual operations, rail company mergers, rail construction, and freight and passenger rates; oil and gas activities, including the issuance of orders governing drilling of oil and gas wells and the operation of the fields; oil and gas conservation and safety, including spacing of wells; disposal of oil and gas waste and pollution cleanup efforts; natural gas issues, include rate hearings, deregulation, and odorization of natural gas; reclamation of abandoned mine lands; and issuance of permits or certificates of convenience to operate commercial motor vehicles on public highways.

Also present are the files of two early commissioners, Allison Mayfield (served 1897-1923) and Ernest O. Thompson (served 1933-1965). Mayfield's files consist of outgoing business and personal correspondence, including efforts to get reelected to the Commission in 1922. Thompson's files consist of correspondence, speeches, printed materials and other items which document his role as a Commission spokesman on oil and gas conservation.

The records also include files, largely reports, from a joint federal-state committee, the Arkansas-White-Red River Basins Interagency Committee, formed to conduct water and resource development studies of the Arkansas, White, and Red River basins in the 1950s.

This finding aid serves as an overview for the records of the Railroad Commission of Texas. Most series have their own detailed finding aids. A few series are unprocessed; most of these have a basic description of the records but no folder inventory.

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Organization of the Records
	These records are organized into 56 series.

		Administrative records Minutes, 1891-1996, 20.85 cubic ft. and 113 microfilm reels Docket book, 1891-1898, 0.22 cubic ft. Commissioner's records, 1898-1901, 1906-1908, 1916, 1920-1966 (bulk [ca. 1930]-[ca. 1960]), 10.3 cubic ft Press releases, 1952-1983, 1985-1999 (bulk 1952-1983, 1985-1992), 0.94 cubic ft. Arkansas-White-Red River Basins Inter-Agency records, 1954-1956 (bulk 1955), 2 cubic ft.
		Railroad regulation Incoming correspondence, 1872-1955 (bulk 1891-[early 1920s]), 52 cubic ft. Outgoing correspondence, 1891-1933, 34.38 cubic ft. in 255 volumes Transportation Division, Correspondence and reports, 1888-1948 (bulk 1894-[ca. 1935]), 8.7 cubic ft. Rail Division, Annual reports of railroad companies, 1859-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-1996, 380.24 cubic ft. Transportation Division, Express companies annual reports, 1908-1949, 7 cubic ft. Rail Division, Tariffs, 1890-1985 (bulk 1914-1984), 44.8 cubic ft. Transportation Division, Special authority orders, 1894-1935, 12.22 cubic ft. Transportation Division, Application files, 1891-1971, 15.05 cubic ft. Main Office and Transportation Division, Interstate Commerce Commission financial dockets, 1920-1952, 33.84 cubic ft. Interstate Commerce Commission valuation reports, 1926-1927, 0.57 cubic ft. Rate hearing # 1573 transcripts and exhibits, 1915, 2 cubic ft. "Doubleheader" hearing, ca. 1900, 0.47 cubic ft. Rail Division, Railroad history files, 1836-1996, undated (bulk 1850-1960), 5 cubic ft.
		Oil and gas regulation Oil and Gas Division, Correspondence and reports, 1890-1943 (bulk 1919-1935), 39.2 cubic ft. Oil and Gas Division, Original orders, 1928-1977, 49 cubic ft. Oil and Gas Division, Special permits and Rule 37 case files, 1926-2000 (bulk 1926-1936), approximately 395.24 cubic ft. Oil and Gas Division, Hazardous waste questionnaires, 1991, approximately 5 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Pollution/water well contamination files, 1966-2001, 18 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, State Tender Board transcripts of testimony, 1939-1943, 1.4 cubic ft. Oil and Gas Division, Miscellaneous, 1932-1933, 1940, 1947, 0.48 cubic ft. Oil and Gas Division, Correspondence and reports (remnants), [ca. 1932]-[ca. 1940], 0.25 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Correspondence re: East Texas Field, 1943-1960, approximately 1 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division,Plats, ca. 1940-1955, approximately 29 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and gas files, Rodessa Field, 1936-1944, approximately 1.5 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Panhandle reports, 1930-1939, approximately 2 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Hearing files, exceptions to Statewide Rule 21, ca. 1938, approximately 3 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Hearing files, Yates and Diamond "M" Unit, 1936-1938, 1954-1957, approximately 1 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Miscellaneous hearing files, 1935, 1938-1943, 1946-1948, approximately 1 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Hearings, Panhandle Field, prior to 1940, approximately 2 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Statewide hearing summary, 1937, approximately 1 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Survey of salt water disposal, 1957, approximately 16 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Monthly operator reports, gas wells, 1924-1925, approximately 2 cubic ft. [in process] Oil and Gas Division, Vacuum hearing files, 1932-1948, approximately 1 cubic ft. [in process]
		Motor transportation regulation Motor Transportation Division, Correspondence, 1923-1954 (bulk 1929-1942), approximately 14 cubic ft. Motor Transportation Division, Transcripts of application hearings, 1926-1956 (bulk 1930-1939), approximately 31 cubic ft. Motor Transportation Division, Enforcement and regulation records, 1929-1955 (bulk 1936-1942), approximately 23 cubic ft. Motor Transportation Division, Motor transportation transcripts, ca. 1922-ca. 1925, approximately 0.5 cubic ft. [in process] Motor Transportation Division, Motor carrier dockets, ca. 1939-1958, approximately 1 cubic ft. [in process] Motor Transportation Division, Motor freight dockets, ca. 1930-1937, approximately 4.5 cubic ft. [in process] Motor Transportation Division, Motor carrier annual reports, 1987-1988, 6 microfilm reels [in process] Motor Transportation Division, Specialized motor carrier operating reports, 1975-1981, 4 microfilm reels [only on a master neg. at SRC; listed as Gas Utilities/Transportation Division]
		Natural gas regulation Gas Services Division, Gas utility company annual financial reports, 1920-1997, 179 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Docket case files, 1920-1973, 25 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Director's general correspondence, 1935-1946, 1972-1979 (bulk 1972-1979), 5 microfilm reels [Restricted] Gas Utilities Division, Stockholders annual reports, 1963-1978, 3 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Special orders, 1952-1974, 4 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Audit files, 1974-1979, 8 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Permits screened, 1972-1979, 2 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Safety affidavits and reports, 1971-1978, 4 microfilm reels Gas Utilities Division, Odorization reports, 1973-1978, 4 microfilm reels
		Mining regulation Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, Abandoned mine lands files, 1980-1992, 119 microfiche [in process]

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Because of the possibility that a portion of these records, Railroad Commission, Gas Services Division, Director's general correspondence, fall under Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, home addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and personal family information of government employees and officials (V.C.T.A., Government Code, Section 552.117), an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or removed and you can access the remainder of the records.

Most of the Gas utility company annual financial reports, the Motor carrier annual reports, and the Specialized motor carrier operating reports are present only on master negative microfilm. This film is unique and fragile and requires that a duplicate use copy be made of any reel that a researcher wishes to view. A duplicate use copy can be made at the researcher's expense. Arrangements for duplication and prepayment need to be made with the State and Local Records Management Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Restrictions on Use

None.

Technical Requirements

Letter press copybooks are extremely fragile and need to be handled with care.

Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.

Some items, including maps and oversize Rule 37 exhibit materials, are too large to photocopy.

Microfilm readers are available in Rooms 110 (Genealogy) and 300 (Reference).

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Index Terms
	The terms listed here were used to catalog the records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records.
	Corporate Names:
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Gas Utilities Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Gas Services Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Oil and Gas Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Surface Mining and Reclamation Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Rail Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Motor Transportation Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas. Transportation Division.
		Railroad Commission of Texas.Main Office and Transportation Division.
	Subjects:
		Railroad companies--Texas.
		Railroads and state--Texas.
		Gas companies--Texas.
		Gas companies--Texas--Rates.
		Railroads--Texas--Rates.
		Natural gas--Texas.
		Petroleum industry and trade--Texas.
		Gas industry--Texas.
		Commercial vehicles--Texas.
		Freight and freightage--Texas.
		Mining--Texas.
	Document Types:
		Correspondence--Texas--Railroads--1872-1955.
		Correspondence--Texas--Gas industry--1919-1942, 1972-1979.
		Correspondence--Texas--Petroleum industry and trade--1919-1935.
		Correspondence--Texas--Commercial vehicles--1923-1954.
		Correspondence--Texas--Mining--1980-1992.
		Annual reports--Texas--Railroads--1859-1996.
		Annual reports--Texas--Gas industry--1920-1997.
		Reports--Texas--Commerical vehicles--1929-1955.
		Reports--Texas--Gas industry--1919-1943, 1963-2001.
		Reports--Texas--Petroleum industry and trade--1919-1943, 1963-2001.
		Dockets--Texas--Railroads--Rates--1891-1898.
		Dockets--Texas--Gas industry--1920-1973.
		Orders--Texas--Petroleum industry and trade, 1919-1936.
		Orders--Texas--Gas industry--1926-1977.
		Orders--Texas--Railroads--1894-1935.
		Minutes--Texas--Railroads and state--1891-1996.
		Minutes--Texas--Gas industry--ca. 1917-1996.
		Minutes--Texas--Petroleum industry and trade--ca. 1917-1996.
		Minutes--Texas--Commercial vehicles--ca. 1930-1996.
		Letterpress copybooks--Texas--Railroads and state--1898-1922.
	Functions:
		Regulating railroads.
		Regulating the gas industry.
		Regulating the petroleum industry.
		Regulating commercial vehicles.
		Regulating mining.

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Related Material


	The following materials are offered as possible sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by the records. The listing is not exhaustive.
	Texas State Archives

		Texas Secretary of State, Statutory Filings Division, Statutory Documents Section: An Inventory of Railroad Charters and Related Records at the Texas State Archives, 1876-1988 (originals) , 7.84 cubic ft., 7 reels microfilm (duplicates)
		Texas Governor James Stephen Hogg, Records, 1889-1894, undated, 17.17 cubic ft.
		Texas Legislature, Joint Committee to Investigate the New London Tragedy, Records, 1937, fractional [There is no finding aid for these records. The call number is 2-10/846.]
		Texas Legislature, Joint Committee to Investigate the Receivership of the International and Great Northern Railroad, Records, 1891, 5 inches [Restricted] [There is no finding aid for these records, the call number is 1988/61.]
		Texas Legislature, House of Representatives, Committee to Investigate the Hot Oil Situation, Records, 1934-1936, 1.3 cubic ft. [Restricted] [There is no finding aid for these records. The call numbers are 2-10/843 through 845.]
		Texas Legislature, House of Representatives, Committee on Oil, Gas and Mining, Minutes and witness affirmations, 1953-1971, less than one cubic ft. [Restricted]
		Texas Legislature, House of Representatives, Committee on Common Carriers, Minutes and witness affirmations, 1955-1969, less than one cubic ft. [Restricted]
		Texas Legislature, Senate, Investigation Committee Appointed by Virtue of Senate Simple Resolution No. 96, 1935-1936, 0.3 cubic ft.
		John H. Reagan Papers, 1846-1904, 12.5 linear in.
		James C. Langdon Papers, 1944-1979, 19.5 linear ft.
		James Harvey Holdeman Papers, 1879-1965 (bulk 1920-1950), 1.41 cubic ft., 578 maps, 3 photographs
		Miscellaneous photographs removed from Railroad Commission records, 1922, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1942, 1948, fractional cubic ft.
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Hornaday Collection [railroads, oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Troendle Collection [railroads]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Texas Scenes Collection [railroads]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Alfred E. Menn Collection [oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Burkburnett oil field photographs [oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, James Orbeck Collection [oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Texas Cities Postcards Collection [oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Picture Book of Texas Cities Collection [oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Prints and Photograph Collection, Department of Public Safety Collection [oil and gas industry - fields, wells, etc.]
		Records Relating to Railroads, 1836-1950 (bulk [ca. 1880-ca. 1910]), 9.4 cubic ft.
	T.L.L. Temple Memorial Archives, T.L.L. Temple Memorial Library and Archives, Diboll.
		Texas Southeastern Railroad records and records of a few other small railroads in the east Texas area.
	DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University, Dallas.
		Railroad companies records and papers are present in several collections, including the Muskogee Collection; the Everette Lee DeGolyer, Jr. Railroad Photographs; and the Baldwin Locomotive Collection.
	Southwest Collection, Texas Tech University, Lubbock.
		Railroad companies records and papers, including the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company records; and the Roscoe, Synder, and Pacific Railway Company papers.
	Special Collections Division, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, Arlington.
		Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Records.
	Publications
		Texas. Supplement Senate Journal, Forty-fifth Legislature, Regular Session, January 25, 1937 [the supplement is tipped inside Copy 1 of the Journal of the Senate of the State of Texas, Regular Session of the Forty-fifth Legislature.] [1937?]. [report on a Senate investigation of the Railroad Commission in 1935-1936.]
		Texas Legislature. Report of the Joint Committee to Investigate the Receivership of the International and Great Northern Railroad, Austin, 1892.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item and cite the series), Records, Railroad Commission of Texas. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession numbers: 1936/002, 1941/007, 1961/005, 1961/046, 1962/218, 1963/173, 1970/025, 1971/152, 1971/165, 1978/152, 1981/120, 1982/328, 1982/358, 1983/055, 1983/108, 1990/097, 1990/141, 1991/008, 1993/026, 1993/132, 1995/129, 1996/034, 1998/093, 2000/078, 2000/139, 2001/025, 2001/059, 2001/143, 2002/002, 2002/003, 2002/008, 2002/098, 2002/115, 2003/038, 2003/117, 2003/161, 2003/168, 2003/176, and unknown

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; by the Railroad Commission of Texas in October 1961; on May 9, 1962; July 19, 1963; in May 1964; on October 7, 1969; August 6 and 23, 1971; August 16, 1978; February 12, 1981; June 23, August 9, and November 17, 1982; February 17, 1983; March 6, May 24, September 20, and October 22, 1990; March 9, 1993; June 15 and December 18, 1995; April 3, 1998; December 16, 1999; April 13, October 9, and November 15, 2000; August 6, September 5 and 18, 2001; January 31 and October 18, 2002; February 4, May 21, June 19, and July 1, 2003; and unknown dates; and by the Legislative Reference Library on October 15, 2002.

Processing Information

Numerous archivists have processed various series of the Railroad Commission records, with most of the known work being done by Laura Saegert and Paul Beck.

Surveyed by Paul Beck from 1985 to 1987

Appraised by Laura K. Saegert, March 2001

Processed by Tony Black, October 1990

Processed by Lisa Hendricks, June 1998

Processed by Tonia Wood, June 1995

Processed by Paul Beck, July 1986, March 1993, March 1994

Processed by Laura K. Saegert, April 1981, March 1995, August 1990, October 1990, April 1991, October 2001, February 2002, August-December 2003, January 2004

Other Archives staff, pre-1980

Other Formats for the Records

Some of the minutes are also available on microfilm.

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Detailed Description of the Records

Minutes, 1891-1996,
20.85 cubic ft. and 113 microfilm reels

These minutes are the official record of the meetings of the Railroad Commission of Texas and document the actions and orders of the commissioners, covering the years 1891-1996. Other items include notices of hearings, orders, circulars, and special notices. Matters before the Commission documented in the minutes include the establishment of and changes in railroad freight and passenger rates, train schedules, tariff classifications, requests to discontinue passenger stations, amendments to rules, complaints, and other railroad issues; contested oil and gas cases, complaints on violated Commission oil and gas rules (e.g. operator not in compliance with plugging rules), changes in policies and procedures, amendments to rules, resolution of complaints filed against the Commission, and other related matters concerning oil and gas regulation (production/permitting, oil field clean up, site remediation, compliance, etc.); issues concerning the operation of motor vehicles; gas utility regulation; liquefied petroleum gas and other gas services issues; regulation of pipelines; and surface mining and reclamation issues. Minutes from 1891 to the end of the 1910s are primarily concerned with railroad rates and regulations.

Beginning in 1917 with pipeline regulation, the minutes begin to record the Commission's activities in other areas. The establishment of the Oil and Gas Division, the Gas Utilities (later Gas Services) Division, and the Motor Transportation Division expanded greatly the Commission's jurisdiction and the minutes reflect these changes. The activities of the divisions added large dockets of cases, hearings and orders to the minutes. These divisions came to dominate the meetings of the Commission and the minutes as railroad regulation decreased and other areas of regulation became more complex.

Topics covered in the minutes include regulation and operation of railroads, including railroad companies' annual operations, rail construction, and setting freight and passenger rates; oil and gas activities, including the issuance of orders governing drilling of oil and gas wells and the operation of the fields; oil and gas conservation and safety, including spacing of wells; disposal of oil and gas waste and pollution cleanup efforts; natural gas issues, include rate hearings, deregulation, and odorization of natural gas; and issuance of permits or certificates of convenience to operate commercial motor vehicles on public highways.

The minutes from 1891 to 1972 are in bound volumes and from 1973 to 1996 on microfilm. During the microfilming process Reel 81 was skipped. Because the microfilm exists only as master negatives and is stored offsite, paper use copies of the minutes have been retained for 1979-1995. Each of the pre-1920 volumes of minutes have a brief subject index in the front of the volume. The post-1920 volumes, the microfilm, and the paper sets of minutes do not have indexes. Orders, circulars and other attachments are not found in the paper use copies of the minutes. Agendas for Railroad Commission meetings from August 1996 to the present and minutes for 1999-2001 are posted on the Railroad Commission's website, see http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/meetings-seminars/ms-commission-conferences/pcc.html.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Minutes.

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Docket book, 1891-1898,
0.22 cubic ft.

The records consist of a single docket book of the Railroad Commission of Texas with entries dating from 1891 to 1898. The book lists forty formal compaints concerning railroad service or tariffs filed in that period. The complaints are in chronological order and each one lists an assigned docket number, the date, the plaintiff and defendant, the nature of the complaint, and a brief statement on the outcome. The complaint was considered closed if a satisfactory explanation had been given by the railroad agency or if no further complaint was received. If a judgment was against the railroad or if no further action was to be taken by the Railroad Commission then a full description was given in the Commission's minutes. A cite from the docket book to the individual page in the minutes provides access to the description of the Railroad Commission's decision. After 1898, though the nature of the complaints remained the same, they became part of the minutes.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Docket book.

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Commissioner's records, 1898-1901, 1906-1908, 1916, 1920-1966 (bulk [ca. 1930]-[ca. 1960]),
10.3 cubic ft.

The records include correspondence, speeches, press releases, newspaper clippings, magazine articles and reprints, and pamphlets of two commissioners of the Railroad Commission of Texas. The records date 1898-1901, 1906-1908, 1916, 1920-1966 (bulk [ca. 1930]-[ca. 1960]). The records of Allison Mayfield (1860-1923) consist of four letterpress copybooks of outgoing correspondence. Most of the letters in the first two volumes are personal family or business correspondence and date 1898-1901, 1906-1908. The third and fourth volumes concentrate on Mayfield's reelection efforts to the Railroad Commission in 1898, 1916 and 1922. The records of Texas Railroad Commissioner Ernest O. Thompson (1892-1966) include correspondence, speeches, press releases, newspaper clippings, magazine articles and reprints, and pamphlets that especially document his role as Commission spokesperson on oil and gas conservation. The records cover the period 1920-1966 (bulk [ca. 1930]-[ca. 1960]).

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Commissioner's records.

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Press releases,
Dates: 1952-1983, 1985-1999 (bulk 1952-1983, 1985-1992)
0.94 cubic ft.

The records are news or press releases, announcements of seminars or workshops, statements, laws, maps, etc., dating 1952-1983, 1985-1999 (bulk 1952-1983, 1985-1992). These items are prepared by the Public Information Office of the Railroad Commission of Texas at the request of an individual commissioner or prepared in the commissioner's office and released upon the instruction of the Commission. The releases are used to inform the media and public about Commission policies, hearings, decisions, actions, and programs. These materials cover the full range of commission activities, with most concerning the oil and gas industry. Issues covered include rail activities, oil and gas regulation, environmental concerns, motor transportation, natural gas safety and natural gas pipelines, surface mining and reclamation issues (primarily coal mining), and the use of alternative fuels. The releases for 1952-1983 and 1985-1991 are bound. There are some unbound releases from 1983 and 1986-1999. Following the releases are a few items filed with the releases but not in the chronological sequence - oil and gas production reports, maps, and laws.

Press releases beginning in 2001 can be found on the website of the agency at http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/divisions/support-divisions/pio/pio.html.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Press releases.

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Incoming correspondence, 1872-1955 (bulk 1891-[early 1920s]),
52 cubic ft.

These records of the Rail Division (formerly the Main Office, then the Mail and Transportation Division and then the Transportation Division) of the Railroad Commission of Texas include incoming letters, telegrams, petitions, newspaper clippings, affidavits, depositions, transcripts of hearings, maps, blueprints, pamphlets, circulars, tariffs, copies of legislative bills, mortgage contracts, and merger agreements. Also present are various printed items such as railroad tickets, free railroad passes, labor union contracts with railroads, railroad passenger tax receipts, and copies of railroad valuation statements. The bulk of the correspondence dates from 1891 until the early 1920s with some materials from 1872 to 1955. The correspondence can be roughly grouped into four categories: general public, business, railroads, and government.

Correspondents from the general public included passengers, farmers, lawyers, labor unions, chambers of commerce, and other citizens who wrote to the Commission on such topics as complaints about passenger facilities and rates, free passes, jobs with the Railroad Commission, requests for racially segregated depots, and petitions for more frequent train service.

Correspondence from businesses was overwhelmingly concerned with freight rates on commodities and with such shipping problems as overcharges, lost cars, demurrage costs for delays or damages, and the classification of commodities. Other business topics included cotton compress regulations, rebates, tariffs, taxation, and weight limits of freight shipments.

The same preponderance of concern over rates was also evident in the correspondence from the railroads and their freight agents. Other correspondence from railroads concern reports filed by railroads to comply with legislation regulations. These include the annual reports and the valuation statements each railroad had to file with the Railroad Commission and the frequent corrections and addenda. More correspondence was generated by the examination of railroad capital stock records by the Railroad Commission, the issuance of railroad stocks and bonds, the costs of construction, and general questions on Railroad Commission policy and form requirements.

The fourth category of correspondents with the Railroad Commission were government officials from the local, state, and federal levels. This included county attorneys, Texas governors and attorney generals, governors and railroad commissioners from other states, Texas representatives and senators on the state and federal levels, and the federal Interstate Commerce Commission.

The overriding concern reflected throughout the incoming correspondence is the subject of rates, both passenger and freight, with the most attention given to freight rates and the costs for the many different commodities. Businesses, farmers, and other shippers complained about high rates and sought relief from the Railroad Commission; railroads defended their rates and asked for increases through the Commission; the Commission held rate hearings, received mail from both sides lobbying their respective positions, then made rulings, issued rate orders, and published tariffs and circulars announcing the new rates.

These records document the reactions of the railroads and railroad users to the policies and actions of the Commission. The incoming correspondence reflects the nature of the Commission's outgoing correspondence, from routine form letters to the predominant subject of rates.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Incoming correspondence.

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Outgoing correspondence, 1891-1933,
34.38 cubic ft. in 255 volumes

There are 255 letterpress volumes of outgoing correspondence from the Railroad Commission of Texas, dating 1891-1933. The correspondence can be roughly grouped into four categories: general public, business, railroads, and government.

Letters to the general public usually respond to requests by Confederate veterans for free passes, complaints from passengers about poor service, demands for new or improved passenger depots, requests for employment at the Railroad Commission, and petitions that trains stop at particular stations.

Letters to businesses usually answer questions and complaints about tariff rates. Part of the cost of freight shipment was determined by the tariff rate and this was based on the commodity, how it was packaged, how full the carload was, and what routes were used to ship the freight between points in Texas. The classification of commodities, applications for tariff changes, and accusations of overcharges are detailed in this correspondence.

Letters to the railroads and their freight agents cover many topics, including tariff rate questions, tracking down missing freight cars, requests for annual financial reports and corrections to those reports, complaints about high passenger fares, questions about track mileages including spur tracks and switching yards, and demurrage charges for shipments delayed or damaged. Before the establishment of the Oil and Gas Division in 1919, the Railroad Commission sent out circulars informing railroads of the requirements of the new oil and gas conservation laws. This correspondence tells companies what forms to use to comply with the law, how to file, and acknowledges forms received.

Correspondence with other government agencies includes discussions with the state attorney general's office and with the federal Interstate Commerce Commission.

An inventory of the records was conducted to provide a brief description of the contents of each box, including the dates and types of materials, and a notation of any filing arrangement that may be present.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Outgoing correspondence.

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Transportation Division, Correspondence and reports, 1888-1948 (bulk 1894-[ca. 1935]),
8.7 cubic ft.

This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Railroad Commission of Texas, of the Rail Division (formerly the Main and Transportation Division), dating from 1888 to 1948, primarily between 1894 and the mid-1930s. Other materials present include applications; orders of the Commission; finance dockets; engineers' reports; reports and resolutions of railroad company directors or stockholders; lists of stockholders; petitions; deeds and leases; construction contracts; copies of bylaws, charters, and mortgages; newspaper clippings; and a few plats and maps of railroad property and railway lines. Most letters are between the Railroad Commission and officials of various railroad companies (directors, engineers, and others). Topics include the registration and issuance of bonds, extensions of track and other construction, property valuations, and the consolidation or merger of railroad companies. Many of the older documents (pre-1920s), are copies used as documentation in applications of one kind or another.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division, Correspondence and reports.

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Rail Division, Annual reports of railroad companies, 1859-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-1996,
380.24 cubic ft.

These 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.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Rail Division, Annual reports of railroad companies.

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.

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Transportation Division, Express companies annual reports, 1908-1949,
7 cubic ft.

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.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division, Express companies annual reports.

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Rail Division, Tariffs, 1890-1985 (bulk 1914-1984),
44.8 cubic ft.

These records are tariffs issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas, dating 1890-1985 (bulk dating 1914-1984). Tariffs are publications of rates, rules and regulations that concern common carriers, in this case railroads. The 1891 act that created the Railroad Commission empowered it to adopt the necessary rates, regulations, and charges in connection with railroad freight and passengers. The Railroad Commission promulgated the tariffs for intrastate commerce on railroads but did not itself publish them. The Commission required railroad companies to publish and submit the companies' proposed general and specific tariffs. The Commission would then issue the approved tariffs and keep copies of the proposed general and specific tariffs as reference tools. Each type of merchandise or commodity was classified by the Railroad Commission and had its own shipping rate. The more important commodities, such as cotton, had their own tariffs published and issued. Other commodities were grouped as categories: vegetables, lumber products, etc. The cost of shipping was usually figured for every 100 pounds of merchandise. Sometimes a railroad or express company issued tariffs just for the stations on their routes, other times in conjunction with other carriers. Division sheets then listed the cost for shipping part way on one line, up to the division point, and the rest of the way on another line.

This series includes loose intrastate tariffs and accompanying division sheets issued directly by the Railroad Commission, 1890-1929, and several bound volumes of tariffs issued by the Railroad Commission, including Railroad freight circulars, 1901-1984; Texas Lines tariffs (later became Texas-Louisiana Lines tariffs, then Southwestern Freight Bureau), 1913-1985; Western classification tariffs, 1918-1962; and Texas-Louisiana Lines routing circulars, 1937-1953. While the bound volumes consist mostly of intrastate tariffs issued by the Railroad Commission, some include interstate tariffs issued by the federal government.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Rail Division, Tariffs.

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Transportation Division, Special authority orders, 1894-1935,
12.22 cubic ft.

These records consist of the special authority orders issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas (usually printed, some typed), correspondence between the Railroad Commission and railroad companies concerning requested changes, and internal memos discussing the requested changes, dating 1894-1935. Most railway lines operating in Texas during this time period (1894-1935) are represented. Archives staff were unable to order the records in a strict chronological sequence because it was not known what materials were attached together--any paper fasteners used originally in these records had been removed before they were sent to the State Archives.

Special authority orders were issued by the Railroad Commission generally in response to requests from railway companies for a change in rates or regulations. The Commission established rates and regulations for the railroad companies and announced the rates, etc. through printed circulars (known as tariffs), sometimes writing particular companies if the situation warranted it. Railroad companies often requested a change in rates or regulations for special circumstances by applying directly to the Railroad Commission for a special order which would grant their requests. Situations which led to such requests included transporting circuses and other such shows between towns, a change in the economy of a particular region, or a sudden increase in the usage and needed transportation of a particular product, such as transporting granite from Granite Mountain in Central Texas to Beaumont for use in building jetties at Sabine Pass. The Railroad Commission, if it approved the requested change, would issue a special authority order announcing the rate or regulation change, describing the situation in which the change was applicable.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division, Special authority orders.

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Transportation Division, Application files, 1891-1971,
15.05 cubic ft.

Records are correspondence, telegrams, authority orders, tariffs, circulars, notes, and wrappers from the Railroad Commission of Texas, dating from 1891 to 1971. These are application files containing requests for special freight and passenger rates and the commission's response. Situations in which railroad companies applied for special freight rates include transportation of shows such as circuses and wild west shows, livestock and water during drought, and corn to be husked en route. Requests for special passenger rates include transportation of prisoners of war and high school and college football players and fans.

This portion of the Railroad Commission freight application files was apparently separated from the rest of the files before they were transferred to the State Archives. An earlier accession (1990/097) fills in gaps in the freight application files found in this accession.

The Railroad Commission established rates and regulations for the railroad companies and announced the rates, etc. through printed circulars (known as tariffs), sometimes writing particular companies if the situation warranted it. Railroad companies often requested a change in rates or regulations for special circumstances by applying directly to the Railroad Commission. If the commission granted the request, it would issue a special authority order describing the situation in which the change was applicable. The commission would also notify the railroad company of denied requests. By 1984, federal statutes had eliminated the Railroad Commission's role in economic regulation of the Texas rail industry.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division, Application files.

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Main Office and Transportation Division, Interstate Commerce Commission financial dockets, 1920-1952,
33.84 cubic ft.

These records consist of ICC finance docket files, generally consisting of applications; briefs, exhibits, questionnaires, and other items gathered for or presented during the hearing; the report of the ICC as to the outcome of the railroad company's application; and correspondence. Files are dated 1920-1952. The finance docket files concern applications for certificates of public convenience and necessity by rail companies. Docket topics include construction of new lines, extension of lines, acquisition of lines, abandonment of lines and/or operations, consolidation of railroad companies, recapture proceedings of excess income, extension of liens and mortgages, issuing and selling stocks and bonds, loans through the revolving track fund, and other topics. Most railway lines operating in Texas during this time period (1920-1952) are represented.

Supplementing the case documents are correspondence between the ICC Commissioner and the Governor or the Railroad Commission; correspondence between railroad companies and the Railroad Commission; some correspondence from city and county officials and others to the Railroad Commission concerning proposed changes of railroad companies; maps showing proposed extensions, track to be abandoned, lines in operation, right-of-way maps along railroad lines, general railroad maps of areas, and other railroad related topics; prospectus and charters of railroad companies; specimen sheets of stocks or bonds to be offered for sale; and some photographs used for exhibits, showing things such as railroad depots and the condition of tracks. A few docket files not titled as "finance dockets" are scattered through the files. These are filed by their date rather than the docket number.

Dates given on the folder reflect the dates of the dockets and the materials associated with it. In a few cases, the only items in the files are supplemental applications and associated materials which were often filed years after the initial case was heard. These particular cases are filed by the original date, in brackets, followed by the dates of the supplemental materials. Materials used as exhibits (maps, charts, etc.), may date back to the late 19th century or early 20th century. Dates of materials used as exhibits are not included in the folder titles.

Preceding the alphabetical files is a list of dockets, giving dates applications were filed and decided upon, for the years 1927-1936. At the end of the series is a Box of materials from docket 8448, Texas and Northern Pacific Railroad. These were originally housed with part of another series in the Railroad Commission records. Additional materials from this docket can also be found in the regular alphabetical listing.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Main Office and Transportation Division, Interstate Commerce Commission financial dockets.

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Interstate Commerce Commission valuation reports, 1926-1927,
0.57 cubic ft.

These records are two sets of detailed valuation reports on the construction of railroad branch lines. The reports are from a Texas railroad, the Panhandle and Santa Fe, to the Interstate Commerce Commission's (ICC) Bureau of Valuation. The first report is for a branch line from Panhandle, Texas to Borger, Texas dated October 16, 1926. A year later, October 15, 1927, another valuation report was filed for a branch line from White Deer, Texas to Skellyton, Texas. Each report gives a brief history of the railroad company and of its application with the ICC to construct the line. These reports, labeled "Bureau of Valuation Form 588," then detail the construction costs of each line including the costs of labor, materials, transportation, equipment and all improvements such as bridges, track, stations, signals, and grading. Each different construction cost is assigned to an account and the accounts are arranged numerically.

An inventory of the records was conducted to provide a brief description of the contents of each box including the dates and types of materials and a notation of any filing arrangement that may be present.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Interstate Commerce Commission valuation reports.

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Rate hearing # 1573 transcripts and exhibits, 1915,
2 cubic ft.

These records consist of transcripts and exhibits (including photographs) of railroad rate hearings held by the Railroad Commission of Texas from March to October 1915. The Commission issued Circular 4616 in August 1914 to announce that hearings would be held to consider a request by the major railroads in Texas for an increase in their revenues. The first hearings were held in Dallas in March 1915. The railroads asked for a 15% freight rate increase and submitted the necessary tariff changes and plans to the Commission for statewide distribution. The hearings were reconvened in June to hear the responses of shippers to the proposed freight increases. Hearings were held again in September and once more in October to get the reaction of the Commission staff "as to the reasonableness of the application and the proper action that should govern the Railroad Commission in the application." All of these hearings were designated as Rate Hearing #1573. Actual changes in tariffs and rates are a separate record and are reported in the minutes of the Railroad Commission beginning in January of 1916. (See Railroad Commission of Texas, Minutes, 1891-1996 series.)

There are nineteen bound volumes in this series. Transcripts of actual testimony from the hearings number fifteen. This is almost a complete set of transcripts. Volume 1 from October 1915 is missing.

The four remaining volumes were compiled by Railroad Commission staff as exhibits. Two volumes are valuations of the property of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad (G,C & SF) and the Houston & Texas Central Railroad (H & TC). One volume is on the value of equipment such as steam locomotives and other cars, with photographs of each type dating 1914-1915, and the second volume lists the real estate and track valuation.

The third exhibit volume contains an audit of nine railroads selected as representative of railroads operating in the state. The audit includes such facts as track mileage, capital stocks and bonds, net operating income, freight and passenger traffic, and abstracts of balance sheets. The figures are as of June 30, 1914. These three volumes were used as evidence in examining the financial status of principal Texas railroads in determining whether the railroads did deserve increased revenues.

The final exhibit volume condensed the June testimony of shippers into brief statements and organized it by commodity. This volume is not a legal brief but a series of testimonies on commodity rates and classifications.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Rate hearing # 1573 transcripts and exhibits.

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"Doubleheader" hearing, [ca. 1900],
0.47 cubic ft.

This series consists of the transcript of a hearing before the Railroad Commission of Texas held ca. 1900. The hearing concerned the use of "doubleheaders," which is the running of a train with two engines, on Texas railroads and focused on the safety issues of such a practice. Railroad employees objected to the use and were especially concerned over the safety of the crew in the second engine. Railroad companies defended the practice, citing the use of doubleheaders on many railroads outside Texas, denying that safety problems were any greater than on single engine trains, and pointing to the greater pulling power and increased efficiency of larger trains.

This was a formal hearing before the Railroad Commission with Chairman John H. Reagan (1891-1903) presiding. The typed transcript is over 500 pages long and consists entirely of witness testimony. The witnesses were sworn in and responded to questions under both direct and cross examination. The many witnesses included engineers, brakemen, conductors, officials of railroad unions, freight agents, and general superintendents and other officers of railroad companies.

Pages are missing from both the beginning and the end of the typed transcript. There is no formal title page, conclusion, or date.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, "Doubleheader" hearing.

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Title: Rail Division, Railroad history files,
Dates: 1836-1996, undated (bulk 1850-1960),
5 cubic ft.

This series contains correspondence, reports, charters, laws, agreements, clippings, articles, publications, photographs, maps, and other materials documenting the history of rail companies in Texas and the role of the Railroad Commission of Texas in railroad regulation and rail history. Dates covered are 1836-1996, and undated, most items dating 1850-1960. According to a RRC staff memo from 1982, the Rail Division staff was encouraged to create an archives of rail company records to preserve the history of the Commission's rail activities. Topics listed in the memo for consideration include when railroad lines were constructed and abandoned, when companies were chartered, a history of the Commission's rail activities, and a history of railroads in Texas. The files gathered in this series cover some of this information.

The bulk of the records are railroad company files prepared for all railroads created and/or chartered in Texas. These railroad company files have information about the line typed or handwritten on the file folder. The information varies from folder to folder with all having the name of the line and usually the date it was chartered or created. Additional data found on many folders includes documentation of name changes of the company, mergers, if/when the line was discontinued or bought out, or similar information. Some of these annotated folders have long paragraphs about the railroad line's history. Items found within the folders may include correspondence on topics such as the history of the line, line abandonment, bonds, operating expenses, audits, etc. Also present in some files are valuation statements, financial or audit statements, copies of charters or other laws, agreements, reports, maps, or Railroad Commission or Interstate Commerce Commission orders or circulars. Not all folders contain records, many just have typed information on the folders. (The railroad company folders were in poor condition and were replaced with new folders during processing. Each folder was photocopied to retain the information found on the original folder.) The first folder in each alphabetical set (A, B, etc.) contains a list of individuals or companies whose last corporate name begins with that letter. The list gives the name, railroad line associated with the name, and a date. Entries are ordered chronologically by date, with dates on the lists ranging from 1915 to 1964.

Following the railroad company files are a group of rail history-related files created by the Railroad Commission to document its rail activities and railroad history. In addition to created and gathered histories, there is correspondence, reports and other materials on topics such as auditor duties, valuation, laws pertaining to railroads, Jim Crow laws, land grants, destruction of rail company records, rail gauges, passenger trains, and Rail Division activities. One interesting single item to note is a resignation letter from the RRC engineer in 1908. Added to the letter are notes by all three RRC commissioners regreating his resignation but understanding why he was leaving (the wages for the state were low and there was little room for professional advancement). Also of interest is a large group of letters from the mid 1940s in the files titled "Jim Crow law" concerning the segregation or lack thereof of white and black passengers into separate compartments on trains and/or the provision of separate but equal facilities to each group.

Two large wallets labeled as "Historical data" or "Historical file "contain a variety of reports, letters, photographs, maps, and other materials relating to Texas rail history, Railroad Commission history, or specific rail companies. Also present are folders of photographs showing railway and freight yards, depots, stations, rail cars and engines, most marked as exhibits (used in either Railroad Commission or Interstate Commerce Commission hearings) and many with docket numbers. There are two photographs especially worth noting - both are circa 1900 views of engines and rail employees. A few maps are in the historical files showing specific rail company lines, track facilities, or county/regional maps showing rail lines within a particular county or region. Few of the maps are marked with exhibit or docket numbers. There is little, none in most cases, printed docket material present with either the maps or the photographs. A small number of railroad company files for newer companies or regarding hearings on issues for specific lines are filed at the end of the historical files. A set of 1988 annual railroad company reports was removed from this accession and transferred to the series Annual reports of railroad companies.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Rail Division, Railroad history files.

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Oil and Gas Division, Correspondence and reports, 1890-1943 (bulk 1919-1935),
39.2 cubic ft.

This series contains correspondence and reports of the Oil and Gas Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas, covering the years 1890-1943 (bulk 1919-1935). A small amount of materials from the Motor Transportation Division and the Gas Ultilities Division of the Railroad Commission is present as well as correspondence and photos re: railroads.

Incoming letters are from a variety of sources including the general public, oil and gas companies, pipeline carriers, other private businesses, as well as internal correspondence from the Division's Conservation Agents in the field. Outgoing letters from the Division headquarters in Austin are generally brief acknowledgments on the arrival of forms and responses to requests for information. Telegrams, maps, contracts, photos, and reports on standardized forms are also present.

Reports and correspondence from the Division's field conservation agents date from 1919 when the Oil and Gas Division was formed and record the first attempts at on-site supervision. The field conservation agents were responsible for inspecting wells, preventing fires, stopping waste, and otherwise enforcing the State's conservation laws. Agents filed "Daily reports" for each of the wells they visited. These listed place, date, operator, address, well number, miles from the nearest town, miles traveled that day, and remarks about wells. Such remarks could include the depth of the well and any problems such as salt water in the well and whether or not it was dry.

There is also routine internal correspondence between the field agents and the Division headquarters in Austin dealing with requests for forms, stamps, repairs of old cars, purchase of new cars, invoices of supplies, inventory of office equipment, and newspaper subscriptions. Other correspondence of a more personal nature for the agents included living expenses in boom towns, their salary, and the hiring and firing of the agents.

These files give great insight into the everyday work, the working conditions, the policy making, and the environment around the field agent. Much of the personality of each agent is revealed as they struggle to enforce the conservation laws in the early oil fields. Such boom towns as Desdemona, Burkburnett, and Ranger were the initial assignments for the agents. Later, new fields in the Panhandle and East Texas required more agents. The bulk of the agent correspondence runs from 1919 to 1933.

Letters from oil and gas companies and pipeline carriers are either routine requests for information and forms from the Railroad Commission or cover letters sending the completed forms back to the Commission. Reports that the Commission required on each well included notifications of intention to drill, deepen, plug, or shoot a well; statements of condition before and after; the drilling record on each well; certificate showing compliance with conservation laws and rules; and application for pipeline severance or connection. Rarely, however, are the actual forms found in these records. Only the correspondence is present in the Archives and not the actual reports.

Much of this series is routine requests from the general public for brochures, forms, and general information from the Division on its procedures and the conservation laws it was empowered to regulate. The public concern over the implementation of the new conservation laws generated much of this correspondence. The Division's primary legislative mandate was for the conservation of natural resources and the prevention of waste. Public requests for contract analysis, dispute settlement of oil and gas leases, or lengthy research projects were considered to be outside its responsibility. Consequently, much of the outgoing correspondence to the public is either replies to the routine requests for information or refusals on subjects beyond the Division's parameters. Other public correspondence includes files on job seekers who submitted references and letters of recommendation in addition to the application form.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Oil and Gas Division, Correspondence and reports.

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Oil and Gas Division, Original orders, 1928-1977,
49 cubic ft.

These records are original orders, notices of hearings, postponements of hearings, and special emergency rules of the Oil and Gas Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas. The records date from 1928 to 1977.

Original orders were issued by the Division to govern the drilling, completion, and operation of wells in the field. They were issued under a general directive for the "conservation and prevention of waste of crude petroleum and natural gas."

The Division held hearings conducted by engineers and legal examiners concerning field rules, secondary recovery projects, and maximum efficient rates of production. These hearings, and the original orders that were issued as a result, established the minimum spacing and acreage requirements for an individual oil well and determined the size of a proration unit. The proration units determined the prorated, daily allowance for each oil well in production and set the daily total oil field allowable.

Other specific examples of original orders include plugging wells to prevent fresh water pollution, approval of a unitization agreement, adoping a net gas-oil ratio rule for the field, and permitting water flooding and injection operations in a reservoir. These types of original orders were concerned with conservation and prevention of waste and usually affected an entire reservoir or field.

Original orders are also listed in the minutes of the Railroad Commission under "Special Orders" (see Railroad Commission of Texas, Minutes,) but are in summary form and do not provide as much information as the actual order itself.

Original orders from 1978 forward are maintained by the Railroad Commission of Texas. The Commission also maintains hearing files.

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Oil and Gas Division, Original orders.

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Title: Oil and Gas Division, Special permits and Rule 37 case files,
Dates: 1926-2000 (bulk 1926-1936),
approximately 395.24 cubic ft.

Types of materials present include permits for drilling, applications to drill, correspondence, memos, telegrams, transcripts from hearings and other legal documents, plats, maps, charts, graphs, and photographs. Dates covered are 1926-2000, the bulk dating 1926-1936. These are special permits issued by the Oil and Gas Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas as exceptions to the Division's drilling rules. The permits were intended usually for individual wells rather than an entire field or reservoir. Examples include drilling with compressed air and drilling to offset drainage by neighboring wells.

The majority of the records are hearing files concerning Rule 37, a rule that requires minimum distances between wells at drilling sites in order to protect field pressure and correlative rights. Rule 37 hearings are not regular hearings and they have their own unique docketing system. The files are individual applications by fee owners, leaseholders, and oil and gas companies for permits to drill on parcels of land too small to meet Rule 37's minimum distance requirements. An application to drill includes the following types of data - date, name of company or operator, name of lease, location of lease, field name, number of acres in lease, distance to nearest lease, depth of well, spacing pattern, density pattern, etc. The application to drill also notes if Rule 37 is involved, and if so, then the names and addresses of all offsetting operators or unleased mineral interest owners of each adjacent tract are provided, along with a plat. The correspondence is from the applicant to the RRC explaining why the exception should be granted. There can be waivers from adjacent property/lease holders of oil, gas or mineral rights, letters of objection from oil and gas companies, neighbors, etc. When there are serious objections, a hearing is held. Hearing transcripts may be present, along with permits to drill issued by the Railroad Commission.

Records include a numerical list to the special permits and Rule 37 case files, produced by the Railroad Commission for cases # 1 to #8,999, listing the applicant, case number, well number, lease, county, and disposition of the request. Also present is an index on microfiche to the microfilmed Rule 37 cases or dockets, giving the docket number, microfilm reel, and frame on the reel where the docket appears. The first entry is case or docket # 8163, through # 247,949, with a few scattered cases listed after that.

In addition to the special permit and Rule 37 case files for 1926-1936 (file numbers 2980-16,348), the Archives also holds the oversize exhibits from the Rule 37 hearings, which include maps, photographs, graphs, charts, etc., dating 1935-2000 (file numbers 8163-223,980). Most of the Rule 37 case files, from 1921 until about 2000 are on microfilm at the Railroad Commission. Cases from 2000 onward are still in their original paper format at the Railroad Commission. The Rule 37 oversize exhibits were not filmed. Not all of the Rule 37 cases or dockets had oversize exhibits, so files are not present for all case numbers.

Hearing schedules are posted on the RRC site, see http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/divisions/support-divisions/gc/hearschd/hearschd.html

For the full finding aid for this series see Railroad Commission of Texas, Oil and Gas Division, Special permits and Rule 37 case files.

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Oil and Gas Division, Hazardous waste questionnaires, 1991,
5 cubic ft.

This series is not yet processed, there is no finding aid. The call numbers are 2001/143-1 thru 5. A link to the finding aid will be added when processing is completed.

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