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TABLE OF CONTENTS


Overview

Agency History

Scope and Contents of the Records

Organization of the Records

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Description of Series

Railroad company files, 1894-1935,

Miscellaneous files, 1894-1930,

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Railroad Commission of Texas. Transportation Division:

An Inventory of Special Authority Orders at the Texas State Archives, 1894-1935



Overview

Creator:Railroad Commission of Texas. Transportation Division.
Title:Special authority orders
Dates:1894-1935
Abstract: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.
Quantity:12.22 cubic ft.
Repository: Texas State Archives

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 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.

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.

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

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.

This finding aid describes a single series of the Railroad Commission of Texas records. See Railroad Commission of Texas: An Overview of Records for more records series.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

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Organization of the Records

These records are organized into two series.
Railroad company files, 1894-1935, 11.75 cubic ft.
Miscellaneous files, 1894-1930, 0.47 cubic ft.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

None.

Technical Requirements

None.

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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. Main Office Division.
Subjects:
Railroads--Texas--Rates.
Railroads and state--Texas.
Document Types:
Orders--Texas--Railroads and state--1894-1935.
Correspondence--Texas--Railroads and state--1894-1935.
Memorandums--Texas--Railroads and state--1894-1935.
Functions:
Regulating railroads.

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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
Railroad Commission of Texas, Rail Division, Annual reports of railroad companies, 1859-1867, 1873-1885, 1890-1996, 380.24 ft.
Railroad Commission of Texas, Outgoing correspondence, 1891-1934, 34.38 cubic ft. (255 letterpress copybooks)
Railroad Commission of Texas, Incoming correspondence, 1891-1942, 52 cubic ft.
Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division, Correspondence and reports, 1888-1948, 8.7 cubic ft.
Railroad Commission of Texas, Main Office and Transportation Division, Interstate Commerce Commission finance dockets, 1920-1952, 33.84 cubic ft.
Railroad Commission of Texas, Transportation Division, Application files, 1891-1971, 15.05 cubic ft.
Railroad Commission of Texas, Rail Division, Tariffs, 1890-1985 (bulk 1914-1984), 44.8 cubic ft.
Records relating to Railroads, 1842-1939, 9.4 cubic ft.
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 , 7.84 cubic ft.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

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

Accession Information

Accession number: 1990/097

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Rail Planning/Rail Safety Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas on March 6, 1990.

Processing Information

Laura K. Saegert, August 1990

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Detailed Description of the Records

 

Railroad company files, 1894-1935,
11.75 cubic ft.

This subseries consists of correspondence, orders, and memos concerning changes requested by a specific railroad line or company through a special authority order grants by the Railroad Commission of Texas, dating 1894-1935.
Arrangement
Records are arranged alphabetically by railroad company, then chronologically.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Railroad company files, Special authority orders, Rail Division, Railroad Commission of Texas. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
BoxFolder
1990/097-11.Abilene and Southern Railway Company, 1910-1926
2.Angelina and Neches River Railroad, 1911-1912
3.Aransas Harbor Terminal Railway, 1914-1917
4.Artesian Belt Railroad (see also San Antonio Southern Railroad), 1911-1918
5.Asherton and Gulf Railway Company, 1910-1920
6.Austin and Northwestern Railroad, 1897-1916
7.Bartlett-Florence Railway Company, 1910
8.Bartlett Western Railway, 1917-1924
9.Beaumont and Great Northern Railroad Company, 1907-1912, 1924
10.Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway Company, 1909-1922
11.Beaumont Wharf and Terminal Company, 1917-1926
12.Bryan, Brazos and Burleson Railway Company, 1919
13.Bryan-College Interurban Railway Company, 1913-1916
14.Burrs Ferry, Browndel and Chester Railway Company, 1909-1912
Cane Belt Railroad Company:
15. 1898-1901
16. 1901-1902
BoxFolder
1990/097-21. 1902-1905
2.Caro Northern Railway Company, 1907-1925
3.Cisco and Northeastern Railway Company, 1920-1921
4.Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway Company, 1904-1927
5.Chicago, Rock Island, and Texas Railway Company, 1902
6.Concho, San Saba and Llano Valley Railroad Company, 1909-1910
7.Crosbyton-South Plains Railroad Company, 1911-1914
8.Crystal City and Uvalde Railroad Company, 1911- 1912
9.Dayton-Goose Creek Railway Company, 1921-1926
10.Denison, Bonham and New Orleans Railroad Company, 1923-1924
11.East Texas and Gulf Railway Company, 1917-1918
12.Eastern Texas Railroad Company, 1902-1913
13.Eastland, Wichita Falls and Gulf Railroad Company, 1921-1922
14.El Paso and Northeastern Railway Company, 1902- 1912
15.El Paso Southern Railway Company, 1914-1921
16.Electric Express and Baggage Company, 1930-1931
17.Emporia and Gulf Railroad Company, 1900-1901
18.Fort Worth Belt Railway Company, 1903-1920
19.Fort Worth Belt Railway Company, 1921-1933
Fort Worth and Denver City Railway Company:
20. 1902-1921
BoxFolder
1990/097-31. 1921-1924
2. 1924-1926
3. 1925-1926
4. 1926-1931
5.Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway Company, 1902-1904, 1928
6.Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company, 1921-1925
7.Galveston and Western Railway Company, 1897, 1909
8.Galveston Freight Bureau, 1894
Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway Company:
9. 1901-1924
10. 1924-1926
11. 1926
12. 1926-1932
BoxFolder
1990/097-4Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad Company:
1. 1896-1901
2. 1901-1909
3. 1909-1926
4.Galveston, Houston and Northern Railway Company, 1899-1905
5.Galveston, La Porte and Houston Railway Company, 1894-1899
6.Galveston Wharf Company, 1911-1912, 1923, 1946
Gulf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railway Company:
7. 1894-1899
8. 1899-1902
9. 1902-1904
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Re Railway Company:
10. 1894-1896
BoxFolder
1990/097-51. 1896-1898
2. 1898-1899
3. 1899-1900
4. 1900
5. 1900-1901
6. 1901
BoxFolder
1990/097-61. 1901-1902
2. 1902-1909
3. 1909
4. 1910
5. 1910-1911
6. 1911-1912
7. 1912-1913
BoxFolder
1990/097-71. 1913-1915
2. 1915-1916
3. 1916-1921
4. 1921
5. 1900-1917
6. 1917-1921
7. 1922-1923
BoxFolder
1990/097-81. 1923-1924
2. 1916-1917
3. 1924-1925
4. 1925-1926
5. 1926
6. 1926
BoxFolder
1990/097-9Gulf and Interstate Railway Company:
1. 1896-1902
2. 1903-1908
3. 1908-1909
4. 1909-1913
5. 1913-1932
6.Gulf, Western Texas Pacific Railway Company, 1895-1904
7.Hearne and Brazos Valley Railroad Company, 1894-1923
Houston East and West Texas Railway Company:
8. 1895-1898
9. 1898-1899
BoxFolder
1990/097-101. 1899-1900
2. 1900-1901
3. 1901-1902
4. 1902-1904
5. 1904-1905
6. 1905-1907
7. 1907-1911
BoxFolder
1990/097-111. 1911-1921
2. 1921-1926
3.Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company, 1894-1925
International and Great Northern Railroad Company:
4. 1897-1900
5. 1900-1901
6. 1901-1902
7. 1902
8. 1902-1903
BoxFolder
1990/097-121. 1903
2. 1903-1904
3. 1904
4. 1904-1905
5. 1905
6. 1909-1930
7.Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway Company of Texas, 1924
8.Livingston and Southeastern Railway, 1905-1910
BoxFolder
1990/097-13Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company:
1. 1894-1895
2. 1895
3-5. 1896
6. 1897
BoxFolder
1990/097-141. 1897
2. 1897-1898
3-4. 1898
5. 1898-1899
6-7. 1899
BoxFolder
1990/097-151. 1899-1900
2-3. 1900
4. 1901-1920
5. 1920
6. 1920-1921
BoxFolder
1990/097-161. 1921-1924
2. 1924
3. 1924-1926
4. 1926-1931
5. Bad order cars, 1912
6.Missouri Pacific Transportation Company, 1930-1931
7.Motley County Railway Company, 1914
8.Nacogdoches and Southeastern Railway Company, 1923
9.New York, Texas and Mexican Railway Company, 1896-1900
10.New York, Texas and Mexican Railway Company, 1900
11.Orange and Northwestern Railroad Company, 1902, 1921-1926
BoxFolder
1990/097-171.Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway Company, 1923
2.Pecos Valley Southern Railway Company, 1910
3.Rio Grande Railroad Company, 1896-1923
4.Rio Grande Railroad Company, 1923-1926, 1932
Rio Grande and Eagle Pass Railway Company:
5. 1898-1912
6. 1912-1918
7. 1918-1935
8.Roby and Northern Railroad Company, 1916-1925
9.Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific Railway Company, 1908-1909, 1914
10.Sabine and Neches Valley Railway Company, 1922- 1924
11.St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway Company, 1904-1927
12.St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company of Texas, 1901-1925
13.San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway Company, 1901-1918
14.San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway Company, 1913-1916
BoxFolder
1990/097-181.San Antonio and Gulf Railroad, 1899-1901
2.San Antonio Southern Railroad Company, 1919-1927
3.San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad Company, 1912-1920
4.San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad Company, 1920-1926
5.San Benito and Rio Grande Valley Railway Company, 1914-1916, 1925
6.Sherman, Shreveport and Southern Railway Company, 1894-1896
7.Sherman, Shreveport and Southern Railway Company, 1896-1901
8.Shreveport, Houston and Gulf Railroad Company, 1910-1925
BoxFolder
1990/097-191.Southern Pacific Terminal Company, 1925-1931
2.Sugarland Railway Company, 1895-1911
3.Sugarland Railway Company, 1911-1916
4.Texarkana and Fort Smith Railway Company, 1903-1904
5.Texas Central Railway Company, 1911
6.Texas City Terminal Company, 1910-1927
7.Texas and Gulf Railway Company, 1907-1913
8.Texas and Louisiana Railroad Company, 1902
9.Texas Mexican Railway Company, 1904-1926
Texas Midland Railroad:
10. 1894-1896
11. 1897-1899
12. 1899-1900
BoxFolder
1990/097-201. 1900-1901
2. 1902-1905
3. 1906-1909
4. 1909-1912
5. 1913-1920
6. 1920-1926
BoxFolder
1990/097-211.Texas Northeastern Railway, 1900
2.Texas and New Orleans Railroad:
2. 1896-1898
3. 1898-1900
4. 1900-1902
5. 1902
6. 1903
7. 1903-1904
BoxFolder
1990/097-221. 1904-1906
2. 1906-1907
3. 1907-1931
4.Texas and Pacific Motor Transport Company, 1929-1931
Texas and Pacific Railway Company:
5. 1894-1917
6. 1917-1921
7. 1921-1923
8. 1923-1924
BoxFolder
1990/097-231. 1924-1925
2. 1925-1926
3. 1926-1929
4.Texas, Sabine Valley and Northwestern Railroad, 1894-1904
5.Texas Short Line Railway Company, 1902-1911
6.Texas Southern Railway Company, 1902-1909
7.Texas Transportation Company, 1900
8.Texas Western Railway Company, 1894
9.Timpson and Henderson Railway Company, 1920-1922
10.Timpson Northeastern Railway Company, 1904-1909
Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway Company:
11. 1903-1908
BoxFolder
1990/097-241. 1908-1909
2. 1909-1910
3. 1910-1912
4. 1912-1916
5. 1916-1920
6. 1920-1930
7.Tyler Southeastern Railway Company, 1896-1924
BoxFolder
1990/097-251.Velasco Terminal Railway Company, 1895-1914
2.Warren and Corsicana Pacific Railroad Company, 1898-1905
3.Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railway Company, 1895-1909
4.Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railway Company, 1909-1926
5.Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad Company, 1922-1930
6.Wichita Valley Railway Company, 1905-1915
7.Wichita Valley Railway Company, 1915-1925

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Miscellaneous files, 1894-1930,
0.47 cubic ft.

This subseries consists of a file of special order supplements, a file of joint applications, and a group of topically ordered files, all concerning special authority orders of the Railroad Commission of Texas, 1894-1930. These records concern more than one railroad line, in many cases all Texas lines. The topical files contain correspondence concerning situations which often led to a request for a rate or regulation change and a special order being issued.
Arrangement
The topical files have been maintained in the order they were received. The chronological arrangement of the materials within some files fluctuates.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Miscellaneous files, Special authority orders, Rail Division, Railroad Commission of Texas. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
BoxFolder
1990/097-261.Special Authority Supplements, 1925-1929
2.Special order (all Texas lines) re: application submitted by R.C. Fyfe, 1930
3.Joint applications for order changes, 1911-1912
4.Brownsville - Petition for extension of common point territory, 1911-1912
5.Rates re: transporting iron, letter from Peden and Company, 1894
6.Transportation of cotton between Houston and Galveston, and Houston and New Orleans, letter from J.R. Meyers, 1894
7.Track scales at Galveston. Complaint of C.M. Wolston, 1910-1911
8.Bridgeport - Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railroad. Farmer's union warehouse complaint, 1911-1912
9.Lone Star Dispatch, 1910-1911
10.Petition for Public Road at Barker, 1911
11.Car Shortage. Circular to Shippers and consignees, 1912
12.Circular No. 4414. Venus as a junction for rate-basing purposes, 1913
13.Contributions to the Commercial Secretaries Association of Texas, 1913
14.Demurrage, 1913
15.Circulars re: billing freight at actual weights, 1907
16.Independent Cotton Seed Oil Mills, 1913
17.Peddling from cars on tracks, 1912
18.Misc. materials re: peddling, 1912
19.Petition for water rates between Galveston and Brazoria (1908), 1912

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