From the “Coulee City News,” Coulee City, WA
January 24, 1947
Shortage of boxcars is holding up shipment of wheat from Coulee City, Guy Stafford, manager of the Centennial elevator, reported last week.
A large amount of wheat may be carried over into the next harvest season, he said.
Centennial loaded 11 cars in November, six in December and 12 so far in January, and now has about 250,000 bushels of wheat on hand. Mr. Stafford estimated that there is about 100,000 bushels of wheat stored on farms in addition to that in elevators here.
This site features daily historical railroad posts from the Big Bend/Columbia Plateau region of Washington state. As a personal site, this is my online filing cabinet of interesting things I've come across about railroading in the area. Thanks for stopping by!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Construction of the Marcellus branch of the Milwaukee Road
Presented by Michael Sol via the MILW list at Yahoogroups.
Below is the official "construction record" of the Marcellus branch of the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, generated in 1915. The H.C. Henry Company, a ubiquitous railroad contractor in the PNW, got the contract.
VALUATION SECTION WASHINGTON 7.
Valuation Section Washington 7 covers the branch line of the
C.M.& St.P. Ry., extending from the main line station Warden, in a
general northeasterly direction to Marcellus, a distance of about 48
miles.
During the winter of 1909-09 an engineer made a general exploration
covering an area of about 40 miles wide and 60 miles in length, lying
between the Great Northern and the C.M.& St.P. Railway, bounded by Cow
Creek on the east and Moses Lake on the west. This work was done on
horse back and required about three months' time. He made a very
complete report as to the traffic possibilities of the territory, in
addition to outlining a possible branch line. A location party was
sent to Warden in October, 1909 to develop the possibilities of the
route outlined in the reconnaissance report. This party was in the
field four months, running 93 miles of preliminary and 200 miles of
location survey for the final 47 miles adopted, or two miles of
preliminary and four miles of location for each mile of adopted line.
Construction commenced in March, 1910. Track was laid in December of
the same year.
For construction purposes a District Engineer's office was established
in Warden, under the direct supervision of the Chief Engineer in
Seattle. The line was divided into four residencies of various lengths.
Leaving Warden this branch runs northeasterly for about 25 miles,
thence nearly due east to the terminus. The gradients are undulating
with a maximum of 2%. The alignment is good, consisting of long
tangents intercepted by east curvature.
H. C. Henry was awarded the contract for the clearing, grading, bridge
and culvert work, which he sublet to several other contractors. This
work was largely done by teams with wheeled scrapers and fresnos.
Outfits were delivered by rail to points on the C.M.& St.P., Northern
Pacific and Great Northern Railways, depending on the distance to the
places of operation.
Most of the territory traversed was covered with sage brush and
greasewood which required clearing for light grading.
In general, the grading was light. Much of it was side borrow work.
Some classified material was encountered. The worst difficulty to
overcome was the wind, which blows almost incessantly in this
vicinity, and made the work very disagreeable and expensive as in many
cases newly graded embankments were blown away. Water was scarce and
of poor quality and was usually hauled for long distances. Men were
hard to hold under such conditions.
No unusual bridge work was required. Those that were built were
standard pile trestle. The material was delivered at Warden by rail
from where it was hauled by team to the points of erection.
Culverts were built of vitrified pipe, hauled by team from Warden.
The drainage requirements as anticipated during construction
were very deceiving. This territory is subject to spasmodic heavy
rainfall and cloud-bursts, which require unusual drainage facilities.
As a consequence many of the culverts installed during original
construction have been washed out and replaced by pile bridges. .
Warden was the point of supply for track laying. A Roberts Bros.
machine was used and new 65 pound rail was laid.
Track laying began July 7th, 1910 and was completed on November
16th of the same year. No work was done, however, between July
27th and September l5th. The track was side surfaced immediately
after it was laid. A temporary water tank was erected about 19 miles
north of Warden for track laying purposes. Permanent tanks with
drilled wells have since been installed at Ruff and Marce1lus.
Standard right of way fences have been built with the necessary
crossing facilities.
The buildings were constructed by Company forces soon after the line
was opened for traffic, the usual section facilities being built at
Tiflis, Ruff and Marcellus, and depots at the two last named places.
Telegraph material was distributed by work train and erected by
Company forces. Telephones were installed in booths at Blind sidings,
as well as in the depots.
The branch is operated as a part of the Idaho Division, the usual
branch line equipment being used. Traffic is not very heavy except in
the wheat hauling season.
Below is the official "construction record" of the Marcellus branch of the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, generated in 1915. The H.C. Henry Company, a ubiquitous railroad contractor in the PNW, got the contract.
VALUATION SECTION WASHINGTON 7.
Valuation Section Washington 7 covers the branch line of the
C.M.& St.P. Ry., extending from the main line station Warden, in a
general northeasterly direction to Marcellus, a distance of about 48
miles.
During the winter of 1909-09 an engineer made a general exploration
covering an area of about 40 miles wide and 60 miles in length, lying
between the Great Northern and the C.M.& St.P. Railway, bounded by Cow
Creek on the east and Moses Lake on the west. This work was done on
horse back and required about three months' time. He made a very
complete report as to the traffic possibilities of the territory, in
addition to outlining a possible branch line. A location party was
sent to Warden in October, 1909 to develop the possibilities of the
route outlined in the reconnaissance report. This party was in the
field four months, running 93 miles of preliminary and 200 miles of
location survey for the final 47 miles adopted, or two miles of
preliminary and four miles of location for each mile of adopted line.
Construction commenced in March, 1910. Track was laid in December of
the same year.
For construction purposes a District Engineer's office was established
in Warden, under the direct supervision of the Chief Engineer in
Seattle. The line was divided into four residencies of various lengths.
Leaving Warden this branch runs northeasterly for about 25 miles,
thence nearly due east to the terminus. The gradients are undulating
with a maximum of 2%. The alignment is good, consisting of long
tangents intercepted by east curvature.
H. C. Henry was awarded the contract for the clearing, grading, bridge
and culvert work, which he sublet to several other contractors. This
work was largely done by teams with wheeled scrapers and fresnos.
Outfits were delivered by rail to points on the C.M.& St.P., Northern
Pacific and Great Northern Railways, depending on the distance to the
places of operation.
Most of the territory traversed was covered with sage brush and
greasewood which required clearing for light grading.
In general, the grading was light. Much of it was side borrow work.
Some classified material was encountered. The worst difficulty to
overcome was the wind, which blows almost incessantly in this
vicinity, and made the work very disagreeable and expensive as in many
cases newly graded embankments were blown away. Water was scarce and
of poor quality and was usually hauled for long distances. Men were
hard to hold under such conditions.
No unusual bridge work was required. Those that were built were
standard pile trestle. The material was delivered at Warden by rail
from where it was hauled by team to the points of erection.
Culverts were built of vitrified pipe, hauled by team from Warden.
The drainage requirements as anticipated during construction
were very deceiving. This territory is subject to spasmodic heavy
rainfall and cloud-bursts, which require unusual drainage facilities.
As a consequence many of the culverts installed during original
construction have been washed out and replaced by pile bridges. .
Warden was the point of supply for track laying. A Roberts Bros.
machine was used and new 65 pound rail was laid.
Track laying began July 7th, 1910 and was completed on November
16th of the same year. No work was done, however, between July
27th and September l5th. The track was side surfaced immediately
after it was laid. A temporary water tank was erected about 19 miles
north of Warden for track laying purposes. Permanent tanks with
drilled wells have since been installed at Ruff and Marce1lus.
Standard right of way fences have been built with the necessary
crossing facilities.
The buildings were constructed by Company forces soon after the line
was opened for traffic, the usual section facilities being built at
Tiflis, Ruff and Marcellus, and depots at the two last named places.
Telegraph material was distributed by work train and erected by
Company forces. Telephones were installed in booths at Blind sidings,
as well as in the depots.
The branch is operated as a part of the Idaho Division, the usual
branch line equipment being used. Traffic is not very heavy except in
the wheat hauling season.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Death of the Waterville Railroad
From “The Wenatchee Daily World,” Wenatchee, WA
March 26, 1954
When the Waterville Railroad died the other day with dramatic and prosaic suddenness, it meant the passing of a pioneer landmark of North Central Washington that while small, was an important phase in the economic development of the area.
The death announcement was brief and commonplace.
Just a blunt statement by the Interstate Commerce Commission announcing that the Waterville Railway Company was authorized to abandon its six miles of roadbed between Waterville and Douglas.
Reason for the demise was given just as brusquely—“No business.”
The road was once the shortest in the nation, yet at the time it was built it was a vital link in the transportation of North Central Washington, for it provided an outlet for millions of bushels of wheat from the Waterville area to the Great Northern branch line at Douglas.
Then slowly and gradually the road became a victim to progress and the Motor Age. As better roads were developed and better trucks made, the wheat began to trickle to shipping point by truck instead of railroad.
Finally in 1948, the little line received a blow that proved to be its death knell. Torrents of flood water swept through the wheat country and took with it the bridges and part of the track.
The wheat farmers are a resourceful and enterprising group, and no doubt they would have rallied and rebuilt the line if it had been necessary. But it was no longer a necessary link in the economic set up, so it was allowed to languish and finally die.
Built with private capital raised locally for the most part, the Waterville Railroad is a shining example of American initiative and community cooperation at its best. When the Great Northern could not, or would not build a spur into Waterville, the people of the area simply said in effect—“We will,” and they did.
That spirit of community resourcefulness in the true tradition of America. It is the same spirit that led the pioneers to rally together after a disaster, rebuild a neighbor’s home or barn or pull his wagon out of a mudhole.
No wonder the people of Waterville were proud of their little railroad, with its six miles of track, half dozen employees and limited equipment. Its little engine may not have made as much noise as its big brothers on the Great Northern line, but nevertheless it chugged along, it delivered the goods, and it tootled its whistle just as proudly as any of them.
The line was important far beyond its size, and it brusque death announcement will be received with sadness by many a local resident.
Another landmark of North Central Washington’s pioneer days has passed into history.
March 26, 1954
When the Waterville Railroad died the other day with dramatic and prosaic suddenness, it meant the passing of a pioneer landmark of North Central Washington that while small, was an important phase in the economic development of the area.
The death announcement was brief and commonplace.
Just a blunt statement by the Interstate Commerce Commission announcing that the Waterville Railway Company was authorized to abandon its six miles of roadbed between Waterville and Douglas.
Reason for the demise was given just as brusquely—“No business.”
The road was once the shortest in the nation, yet at the time it was built it was a vital link in the transportation of North Central Washington, for it provided an outlet for millions of bushels of wheat from the Waterville area to the Great Northern branch line at Douglas.
Then slowly and gradually the road became a victim to progress and the Motor Age. As better roads were developed and better trucks made, the wheat began to trickle to shipping point by truck instead of railroad.
Finally in 1948, the little line received a blow that proved to be its death knell. Torrents of flood water swept through the wheat country and took with it the bridges and part of the track.
The wheat farmers are a resourceful and enterprising group, and no doubt they would have rallied and rebuilt the line if it had been necessary. But it was no longer a necessary link in the economic set up, so it was allowed to languish and finally die.
Built with private capital raised locally for the most part, the Waterville Railroad is a shining example of American initiative and community cooperation at its best. When the Great Northern could not, or would not build a spur into Waterville, the people of the area simply said in effect—“We will,” and they did.
That spirit of community resourcefulness in the true tradition of America. It is the same spirit that led the pioneers to rally together after a disaster, rebuild a neighbor’s home or barn or pull his wagon out of a mudhole.
No wonder the people of Waterville were proud of their little railroad, with its six miles of track, half dozen employees and limited equipment. Its little engine may not have made as much noise as its big brothers on the Great Northern line, but nevertheless it chugged along, it delivered the goods, and it tootled its whistle just as proudly as any of them.
The line was important far beyond its size, and it brusque death announcement will be received with sadness by many a local resident.
Another landmark of North Central Washington’s pioneer days has passed into history.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Railroads of Grant County
This is the first part of a piece being written for the Centennial of Grant County, WA on Feb. 24, 2009. Every line that was built (and a few that were not) will be featured.
The area we now know as Grant County was originally part of Spokane County. This area then became part of Lincoln County when it was split off of Spokane on Nov. 24, 1883. Our time with Lincoln County was short, only 4 days, as Douglas County was split from Lincoln on Nov. 28, 1883. Grant County was split off from Douglas on Feb. 24, 1909.
Much of what was Grant County was owned by the Northern Pacific (NP), dating back to its completion in 1883 and the land granted to it by the Federal Government. This land was granted to help finance construction; it covered 50 miles on each side of the centerline of the tracks. It was laid in a checkerboard pattern with the Federal Government owning the alternating pieces. This was intended to guarantee that railroad access would increase the value of that part of the checkerboard not granted to the railroad.
During the period from Nov. 1883 to Feb. 1909, most of what became Grant County’s rail system was developed. This meant those companies laying the rails did most of their business with Douglas County officers.
The first rails laid in what became Grant County were laid by the Central Washington Railroad (CW) in 1889, as it was completing its line from Cheney to Coulee City. The CW was a subsidiary of the NP which was forbidden to directly build branches on its mainline due to a clause in its charter. The CW was organized as a response to the construction efforts of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern (SLS&E) on the east side of the state. The SLS&E was organized as a way to prod the Northern Pacific to build a line into Seattle from Tacoma. The SLS&E goal was a cross-state line that would hopefully connect up with another transcontinental line then building through the Dakotas.
The CW started grading in 1888; nearly the same time the SLS&E started its line from Spokane west towards Seattle. The CW managed to get its crews out to key areas of the Grand Coulee to ward off the SLS&E, with the idea of laying rail sometime later. In this they succeeded, but the SLS&E also had money woes, and barely got rail laid to Davenport.
Rail was laid in what is now Grant County in 1889-1890, as the CW, after pausing at Almira, continued the 21 miles to Coulee City. Control of the CW was lost by the NP in 1895 when the NP went bankrupt, followed by the CW. In 1898, after the NP had come out of bankruptcy, it organized the Washington Central Railway (WC), to purchase all the assets of the CW, which was completed June 1 of that year. The WC was officially absorbed by the NP on June 29, 1914.
A good part of the CW was not built along what the surveyors had laid out. There was a lot of land speculation going on, and the construction crew was corrupt. In many places, the finished line did not follow the survey, and in one instance, the finished line changed even after a right of way had been developed.
The CW planned to go beyond Coulee City, to tap the mining area in the Okanogan area. To this end, there was another 5 miles of grading completed west of town, though no rail was laid. Another plan had it extending through the lower Grand Coulee and beyond to connect up to the mainline near Ellensburg. The only extension to the line was the Adrian Cut-off, built between 1902 and 1903. This was done to help combine the properties of the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern, which were mindful of merging back then. It opened for service September 11, 1903.
Coulee City boasted the largest servicing facilities on the CW. It had a two-stall roundhouse with tracks 67 feet long, turntable, coaling dock, ash pit, water tower, ice house, and stockyards. The only other place having comparable facilities was at Adrian, which also had a turntable and a water tower.
An interesting train wreck occurred at Coulee City in 1909. The Great Northern’s crack passenger train, the “Oriental Limited,” crashed near Coulee City in 1909.
A washout on the Great Northern at Wilson Creek caused the train to be rerouted over the CW at Cheney, and to be rerouted back to the GN at Adrian. When the train passed through Odair, someone forgot to throw the switch and the train went over the end of the track west of town.
Not much changed on the CW until the building of Grand Coulee Dam. In 1933, NP surveyors laid out a line from Odair to what is now Grand Coulee. This line opened on July 19, 1935. More on this line will be presented later.
In February 1944, the 50-year-old Hartline depot was torn down.
The night of July 29, 1947, the roundhouse in Coulee City burned down in a spectacular fire. It was no longer used by the railroad, having been leased to a business which sharpened tools for use during construction of Grand Coulee Dam.
On March 6, 1954, passenger service on the line was discontinued. The last train made its final run with about 30 passengers aboard. The train had been carrying mail, passengers, and express from Spokane since 1890. The mail service was transferred to an NP truck. The same truck picked up cream shipments and express packages. Mail service had once extended all the way to Adrian, but was discontinued to that point in 1925.
In May, 1966, the NP started a remodel of the Coulee City depot, anticipating business to be generated by construction of the third powerhouse at Grand Coulee Dam. As part of the process, the second story of the depot was removed and the main floor modernized.
The NP was merged into the Burlington Northern (BN) on March 2, 1970. Operations on the CW were unchanged.
Longtime depot agent at Coulee City, C.W. ‘Skip’ Connor, retired on June 1, 1977 after 40 years with the railroad. The BN did not replace Skip in Coulee City and closed the depot the next day.
The BN decided that the relatively unused section of the CW from Odair to Adrian would be pulled up. This section had very spotty service, even back in NP days. The rail was pulled up in 1978. Much of the right of way is still owned by the railroad to this day.
In October
14, 1979, the closed depot was given to the Coulee City Women's Club after they became aware of BN’s plan to scrap the building. They asked for permission for it to be used as a senior or community center. The BN stipulated that the depot be moved from the tracks as part of the donation process. The Women’s Club in turn gave it to the senior citizens of Coulee City. The depot was moved to a plot of donated land near its original location.
The future of the CW branch was ensured when the Central Washington Grain Growers significantly increased their grain storage capacity at Hartline and Coulee City in 1981. Unit train loaders were built at both locations, and two huge silos were erected on the former depot location at Coulee City.
BN was renamed the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) in February 1995. By this time, most business on the CW was grain shipment, on an as-needed basis versus a regularly-scheduled train as before.
BNSF had been looking to shed many underperforming branch lines over the United States. It set its sights on the CW, and, in September of 1996, sold the line to Watco, which operated the line as the Palouse River and Coulee City Railway (PCC), along with other former branch lines in its possession.
The PCC ran as needed until Watco felt the PCC was not earning enough of a profit to continue operating the line. Maintenance on the tracks had been stopped, so what had once been a 40-mph railroad was reduced to 10 mph. The PCC was embargoed in January of 2006, in order to force the Washington State DOT to purchase the line. Watco threatened to pull up all the rails.
The WADOT purchased the line in February of 2007, and set about fixing the worst part of the tracks. Operation of the line was turned over to a new railroad, the Eastern Washington Gateway, which started operation soon after the line was purchase by the state.
To most people interested in the continued operation of this line, it is still referred to as the CW, even though the actual Central Washington railroad disappeared over 110 years ago.
The area we now know as Grant County was originally part of Spokane County. This area then became part of Lincoln County when it was split off of Spokane on Nov. 24, 1883. Our time with Lincoln County was short, only 4 days, as Douglas County was split from Lincoln on Nov. 28, 1883. Grant County was split off from Douglas on Feb. 24, 1909.
Much of what was Grant County was owned by the Northern Pacific (NP), dating back to its completion in 1883 and the land granted to it by the Federal Government. This land was granted to help finance construction; it covered 50 miles on each side of the centerline of the tracks. It was laid in a checkerboard pattern with the Federal Government owning the alternating pieces. This was intended to guarantee that railroad access would increase the value of that part of the checkerboard not granted to the railroad.
During the period from Nov. 1883 to Feb. 1909, most of what became Grant County’s rail system was developed. This meant those companies laying the rails did most of their business with Douglas County officers.
The first rails laid in what became Grant County were laid by the Central Washington Railroad (CW) in 1889, as it was completing its line from Cheney to Coulee City. The CW was a subsidiary of the NP which was forbidden to directly build branches on its mainline due to a clause in its charter. The CW was organized as a response to the construction efforts of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern (SLS&E) on the east side of the state. The SLS&E was organized as a way to prod the Northern Pacific to build a line into Seattle from Tacoma. The SLS&E goal was a cross-state line that would hopefully connect up with another transcontinental line then building through the Dakotas.
The CW started grading in 1888; nearly the same time the SLS&E started its line from Spokane west towards Seattle. The CW managed to get its crews out to key areas of the Grand Coulee to ward off the SLS&E, with the idea of laying rail sometime later. In this they succeeded, but the SLS&E also had money woes, and barely got rail laid to Davenport.
Rail was laid in what is now Grant County in 1889-1890, as the CW, after pausing at Almira, continued the 21 miles to Coulee City. Control of the CW was lost by the NP in 1895 when the NP went bankrupt, followed by the CW. In 1898, after the NP had come out of bankruptcy, it organized the Washington Central Railway (WC), to purchase all the assets of the CW, which was completed June 1 of that year. The WC was officially absorbed by the NP on June 29, 1914.
A good part of the CW was not built along what the surveyors had laid out. There was a lot of land speculation going on, and the construction crew was corrupt. In many places, the finished line did not follow the survey, and in one instance, the finished line changed even after a right of way had been developed.
The CW planned to go beyond Coulee City, to tap the mining area in the Okanogan area. To this end, there was another 5 miles of grading completed west of town, though no rail was laid. Another plan had it extending through the lower Grand Coulee and beyond to connect up to the mainline near Ellensburg. The only extension to the line was the Adrian Cut-off, built between 1902 and 1903. This was done to help combine the properties of the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern, which were mindful of merging back then. It opened for service September 11, 1903.
Coulee City boasted the largest servicing facilities on the CW. It had a two-stall roundhouse with tracks 67 feet long, turntable, coaling dock, ash pit, water tower, ice house, and stockyards. The only other place having comparable facilities was at Adrian, which also had a turntable and a water tower.
An interesting train wreck occurred at Coulee City in 1909. The Great Northern’s crack passenger train, the “Oriental Limited,” crashed near Coulee City in 1909.
A washout on the Great Northern at Wilson Creek caused the train to be rerouted over the CW at Cheney, and to be rerouted back to the GN at Adrian. When the train passed through Odair, someone forgot to throw the switch and the train went over the end of the track west of town.
Not much changed on the CW until the building of Grand Coulee Dam. In 1933, NP surveyors laid out a line from Odair to what is now Grand Coulee. This line opened on July 19, 1935. More on this line will be presented later.
In February 1944, the 50-year-old Hartline depot was torn down.
The night of July 29, 1947, the roundhouse in Coulee City burned down in a spectacular fire. It was no longer used by the railroad, having been leased to a business which sharpened tools for use during construction of Grand Coulee Dam.
On March 6, 1954, passenger service on the line was discontinued. The last train made its final run with about 30 passengers aboard. The train had been carrying mail, passengers, and express from Spokane since 1890. The mail service was transferred to an NP truck. The same truck picked up cream shipments and express packages. Mail service had once extended all the way to Adrian, but was discontinued to that point in 1925.
In May, 1966, the NP started a remodel of the Coulee City depot, anticipating business to be generated by construction of the third powerhouse at Grand Coulee Dam. As part of the process, the second story of the depot was removed and the main floor modernized.
The NP was merged into the Burlington Northern (BN) on March 2, 1970. Operations on the CW were unchanged.
Longtime depot agent at Coulee City, C.W. ‘Skip’ Connor, retired on June 1, 1977 after 40 years with the railroad. The BN did not replace Skip in Coulee City and closed the depot the next day.
The BN decided that the relatively unused section of the CW from Odair to Adrian would be pulled up. This section had very spotty service, even back in NP days. The rail was pulled up in 1978. Much of the right of way is still owned by the railroad to this day.
In October
14, 1979, the closed depot was given to the Coulee City Women's Club after they became aware of BN’s plan to scrap the building. They asked for permission for it to be used as a senior or community center. The BN stipulated that the depot be moved from the tracks as part of the donation process. The Women’s Club in turn gave it to the senior citizens of Coulee City. The depot was moved to a plot of donated land near its original location.
The future of the CW branch was ensured when the Central Washington Grain Growers significantly increased their grain storage capacity at Hartline and Coulee City in 1981. Unit train loaders were built at both locations, and two huge silos were erected on the former depot location at Coulee City.
BN was renamed the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) in February 1995. By this time, most business on the CW was grain shipment, on an as-needed basis versus a regularly-scheduled train as before.
BNSF had been looking to shed many underperforming branch lines over the United States. It set its sights on the CW, and, in September of 1996, sold the line to Watco, which operated the line as the Palouse River and Coulee City Railway (PCC), along with other former branch lines in its possession.
The PCC ran as needed until Watco felt the PCC was not earning enough of a profit to continue operating the line. Maintenance on the tracks had been stopped, so what had once been a 40-mph railroad was reduced to 10 mph. The PCC was embargoed in January of 2006, in order to force the Washington State DOT to purchase the line. Watco threatened to pull up all the rails.
The WADOT purchased the line in February of 2007, and set about fixing the worst part of the tracks. Operation of the line was turned over to a new railroad, the Eastern Washington Gateway, which started operation soon after the line was purchase by the state.
To most people interested in the continued operation of this line, it is still referred to as the CW, even though the actual Central Washington railroad disappeared over 110 years ago.
Monday, September 8, 2008
New Grain Storage at Coulee City
From the Coulee City "News-Standard"
Nov. 12, 1981
Construction of this new structure obliterated any old signs of where the Coulee City depot had once stood. Even after the depot had moved, I remember seeing the track inspector arrive in town on his speeder and muscle it off the tracks where the old depot had been, as there was still a little place to park the speeder.
The improvements at Coulee City were to also help take some of the burden off the railroad line to Mansfield, as that would not have any rail service within a few years. CWGG built the unit train loader as they were mindful of trucking grain here from some of the places on the Mansfield branch.
Nov. 12, 1981
Construction of this new structure obliterated any old signs of where the Coulee City depot had once stood. Even after the depot had moved, I remember seeing the track inspector arrive in town on his speeder and muscle it off the tracks where the old depot had been, as there was still a little place to park the speeder.
The improvements at Coulee City were to also help take some of the burden off the railroad line to Mansfield, as that would not have any rail service within a few years. CWGG built the unit train loader as they were mindful of trucking grain here from some of the places on the Mansfield branch.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Wenatchee Southern--The ICC Viewpoint--Part 5 Final
FINANCE DOCKET No. 2172
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Submitted January 15, 1929. Decided February 5, 1929
Petition for further modification of certificate dated July 14, 1924, so as to extend the time within which construction thereby authorized is required to be completed, denied. Previous report, 90 1. C.C. 237.
A. N. Corbin for applicant.
Charles S. Albert for Great Northern Railway Company, protestant.
John O. Denney, James P. Neal, and O. R. Lonergan for Washington Department of' Public Works.
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT OF, THE COMMISSION
BY THE: COMMISSION:
We issued in this proceeding on July 14, 1924, a certificate and order (1) authorizing the 'Wenatchee Southern Railway Company, hereinafter called the applicant, to construct a new line of railroad extending along the west shore of the Columbia River from Wenatchee to Beverly Junction, 53 miles, and from Hanford to a connection with the railroad of the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company at a point about 5 miles west of Kennewick, 29 miles, all in Chelan, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Wash., upon the express condition that construction of the line be begun on, or before January 1, 1925, and, be completed on or before December 31, 1926; and (2) granting permission to the applicant to retain for a period expiring not later than December 31, 1936, all its earnings derived from the proposed new construction, in excess of the amount provided in section 15a of the interstate commerce act, for such disposition as it might lawfully make of the same, also upon the express condition that construction of the line be completed on or before December 31, 1926. Facts of record upon which we found that construction of the line was required by public convenience and necessity are set forth in our previous report,' 90 I. C. C. 237.
Upon request of and for cause shown by the applicant, we subsequently modified the certificate of July 14, 1924, as follows: (a). By order dated December 2, 1924, extending the time for the beginning of construction from January 1, 1925, to July 1, 1925; (b) by, order dated July 1, 1925, further extending the time for beginning construction from July 1, 1925, to January 1, 1926; and (c) by supplemental order dated January 12, 1926, further extending the time for beginning construction from January 1, 1926, to July 1, 1926, and extending the time for completion of construction from December 31, 1926, to June 30, 1928., See 94 I. C. C. 673, 99 I. C. C. 349, and 105 I. C. C. 347.
On June 7_ 1926, a petition was filed in which the applicant prayed further extension of the time for beginning construction for a year and a half from July 1, 1926. The proceeding was reopened and assigned for further hearing at Wenatchee on July 28, 1926, but the order setting the hearing was vacated upon request of the applicant for leave to withdraw the petition and representations to the effect that the applicant had contracted for construction of the railroad and that construction work had been begun prior to July 1, 1926. Hence, there has been no alteration of our certificate as last modified to require completion of construction on or before June 30, 1928.
We are now called, upon to consider a petition filed on July 2, 1928, for further extension of the time for completion of the line for one year from July ,1, 1928. A, hearing was held at Seattle, Wash., on November 15, 1928. Counsel moved at the outset that an adjournment be taken for a period of six months in order to enable the applicant to submit a financial plan and to adduce such other evidence as it then might have. In support of the motion counsel testified that negotiations were pending with certain undisclosed parties for financial assistance, that these parties were engaged in investigating certain, unspecified phases of the matter, and that their decision to furnish or not furnish the necessary funds could be expected in a very short time-in later testimony fixed at not to exceed 60 days. A representative of the Washington Department of Public Works urged that the motion be granted on the ground that the proposed continuance would injure no one. A continuance was opposed by counsel for the Great Northern Railway Company, protestant herein. The motion was denied and the hearing proceeded to conclusion. The matter now stands submitted on
brief.
Under date of January 7, 1929, an officer and counsel joined in advice that the applicant had decided not to file a brief and suggested that if given until January 1, 1930, to obtain funds to complete the line, the applicant would be willing to have the certificate automatically canceled on the date mentioned if the applicant is unable to proceed at that time. In effect this suggestion proposes that the date for completion of the line be extended for some indefinite period from and beyond a date six months later than the time covered by the prayer of the pending petition. This suggestion can not be regarded as an amendment or the petition.
The protestant asks that the petition be denied and that the certificate originally issued be canceled and set aside.
The applicant's project includes about 81 miles of new line, estimated to cost approximately $3,600,000 without equipment, and 51 miles or trackage rights over two other railroads.
Work done in actual construction began on June 28, 1926, three days before the expiration of the time limit, and ceased at some date later in the same year. The work consisted of grading approximately 3,000 feet in the vicinity of Wenatchee and about' 6,000 feet at Beverly, and laying about 2,700 feet of track with light secondhand rails. The applicant secured rights of way covering about 58 per cent of the route proposed to be traversed and took options on about 25 per cent additional.
,
It was testified that the applicant has made expenditures and incurred obligations aggregating approximately $130,000, about half of which was for actual construction. The witness did not recall how the latter expenditures were divided, but in a letter dated September 12, 1928, the president of the' company advised us that the expenditures were as follows:
Engineering $28,550.71
Rights of way $19,151.40
Grading $15,464.96
Track $4,492.86
Total $67,659.99
The rails and ties have not been paid for. The remainder of the $130,000 was for organization and legal expenses, taxes, interest, etc. Expenditures since January 1, 1927, have amounted to approximately $1,500, all for office expense. One of the protestant's engineers estimated the cost of the work done at $16,250.
Based on the record made on prior hearings, we said in our original report, supra, page252:
“The applicant was incorporated with an authorized, capital stock of $50,000, all of which has been subscribed but not issued. Since the filing of the instant application the authorized capital stock ,has been, increased to $400,000.”
In the testimony now before, us it is stated that no steps have been taken to amend the applicant's charter so as to increase the amount of stock originally authorized.
The construction work was done under two successive contracts. The first was with the Railway Construction Company, which was, organized solely for the purposes of the contract. The contractor was required to furnish $10,000 to the applicant and arranged to have this sum advanced by a local bank on 90-day notes of the applicant. After advancing between $4,000 and $5,000, the bank declined to honor further checks drawn on the deposit because the applicant's assets were found to be poor. This contract was on a cost-plus basis.
Eventually the contract with the Railway Construction Company was canceled, and on December 3, 1926, a new contract to build the line was made with another company. This concern likewise was required to advance $10,000 for preliminary pay-roll construction costs on the applicant's promissory note for 90 days, with the privilege of extension for 180 days. The note, as extended, has matured and has not been paid. The contractor did not proceed with the work, but furnished experienced labor for employment under direction of the applicant's engineer. The second contract provided that the contractor should not be required to make any expenditures in excess of the funds available to the, applicant for repayment, of which fact the contractor was to be the sole judge.
The evidence shows that the applicant has never had any assurance of funds to build the line or any considerable part thereof, nor any contract with respect, to trackage rights over the line of railroad which would physically connect the two disjoined segments of line proposed to be constructed by the applicant. It is apparent that when the applicant began construction, three days before the expiration of the thrice-extended time limit, it had no funds to build the line nor any definite prospect of obtaining the necessary financial support. Until nearly two years after the work was begun, all the negotiations for financing the project, consuming several years, were conducted with one company. It is admitted that the project can not be financed locally.
Most of the right-of-way deeds have covenants for reversion of the land to the grantors at various times in case the line is not built, and apparently some of these limitations have already become effective. Application for rights of way across public lands was rejected on May 19, 1926, subject to the usual right of appeal. On August 4, 1926, the applicant was notified that since it had not availed itself of that right, the decision was final and the case closed. The applicant still has no map of definite location such as is required to obtain rights of way on Government lands.
The evidence shows that excepting the engineer the only person connected with the applicant having any experience in railway matters is the treasurer, who once held a clerical position with a railroad company.
It appears that the applicant did not learn definitely until about the end of May, 1928, that the concern with which it had been in negotiation for several years could not finance the project; that since that time effort has been exerted to interest other parties; and that between 30 and 45 days before the hearing an unnamed local resident claiming to represent Eastern financial interests, whose identity is not known to the applicant, made a proposal to have these interests undertake the financing. It is apprehended that the success of negotiations for financial assistance is prejudiced by doubt concerning retention of the certificate by the applicant.
The protestant contends that, in order to be able to make its plans, it should know where it stands and what traffic it must provide for, without the continuing threat of diversion of the traffic. It is further contended that the applicant, by failing to complete its line by July 1, 1928, has forfeited its certificate and is in the same position as if it had never had one; that the record shows laches and want of good faith in the applicant's conduct under the authority granted to it; and that since we decided the case in July, 1924, there have been important changes affecting the merits.
Thus, it was testified, the protestant, subsequent to the time mentioned, has made extensive improvements in its facilities, including, a new yard at Wenatchee; that the protestant has had no complaints as to its service at Wenatchee since 1923; and that in that year, the Western Fruit Express took over the protestant's refrigerator equipment, assumed the duty of supplying cars for the Wenatchee district, and has since fully satisfied all the traffic requirements of the Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association.
Shippers that produce or handle a large part of the outbound freight testified that since 1923 there has never been a shortage of cars and that the service performed by the protestant has been adequate and good. This testimony is not controverted. On behalf£ of the applicant it is conceded that the protestant is now serving the Wenatchee district as well as a railroad can.
In the period from 1914 to 1923, inclusive, the volume of apple shipments from the Wenatchee district almost tripled. The tonnage moving in 1923 has not been equaled in the four succeeding years. For the three years 1925, 1926, and 1927, the shipments averaged 16,480 cars per annum. Total claims paid on carload shipments of apples declined from $622,135.10 in 1920 and $408,557.71 in 1924 to $130,266.57 in 1927. In the 3-year period 1925-1927, claims paid for freezing or heater failures averaged approximately $61,000 per year.
The volume of fruit traffic alone originating in the territory expected to be served by the applicant warrants the assumption that the territory is not lacking in prosperity. Both from the standpoint of original financing and the standpoint of adequate earnings during the early period of operation, the hope of the applicant's project has been largely the support of the people and shippers of the territory represented to be in need of an additional railroad. Yet, after the expiration of more than eight years from the incorporation of the applicant in September, 1920, for the purpose of constructing and operating the railroad, efforts to attract the necessary initial capital have been ineffective. In view of all the circumstances, we can not escape the conclusion that there is little likelihood of a higher degree of success in enlisting the aid of investors whose chief concern in the project would be security of their funds and at least reasonably certain assurance of a satisfactory return thereon.
Whether or not detriment might result to any party from the grant of the extension prayed for, we are persuaded that little advantage would be gained by protracting this proceeding. We are unable to find that good cause has been shown for the extension of time sought by the applicant. It follows that the petition must be denied. Since it has already expired by limitation, it is unnecessary, if not improper for other reasons, that the certificate be canceled and set aside.
An appropriate order will be entered.
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL dissents.
SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER
Entered February 5, 1929
A hearing and investigation of the matters and, things involved in the petition filed herein July2, 1928, having been had, and the commission having, on the date hereof, made and filed a supplemental report containing its findings of fact and conclusions thereon, which report is hereby referred to and made a part hereof:
It is ordered, That the petition filed in this proceeding on July 2, 1928, by the Wenatchee Southeri1 Railway Company, for further modification of the certificate and order issued herein on July 14,
1924, by extension of the time required for completion of construction of a proposed line of railroad in Chelan, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Wash., be, and it is hereby, denied.
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Submitted January 15, 1929. Decided February 5, 1929
Petition for further modification of certificate dated July 14, 1924, so as to extend the time within which construction thereby authorized is required to be completed, denied. Previous report, 90 1. C.C. 237.
A. N. Corbin for applicant.
Charles S. Albert for Great Northern Railway Company, protestant.
John O. Denney, James P. Neal, and O. R. Lonergan for Washington Department of' Public Works.
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT OF, THE COMMISSION
BY THE: COMMISSION:
We issued in this proceeding on July 14, 1924, a certificate and order (1) authorizing the 'Wenatchee Southern Railway Company, hereinafter called the applicant, to construct a new line of railroad extending along the west shore of the Columbia River from Wenatchee to Beverly Junction, 53 miles, and from Hanford to a connection with the railroad of the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company at a point about 5 miles west of Kennewick, 29 miles, all in Chelan, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Wash., upon the express condition that construction of the line be begun on, or before January 1, 1925, and, be completed on or before December 31, 1926; and (2) granting permission to the applicant to retain for a period expiring not later than December 31, 1936, all its earnings derived from the proposed new construction, in excess of the amount provided in section 15a of the interstate commerce act, for such disposition as it might lawfully make of the same, also upon the express condition that construction of the line be completed on or before December 31, 1926. Facts of record upon which we found that construction of the line was required by public convenience and necessity are set forth in our previous report,' 90 I. C. C. 237.
Upon request of and for cause shown by the applicant, we subsequently modified the certificate of July 14, 1924, as follows: (a). By order dated December 2, 1924, extending the time for the beginning of construction from January 1, 1925, to July 1, 1925; (b) by, order dated July 1, 1925, further extending the time for beginning construction from July 1, 1925, to January 1, 1926; and (c) by supplemental order dated January 12, 1926, further extending the time for beginning construction from January 1, 1926, to July 1, 1926, and extending the time for completion of construction from December 31, 1926, to June 30, 1928., See 94 I. C. C. 673, 99 I. C. C. 349, and 105 I. C. C. 347.
On June 7_ 1926, a petition was filed in which the applicant prayed further extension of the time for beginning construction for a year and a half from July 1, 1926. The proceeding was reopened and assigned for further hearing at Wenatchee on July 28, 1926, but the order setting the hearing was vacated upon request of the applicant for leave to withdraw the petition and representations to the effect that the applicant had contracted for construction of the railroad and that construction work had been begun prior to July 1, 1926. Hence, there has been no alteration of our certificate as last modified to require completion of construction on or before June 30, 1928.
We are now called, upon to consider a petition filed on July 2, 1928, for further extension of the time for completion of the line for one year from July ,1, 1928. A, hearing was held at Seattle, Wash., on November 15, 1928. Counsel moved at the outset that an adjournment be taken for a period of six months in order to enable the applicant to submit a financial plan and to adduce such other evidence as it then might have. In support of the motion counsel testified that negotiations were pending with certain undisclosed parties for financial assistance, that these parties were engaged in investigating certain, unspecified phases of the matter, and that their decision to furnish or not furnish the necessary funds could be expected in a very short time-in later testimony fixed at not to exceed 60 days. A representative of the Washington Department of Public Works urged that the motion be granted on the ground that the proposed continuance would injure no one. A continuance was opposed by counsel for the Great Northern Railway Company, protestant herein. The motion was denied and the hearing proceeded to conclusion. The matter now stands submitted on
brief.
Under date of January 7, 1929, an officer and counsel joined in advice that the applicant had decided not to file a brief and suggested that if given until January 1, 1930, to obtain funds to complete the line, the applicant would be willing to have the certificate automatically canceled on the date mentioned if the applicant is unable to proceed at that time. In effect this suggestion proposes that the date for completion of the line be extended for some indefinite period from and beyond a date six months later than the time covered by the prayer of the pending petition. This suggestion can not be regarded as an amendment or the petition.
The protestant asks that the petition be denied and that the certificate originally issued be canceled and set aside.
The applicant's project includes about 81 miles of new line, estimated to cost approximately $3,600,000 without equipment, and 51 miles or trackage rights over two other railroads.
Work done in actual construction began on June 28, 1926, three days before the expiration of the time limit, and ceased at some date later in the same year. The work consisted of grading approximately 3,000 feet in the vicinity of Wenatchee and about' 6,000 feet at Beverly, and laying about 2,700 feet of track with light secondhand rails. The applicant secured rights of way covering about 58 per cent of the route proposed to be traversed and took options on about 25 per cent additional.
,
It was testified that the applicant has made expenditures and incurred obligations aggregating approximately $130,000, about half of which was for actual construction. The witness did not recall how the latter expenditures were divided, but in a letter dated September 12, 1928, the president of the' company advised us that the expenditures were as follows:
Engineering $28,550.71
Rights of way $19,151.40
Grading $15,464.96
Track $4,492.86
Total $67,659.99
The rails and ties have not been paid for. The remainder of the $130,000 was for organization and legal expenses, taxes, interest, etc. Expenditures since January 1, 1927, have amounted to approximately $1,500, all for office expense. One of the protestant's engineers estimated the cost of the work done at $16,250.
Based on the record made on prior hearings, we said in our original report, supra, page252:
“The applicant was incorporated with an authorized, capital stock of $50,000, all of which has been subscribed but not issued. Since the filing of the instant application the authorized capital stock ,has been, increased to $400,000.”
In the testimony now before, us it is stated that no steps have been taken to amend the applicant's charter so as to increase the amount of stock originally authorized.
The construction work was done under two successive contracts. The first was with the Railway Construction Company, which was, organized solely for the purposes of the contract. The contractor was required to furnish $10,000 to the applicant and arranged to have this sum advanced by a local bank on 90-day notes of the applicant. After advancing between $4,000 and $5,000, the bank declined to honor further checks drawn on the deposit because the applicant's assets were found to be poor. This contract was on a cost-plus basis.
Eventually the contract with the Railway Construction Company was canceled, and on December 3, 1926, a new contract to build the line was made with another company. This concern likewise was required to advance $10,000 for preliminary pay-roll construction costs on the applicant's promissory note for 90 days, with the privilege of extension for 180 days. The note, as extended, has matured and has not been paid. The contractor did not proceed with the work, but furnished experienced labor for employment under direction of the applicant's engineer. The second contract provided that the contractor should not be required to make any expenditures in excess of the funds available to the, applicant for repayment, of which fact the contractor was to be the sole judge.
The evidence shows that the applicant has never had any assurance of funds to build the line or any considerable part thereof, nor any contract with respect, to trackage rights over the line of railroad which would physically connect the two disjoined segments of line proposed to be constructed by the applicant. It is apparent that when the applicant began construction, three days before the expiration of the thrice-extended time limit, it had no funds to build the line nor any definite prospect of obtaining the necessary financial support. Until nearly two years after the work was begun, all the negotiations for financing the project, consuming several years, were conducted with one company. It is admitted that the project can not be financed locally.
Most of the right-of-way deeds have covenants for reversion of the land to the grantors at various times in case the line is not built, and apparently some of these limitations have already become effective. Application for rights of way across public lands was rejected on May 19, 1926, subject to the usual right of appeal. On August 4, 1926, the applicant was notified that since it had not availed itself of that right, the decision was final and the case closed. The applicant still has no map of definite location such as is required to obtain rights of way on Government lands.
The evidence shows that excepting the engineer the only person connected with the applicant having any experience in railway matters is the treasurer, who once held a clerical position with a railroad company.
It appears that the applicant did not learn definitely until about the end of May, 1928, that the concern with which it had been in negotiation for several years could not finance the project; that since that time effort has been exerted to interest other parties; and that between 30 and 45 days before the hearing an unnamed local resident claiming to represent Eastern financial interests, whose identity is not known to the applicant, made a proposal to have these interests undertake the financing. It is apprehended that the success of negotiations for financial assistance is prejudiced by doubt concerning retention of the certificate by the applicant.
The protestant contends that, in order to be able to make its plans, it should know where it stands and what traffic it must provide for, without the continuing threat of diversion of the traffic. It is further contended that the applicant, by failing to complete its line by July 1, 1928, has forfeited its certificate and is in the same position as if it had never had one; that the record shows laches and want of good faith in the applicant's conduct under the authority granted to it; and that since we decided the case in July, 1924, there have been important changes affecting the merits.
Thus, it was testified, the protestant, subsequent to the time mentioned, has made extensive improvements in its facilities, including, a new yard at Wenatchee; that the protestant has had no complaints as to its service at Wenatchee since 1923; and that in that year, the Western Fruit Express took over the protestant's refrigerator equipment, assumed the duty of supplying cars for the Wenatchee district, and has since fully satisfied all the traffic requirements of the Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association.
Shippers that produce or handle a large part of the outbound freight testified that since 1923 there has never been a shortage of cars and that the service performed by the protestant has been adequate and good. This testimony is not controverted. On behalf£ of the applicant it is conceded that the protestant is now serving the Wenatchee district as well as a railroad can.
In the period from 1914 to 1923, inclusive, the volume of apple shipments from the Wenatchee district almost tripled. The tonnage moving in 1923 has not been equaled in the four succeeding years. For the three years 1925, 1926, and 1927, the shipments averaged 16,480 cars per annum. Total claims paid on carload shipments of apples declined from $622,135.10 in 1920 and $408,557.71 in 1924 to $130,266.57 in 1927. In the 3-year period 1925-1927, claims paid for freezing or heater failures averaged approximately $61,000 per year.
The volume of fruit traffic alone originating in the territory expected to be served by the applicant warrants the assumption that the territory is not lacking in prosperity. Both from the standpoint of original financing and the standpoint of adequate earnings during the early period of operation, the hope of the applicant's project has been largely the support of the people and shippers of the territory represented to be in need of an additional railroad. Yet, after the expiration of more than eight years from the incorporation of the applicant in September, 1920, for the purpose of constructing and operating the railroad, efforts to attract the necessary initial capital have been ineffective. In view of all the circumstances, we can not escape the conclusion that there is little likelihood of a higher degree of success in enlisting the aid of investors whose chief concern in the project would be security of their funds and at least reasonably certain assurance of a satisfactory return thereon.
Whether or not detriment might result to any party from the grant of the extension prayed for, we are persuaded that little advantage would be gained by protracting this proceeding. We are unable to find that good cause has been shown for the extension of time sought by the applicant. It follows that the petition must be denied. Since it has already expired by limitation, it is unnecessary, if not improper for other reasons, that the certificate be canceled and set aside.
An appropriate order will be entered.
COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL dissents.
SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER
Entered February 5, 1929
A hearing and investigation of the matters and, things involved in the petition filed herein July2, 1928, having been had, and the commission having, on the date hereof, made and filed a supplemental report containing its findings of fact and conclusions thereon, which report is hereby referred to and made a part hereof:
It is ordered, That the petition filed in this proceeding on July 2, 1928, by the Wenatchee Southeri1 Railway Company, for further modification of the certificate and order issued herein on July 14,
1924, by extension of the time required for completion of construction of a proposed line of railroad in Chelan, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Wash., be, and it is hereby, denied.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Wenatchee Southern--The ICC Viewpoint--Part 4
FINANCE DOCKET No. 2172
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Approved January 12, 1926
SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER
It appearing, That on July 14,1924, the commission issued its report, certificate, and order in the, above entitled proceeding, in which certificate and order it was provided that construction of the line of railroad therein authorized should be commenced on or before January 1, 1925;
,
It further appearing, That by orders entered December 2, 1924, and July 1, 1925, the time for commencing construction was extended to January 1, 1926;
It further appearing, That, for good cause shown, the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company will be unable to commence the construction of said line of railroad within the period prescribed in said certificate and order, as extended, and has filed its petition praying that the time limit for the commencement of such construction be further extended for a period of one year:
It is ordered, That the time prescribed in said certificate and order, as extended, within which the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company may commence the construction of the line of railroad therein authorized, be, and it is hereby, further extended to July 1, 1926, and that the time fixed in said certificate and order for the completion of construction be, and it is hereby, extended to June 30, 1928.
It is further ordered, That the second ordering paragraph in the certificate and order issued in this proceeding on July 14, 1924, be, and it is hereby, amended to read as follows:
It is further ordered, That the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company be, and it is hereby permitted to retain for a period expiring not later than 10 years from the date said line is completed and placed in operation, but not later than June 30, 1938, all of its earnings derived from the proposed new construction in excess of the amount provided in section 15a of the interstate commerce act for such disposition as it may lawfully make: Provided, however, that this permission is granted upon the express condition, that the construction of said line of railroad shall be completed on or before
June 30, 1928.
And it is further ordered, That, except as herein modified, the certificate and order issued in this proceeding on July 14, 1924, shall remain in full force and effect.
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Approved January 12, 1926
SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER
It appearing, That on July 14,1924, the commission issued its report, certificate, and order in the, above entitled proceeding, in which certificate and order it was provided that construction of the line of railroad therein authorized should be commenced on or before January 1, 1925;
,
It further appearing, That by orders entered December 2, 1924, and July 1, 1925, the time for commencing construction was extended to January 1, 1926;
It further appearing, That, for good cause shown, the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company will be unable to commence the construction of said line of railroad within the period prescribed in said certificate and order, as extended, and has filed its petition praying that the time limit for the commencement of such construction be further extended for a period of one year:
It is ordered, That the time prescribed in said certificate and order, as extended, within which the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company may commence the construction of the line of railroad therein authorized, be, and it is hereby, further extended to July 1, 1926, and that the time fixed in said certificate and order for the completion of construction be, and it is hereby, extended to June 30, 1928.
It is further ordered, That the second ordering paragraph in the certificate and order issued in this proceeding on July 14, 1924, be, and it is hereby, amended to read as follows:
It is further ordered, That the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company be, and it is hereby permitted to retain for a period expiring not later than 10 years from the date said line is completed and placed in operation, but not later than June 30, 1938, all of its earnings derived from the proposed new construction in excess of the amount provided in section 15a of the interstate commerce act for such disposition as it may lawfully make: Provided, however, that this permission is granted upon the express condition, that the construction of said line of railroad shall be completed on or before
June 30, 1928.
And it is further ordered, That, except as herein modified, the certificate and order issued in this proceeding on July 14, 1924, shall remain in full force and effect.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Wenatchee Southern--The ICC Viewpoint--Part 3
FINANCE DOCKET No. 2172
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Approved July 1, 1925
ORDER
It appearing, That on July 14, 1924, the commission issued its report, certificate, and order in the above-entitled proceeding, in which certificate and order it was provided that construction of the line of railroad therein authorized should be commenced on or before January 1, 1925.
It further appearing, That by order entered December 2, 1924, the time for commencing construction of said line of railroad was extended to July 1, 1925.
It further appearing, That, for good cause shown, the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company will be unable to commence the construction of said line of railroad within the period prescribed in said certificate and order, as extended, and has requested that the time limit for the commencement of such construction be further extended to January 1, 1926:
It is ordered, That the time prescribed in said certificate and order within which the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company may commence the construction of said line of railroad be, and it is hereby, further extended to January 1, 1926.
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Approved July 1, 1925
ORDER
It appearing, That on July 14, 1924, the commission issued its report, certificate, and order in the above-entitled proceeding, in which certificate and order it was provided that construction of the line of railroad therein authorized should be commenced on or before January 1, 1925.
It further appearing, That by order entered December 2, 1924, the time for commencing construction of said line of railroad was extended to July 1, 1925.
It further appearing, That, for good cause shown, the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company will be unable to commence the construction of said line of railroad within the period prescribed in said certificate and order, as extended, and has requested that the time limit for the commencement of such construction be further extended to January 1, 1926:
It is ordered, That the time prescribed in said certificate and order within which the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company may commence the construction of said line of railroad be, and it is hereby, further extended to January 1, 1926.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Wenatchee Southern--The ICC Viewpoint-Part 2
FINANCE DOCKET No. 2172
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Approved December 2, 1924
ORDER
It appearing, That on July 14, 1924, the commission issued its report, and certificate and order, in the above-entitled proceeding, in which certificate and order it was provided that construction of the line of railroad therein authorized should be commenced on or before January 1, 1925;
It further appearing, That, for good cause shown, the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company will be unable to commence the construction of said line of railroad within the period prescribed in said certificate and order, and has requested that the time limit therein fixed for commencement of such construction be extended to July 1, 1925:
It is ordered, That the time prescribed in said certificate and order within which the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company may commence the construction of said line of railroad be, and it is hereby, extended to July 1, 1925.
CONSTRUCTION OF LINE BY WENATCHEE SOUTHERN RY. CO.
Approved December 2, 1924
ORDER
It appearing, That on July 14, 1924, the commission issued its report, and certificate and order, in the above-entitled proceeding, in which certificate and order it was provided that construction of the line of railroad therein authorized should be commenced on or before January 1, 1925;
It further appearing, That, for good cause shown, the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company will be unable to commence the construction of said line of railroad within the period prescribed in said certificate and order, and has requested that the time limit therein fixed for commencement of such construction be extended to July 1, 1925:
It is ordered, That the time prescribed in said certificate and order within which the Wenatchee Southern Railway Company may commence the construction of said line of railroad be, and it is hereby, extended to July 1, 1925.
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