Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Louisiana Western Railroad
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The railroad of the Louisiana Western Railroad Company, hereinafter called the Louisiana Western, is a single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, located in the southern part of Louisiana. The owned mileage extends eastwardly from the Texas-Louisiana State line at Sabine River to Lafayette, a distance of 105.888 miles, with branch lines from Mallard Junction to Lake Arthur, from Midland to Abbeville, and from Midland to Mamou, aggregating 102.219 miles, or a total main-line mileage of 208.107 miles. The Louisiana Western also owns and uses 75.084 miles of yard tracks and sidings. Its road thus embraces 283.191 miles of all tracks owned.
The Louisiana Western forms a part of the Atlantic System of the Southern Pacific Company and its main line is an important link in that carrier's through transcontinental route from New Orleans to San Francisco.
From the date the property was placed in operation, July 1, 1881, until February 28, 1885, the Louisiana Western was operated by its own organization. From March 1, 1885, until December 31, 1901, the property was exclusively operated by the Southern Pacific Company, under lease. From the latter date until December 31, 1917, it was operated by its own organization. On January 1, 1918, its common-carrier property was taken over and operated by the United States Railroad Administration and is so operated on date of valuation.
- CORPORATE HISTORY
The Louisiana Western was incorporated March 30, 1878, for an unlimited period by special act of the legislature of Louisiana, approved March 30, 1878. The purpose of incorporation was to construct and operate a railroad extending from a point near Vermillionville, now Lafayette, to any point in the parish of Calcasieu on the Louisiana-Texas State line, all in the State of Louisiana, and such branches extending therefrom as may be deemed necessary. The date of organization was February 11, 1879.
- DEVELOPMENT OF FIXED PHYSICAL PROPERTY
The road owned by the Louisiana Western on date of valuation has been acquired as follows:
| Termini | Date | Approximate miles | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From— | To— | Construction commenced | Acquired for or retired from operation | |
| By purchase from, purchasing committee representing bondholders of the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad Company: | ||||
| Lafayette, La. The Sabine River. Partly graded right of way. | ||||
| By construction: | ||||
| Lafayette, La. | Orange, Tex. | March, 1878 | July 1, 1881 | 112.580 |
| Midland, La. | Eunice, La. | March, 1893 | September, 1894 | 23.710 |
| Do. | Gueydan, La. | March, 1895 | October, 1895 | 11.100 |
| Gueydan, La. | Abbeville, La. | June, 1901 | May, 1902 | 23.830 |
| Mallard Junction, La. | Hayes, La. | January, 1903 | August, 1903 | 18.610 |
| Hayes, La. | Lake Arthur, La. | January, 1903 | December, 1903 | 15.490 |
| Eunice, La. | Mamou, La. | January, 1907 | January, 1908 | 9.400 |
| 214.720 | ||||
| Less sales. | ||||
| The Sabine River, [to?] Orange, Tex. | Feb. 10, 1900 | 6.700 | ||
| Total road mileage owned as reported by the Louisiana Western. | 208.020 | |||
| Add difference between owned mileage as reported by the Louisiana Western and as inventoried by us. | .087 | |||
| Total road mileage owned on date of valuation. | 208.107 | |||
The right of way for the greater portion of the main line of the Louisiana Western's road between Lafayette and the Sabine River was purchased from a purchasing committee representing the bondholders of the New Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad Company, and was partly graded at the time of acquisition.
The construction of the main line was done under contract by the Pacific Construction Company. It can not be determined from the obtainable records, if the construction company was affiliated with the Louisiana Western. The construction work on the branches was performed principally by the forces of the Louisiana Western. Grading on some of these branches was done under contract.
The railroad extending from the Sabine River to Orange, Tex., was constructed for account of the Louisiana Western Extension Railroad Company, and was subsequently conveyed by that company to the Texas and New Orleans Railroad Company, by deed dated February 10, 1900.
- HISTORY OF CORPORATE FINANCING