North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records 1999
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Manuscripts and Archives PO Box 3630 Wilmington, Delaware 19807 [email protected] URL: http://www.hagley.org/library North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records 1999
Table of Contents
Summary Information ...... 3 Historical Note ...... 3 Scope and Content ...... 4 Administrative Information ...... 5 Related Materials ...... 5 Controlled Access Headings ...... 5 Collection Inventory ...... 6 Organization papers ...... 6 Annual reports ...... 6 Reports and prospectuses ...... 6 Minute books ...... 7 Board papers ...... 8 Securities records ...... 8 Contracts and Agreements ...... 8 Mortgages ...... 8 Statements ...... 9 Tax Records ...... 9 Legal Case Records ...... 9 Reorganization Papers ...... 9 Account Books ...... 10 General Journals ...... 10 General Cash Book ...... 10 Construction & Equipment Accounts ...... 11 Miscellaneous Reports ...... 11 Employee Timetables ...... 11 Maps and Drawings ...... 12 Annual Report to I.C.C...... 13 Miscellaneous Records of Other Companies ...... 13
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Summary Information
Repository: Manuscripts and Archives Creator: North Pennsylvania Railroad Company Title: North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records ID: 1999 Date [inclusive]: 1836-1982 Physical Description: 14 Linear Feet Language of the English . Material: Abstract: North Pennsylvania Railroad was a railroad company which served the Pennsylvania counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, and Northampton. It was incorporated as the Philadelphia, Easton and Water-Gap Railroad Company on April 6, 1852, and renamed the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company on October 3, 1853. Their records consist of corporate records such as minute books, annual reports, account books and statements.
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Historical Note
North Pennsylvania Railroad was a railroad company which served the Pennsylvania counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, and Northampton. It was incorporated as the Philadelphia, Easton and Water-Gap Railroad Company on April 6, 1852, and renamed the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company on October 3, 1853.
The company's object was to link Philadelphia with northeastern Pennsylvania and central and western New York, but it was only able to construct a line as far as Bethlehem (1853-1857) with a branch to Doylestown (1856), relying on connections with the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Bethlehem. As it occupied a minor traffic corridor, the North Penn was a relatively weak road until 1874, when it built a branch from Jenkintown to the Delaware River at Yardley which became a link in a second route between New York and Philadelphia. The so-called "New Line" opened on May 1, 1876, in time for traffic to the Centennial.
The New Line made the North Penn a more attractive property. The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company negotiated a long term lease on May 14, 1879, and the road was thereafter operated as part of the Reading system. This situtation lasted until the Reading entered bankruptcy in 1971. After several - Page 3- North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records 1999 failed attempts to reorganize, the viable portions of the Reading lines were conveyed to Conrail on April 1, 1976. The North Penn then began selling off its remaining real estate and was finally liquidated between 1982 and 1990.
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Scope and Content
The records of the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company consist of corporate records such as minute books, annual reports, account books and statements. They give a good overview of the company's planning, construction and operation down to the Reading lease of 1879, the dull middle period when the firm was a passive lessor (1879-1971), and the complex negotiations connected with the bankruptcy and conveyance to Conrail (1971-1981).
Among the more interesting series are the board papers, which consist of inbound letters and reports directed to the president and board. They include notes on earnings and finances, committee reports, reports of surveys and construction, lists of officers and petitions from patrons. There are many letters from Tom Scott and A.J. Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Railroad regarding arrangements for direct service to the Centennial and use of the New Line. A circular includes a map of the Centennial grounds showing the temporary tracks used to deliver exhibits and construction materials.
The reorganization papers document the company's attempts to find a solvent merger partner, the plan for a Middle Atlantic Rail Corp. (MARC), disputes with SEPTA over the commuter service and subsidy, and the valuation of property conveyed to Conrail.
There are center-line maps of the entire railroad, and track and property maps of most important points. There are also profiles of all the bridges over the Delaware River between Easton and Taylorsville (1875) and of the company's own bridge at Yardley.
Records of other companies include a copy of the charter of the Kensington and Oxford Turnpike Road Company (1836) and records of the associated East Trenton and Delaware & Bound Brook Railroad companies. The latter includes a small selection of president's inbound letters and notices (1878) and a short history of the 1875 Hopewell, New Jersey, "Frog War" between the forces of the D&BB and Pennsylvania Railroad.
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Administrative Information
Publication Statement Manuscripts and Archives
PO Box 3630 Wilmington, Delaware 19807 [email protected] URL: http://www.hagley.org/library
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Related Materials
Related Material Reading Company records (Accession 1520), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library
Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad Company Records (Accession 1776), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library
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Controlled Access Headings
• Minutes • Reports • Account books • Financial statements • Railroads. • Railroads -- Mergers • Railroads -- Buildings and structures • Valuation • Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
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Collection Inventory
Organization papers, 1852-1869 Title/Description Instances Charter and Supplements, 1852-1869 box 1
Bylaws, 1854 box 1
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Annual reports, 1853-1980 Title/Description Instances Printed Annual Reports, 1853-1855 box 1
Printed Annual Reports, 1857 box 1
Printed Annual Reports, 1860-1866 box 1
Printed Annual Reports, 1868 box 1
Printed Annual Reports, 1872 box 1
Printed Annual Reports, 1847-1878 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1854 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1871 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1872 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1874 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1880-1957 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1959-1964 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1966 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1967 box 1
Manuscript Annual Reports, 1969-1980 box 1
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Reports and prospectuses, 1852-1855 Title/Description Instances "Philadelphia and her western railroad connections", 1852 box 1
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"Address of the committee appointed as a mass meeting held by box 1 the friends of the Philadelphia, Easton and Water-Gap Railroad", 1852
"Philadelphia's great north route: North Pennsylvania Railroad box 1 to conneect Philadelphia with North Pennsylvania, Western New York, the Lakes and Canada West", 1853
"Report of Edward Miller, chief engineer", 1853 box 1
"North Pennsylvania Rail Road Company: Letters of he president box 1 and chief engineer", 1853
"Philadelphia's great north and lake route", February 1854 box 1
"Memorial of the North Pennsylvania Rail Road Company to the box 1 councils of Philadelphia", 1854
"Reports of Edward Miller, chief engineer", 1854 box 1
"Surveyed route from Philadelphia to the New York State line at box 1 Waverely", 1855
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Minute books, 1852-1982 Title/Description Instances Stockholders' Vol. 1, 1853 January 10-1951 January 8 volume 1
Directors' Vol. 1, 1852-August 17-1860 January 6 volume 2
Directors' Vol. 2, 1860 January 11-1876 January 31 volume 3
Directors' Vol. 3, 1876 February 16-1896 April 4 volume 4
Directors' Vol. 4, 1896 May 12-1916 December 18 volume 5
Directors' Vol. 5, 1917 February 13-1934 November 13 volume 6
Directors' Vol. 6, 1935 February 13=1949 February 3 volume 7
Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 7, 1949 May 3-1959 August 4 volume 8
Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 8, 1959 November 2-1971 January box 1 11
Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 9, 1971 February 2-1974 box 1 November 6
Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 10, 1975 Feburary 3-1978 volume 9 September 28
Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 11, 1978 November 29-1981 volume 10 November 24
Directors' & Stockholders' Vol. 12, 1981 December 15-1982 volume 11 November 18
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Finance Committee, 1855 January 29-1941 July 24 box 1 General note
Later meetings in directors' minute books
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Board papers, 1852-1967 Title/Description Instances Correspondence and Statements, 1852-1858 box 1
Correspondence and Statements, 1870-1898 box 2
President's Scrapbook and Journal, 1857-1867 box 2
President's Scrapbook and Diary, 1874-1967 box 2
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Securities records, 1853-1883 Title/Description Instances Subscription Books, 1853-1858 box 2
Installments Cash Book, 1853-1863 volume 12
List of Scrip Unconverted, 1879-1883 box 2
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Contracts and Agreements, 1855-1976 Title/Description Instances 1855-1976 box 2 General note
Includes Reading lease, New Line agreement
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Mortgages, 1855-1952 Title/Description Instances 1855-1952 box 2
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Statements, 1856-1878 Title/Description Instances Treasurer's Annual Statements, 18561881-1922 box 2
Tonnage Statements, 1877-1878 box 2
Delaware River Branch Balance Sheet, 1874 box 2
Expentidures, 1877-1878 box 2
Expenses - Stony Creek Rail Road Co., 1877-1878 box 2
Salaries, 1878 box 2
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Tax Records, 1862-1877 Title/Description Instances Federal tax papers, 1862-1877 box 2
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Legal Case Records, 1853-1943 Title/Description Instances Argument of George M. Dallas before the Supreme Court of box 2 Pennsylvania in the case of Sharpless and others vs. the City of Philadelphia, circa 1853
Charge of Hon. M. Russell Thayer to the jury in the case of Canty box 2 vs. North Penn Railroad Co. (wrongful death), 1867
Collector of Internal Revenue vs. The North Pennsylvania box 2 Railroad Company, Brief and Appendix, 1943
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Reorganization Papers, 1970-1981 Title/Description Instances Agreements with Reading Company, 1976-1977 box 3
Day & Zimmerman - Valuation of Reading, 1973 box 3
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Lehigh Valley bankruptcy, 1973-1976 box 3
List of non-operating properties, 1978 box 3
Marketability study of property, 1970 box 3
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1972-1980 box 3
Reading final reorganization plan, 1979 box 3
Regional rail reorganization, 1970-1974 box 3
Regional rail reorganization, 1974-1976 box 4
SEPTA memorandum of understanding, 1972-1976 box 4
Valuation case, 1976-1978 box 4
Valuation case, 1979-1981 box 5
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Account Books, 1853-1982
General Journals, 1853-1982 Title/Description Instances Vol. 1, 1853 May 1-1895 October 31 volume 13
Vol. 2, 1895 November 25-1928 December 31 volume 14
Vol. 3, 1929 january 31-1937 July 31 volume 15
Vol. 4, 1937 August 31-1943 June 30 volume 16
Vol. 5, 1943 June 30-1957 December 31 box 10
Vol. 6, 1958 January 1-1976 December 31 box 10
Vol. 7, 1977 January 1-1982 December 2 box 10
Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-19521955-1960 box 9 General note
For balance of set, see Accession 1776
Annual report, 1877-1878 box 5
History of 1875 "Frog War" at Hopewell, N.J., undated box 5
President's inbound letters, 1878 box 5
General Cash Book, 1853-1859 Title/Description Instances Vol. 1, February 1853-November 1859 - Page 10- North Pennsylvania Railroad Company records 1999
volume 27
Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-1955 box 9 General note
For balance of set, see Accession 1776
Construction & Equipment Accounts, 1853-1879 Title/Description Instances Engineering Dept. Journal, Vol. A, 1853 May 20-1858 volume 17 December 14
Engineering Dept. Journal, Vol. 1, 1853 June 7-1858 December volume 18 14
Engineering Dept. Ledger, Vol. A, May 1853-December 1858 volume 19
Engineering Dept. ledger, Vol. 1, June 1853-December 1858 volume 20
Construction & Equipment Ledger, Vol. 1, 1859-1871 volume 21
Construction Ledger, Vol. 2, 1871-1879 volume 22
Construction Voucher Book, 1859-1879 volume 23
Equipment Ledger, Vol. 2, 1871-1879 volume 24
Equipment Voucher Book, 1859-1878 volume 25
Engineering Ledger, Delaware River Branch, 1874-1876 volume 26
Charter and Supplements, 1836 box 5
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Miscellaneous Reports, 1878-1879 Title/Description Instances Passengers carried on New Line Trains, April 1879 box 5
Performance of engines, 1878-1879 box 5
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Employee Timetables, 1855-1878 Title/Description Instances #24-26, #9, 1875-1878 drawer 14
1855-1876 box 5
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General note
Scattered issues and supplements
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Maps and Drawings, 1875-1951 Title/Description Instances Profiles of bridges over the Delaware River from Easton to box 5 Taylorsville, 1875
Profile of Delaware River Bridge, 1875 box 5
Property maps - Ambler box 5
Property maps - Doylestown box 5
Property maps - Elkins Park box 5
Property maps - Glenside box 5
Property maps - Jenkintown box 5
Proprety maps - Neshaminy Falls box 5
Property maps - Philadelphia box 5
Property maps - Quakertown box 5
Property maps - South Bethlehem box 5
Property maps - Trevose box 5
Property maps - Yardley box 5
Real estate atlas, Main Line, 1888 box 6
Real estate atlas, Delaware River Branch, 1888 box 6
Philadelphia box 6 General note
Rolled
Right of way index map, undated box 6 General note
Rolled
Plan and profile of proposed Morrisville Branch, 1951 box 6
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Annual Report to I.C.C., 1888-1976 Title/Description Instances 1888-1919 box 7
1920-1949 box 8
1951-1973, 1975-1976 box 9
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Miscellaneous Records of Other Companies, 1836-1960
Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad Company, 1877-1960 Title/Description Instances Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-19521955-1960 box 9
Annual report, 1877-1878 box 5
History of 1875 "Frog War" at Hopewell, N.J., undated box 5
President's inbound letters, 1878 box 5
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East Trenton Railroad Company Title/Description Instances Annual reports to I.C.C., 1950-1955 box 9
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Kensington and Oxford Turnpike Road Company Title/Description Instances Charter and Supplements, 1836 box 5
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