Series XXXI: Washington Southern Railway Co., 1871-1925

Containers:

Box 319-343

Scope and content:

Incorporated in 1890 through the consolidation of A & F R.Y. and A & W R.Y.. This series consists of minutes, legal files, financial files, and miscellaneous files. The two volumes of Board of Directors and Stockholders Meeting Minutes, 1890-1920 cover the company's thirty years of existence, the Minutes of the Potomac Yard Advisory Board, 1909-1925 continue for 5 years after the Washington Southern R.Y. Co. was merged completely into the R.F.& P., which took over its place on the Board. The Advisory Board was made up of all five railroad companies using Potomac Yard. In addition to the Washington Southern R.Y. Co., those were the Baltimore & Ohio R.R. Co., the Chesapeake & Ohio R.Y. Co., the Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington R.R. Co. and the Southern R.Y. Co. Legal records, 1871-1917 include copies of charter, bylaws and mortgages, an indexed volume of contracts and agreements, as well as about 150 deeds. Also included are pre-1890 deeds that were made by one of the company's predecessors, the Alexandria & Fredericksburg R.Y. Co. (see above). Financial files, 1890-1921 include Treasurer's correspondence, accounting and bookkeeping records, and securities. The correspondence is made up of one letter book, 1890-1904; the accounting and bookkeeping records contain annual reports, balances, betterments, check registers, journals, and ledgers. The securities subseries includes stock and bonds ledgers, transfers and certificates as well as 4% and 5% gold and mortgage bonds. The miscellaneous file contains a brief corporate history until 1907. R.F. & P. tax records also include data for Washington Southern R.Y.

Arrangement:

Files in each subseries are arranged alphabetically and chronologically within each record type.

Physical description:

4.5 cubic feet and 40 volumes.

Access and use

Contents