Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Oregon Trunk Railway

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Corporate history.—The Oregon Trunk was incorporated November 3, 1909, under the general laws of the State of Washington, for a period of 50 years. It was a joint project of Northern Pacific Railway Company and Great Northern Railway Company, herein called the Northern Companies, the majority of the incorporators being officers of the carrier, which the Northern Companies control. The purpose was to construct a railroad to connect with the constructed lines of the carrier at a point on the north bank of the Columbia River, thence crossing that river and proceeding up the canyon of the Des Chutes River, continuing in a southerly direction to Klamath Falls, Oreg.

The principal office of the Oregon Trunk, according to its articles of incorporation, is located at Vancouver, Wash., but its operating headquarters are at Portland, Oreg.

The detailed facts as to the development of the fixed physical property are given in Appendix 2.

DEVELOPMENT OF FIXED PHYSICAL PROPERTY

The property acquired from the Central Oregon Railroad Company [June 18, 1908-December 1, 1909] consisted of surveys, right-of-way contracts, and rights of way over public lands between Shaniko and Bend, Oreg., but included no actual construction.

The Oregon Trunk Line, Incorporated [April 3, 1906-December 1, 1909], which had been organized in 1906 to build from The Dalles, Oreg., along the Columbia River and then along the Des Chutes River from its confluence with the Columbia, had done some grading, but when control passed to the Northern Companies its property consisted mainly of surveys, right-of-way contracts, and right of way over public lands. After the Northern Companies obtained control of the Oregon Trunk Line, Incorporated, that company entered into a contract with Porter Brothers, general contractors, for the grading from the Columbia River to Madras, Oreg., approximately 111 miles, including the boring of seven tunnels. This contract was dated September, 10, 1909, and allowed one year for completion of the work. After the Oregon Trunk acquired the property of the Oregon Trunk Line, Incorporated, on December 1, 1909, the construction work provided for in the contract was continued and Porter Brothers completed that grading and tunnel work for the new company. Completion of the grading to Bend, about 46 miles, and the building of 10 steel bridges were done by other contractors.