Collection #

M 0899
BV 3563–3606
OM 0449

 

 

Indianapolis Union Railway company
Records, 1849–1991

Collection Information

Historical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Series Contents

Cataloging Information

 

 

 

Processed by

Kurt Jung
July 19, 2007

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

 

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

192 document cases, 44 bound volumes, 3 oversize folders, and artifacts

COLLECTION
DATES:

1849–1991

PROVENANCE:

Alvin Smith, 7205 Lindenwood Dr., Indianapolis, In 46227, Wednesday July 31, 2002

RESTRICTIONS:

None

COPYRIGHT:

 

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

 

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

M 0876, OMB 0143; M 0067, BV 0672–0712; M 0780,
OMB 0090

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

2002.0631

NOTES:

 

historiCAL SKETCH

In 1847 the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad came to Indianapolis.  This was followed by other railroads serving Indiana that also came to the city.  With this influx of rail lines and service came two realizations.  First, Indianapolis would be the first major city that would depend on railroads for its growth, rather than water transportation.  Second, this dependence on rail transport and the increasing number of railroad companies serving the city would require an efficient means of linking these routes to allow for passenger and freight exchange between lines.

In 1850 the Union Track Railway was created.  Three years later, in 1853, its name was changed to The Indianapolis Union Railway Company and a union depot was built for the multiple railroads coming into Indianapolis.  This entity was officially incorporated in 1872 by an agreement between the following railroad companies: the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis Railroad Company; the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway Company; the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway Company, the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Company; the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company; and the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette Railroad Company. 

Since its creation, “The Indianapolis Union Railway Company” was its official name.  This mutually created railroad entity was brought into existence for the purpose of easing and streamlining the exchange of freight and passengers between these railroad companies.  On October 17, 1882 and May 1, 1884 the Union Railway obtained leases from the Belt Railroad and Stock Yard Company that allowed them to operate the Belt Railroad for a period of nine hundred, ninety-nine years.  The incorporation of The Indianapolis Union Railway was officially recognized in on March 2, 1885 by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana.  The Indianapolis Union Railway provided both terminal facilities for the railroads that incorporated it and owned part shares in it, and also provided switching services for these same railroads.  In 1888 the union depot was replaced by Union Station which still stands today, but is looking for another long-term use of its space. 

In April of 1976 The Indianapolis Union Railway Company changed ownership.  It was transferred from its previous owner, Penn Central, to its new owner, Conrail.  After this transfer of ownership, The Indianapolis Union Railway Company became a Conrail entity.  By contrast, Penn Central had kept the Indianapolis Union Railway as a completely owned, but separately operated subsidiary.

Sources: Materials in the Collection;  Simons, Richard S. and Parker, Francis H., Railroads of Indiana, HE 2771 .I6 S56 1997, p. 14–15.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Series 1: Accounting [1884–1967]: The Accounting Series contains a large volume of business transaction records of the Indianapolis Union Railway Company.  A myriad of companies supplying all manner of material, especially coal suppliers, show up in the receipts detailing the specifics of the many transactions. This series contains mostly accounts payable records, but it also holds records of accounts receivable, canceled checks [mostly from more recent years], and other financial records.

Series 2: Ledgers [1893–1969]: This series is comprised of bound volumes.  Within these volumes are letters, Maintenance of Way materials lists, Daily Material Reports, and Time Books from the operations of the Indianapolis Union Railway Company.  Those volumes not small enough to fit into boxes have been given their own Bound Volume numbers.  Each volume in this series is listed chronologically by the year and then month it begins.  The end years and months of some volumes may overlap each other.

Series 3: Correspondence [1894–1990]:  This series contains all general correspondence relating to the various business operations of the Indianapolis Union Railway Company.  The letters and memoranda in this series touch, in varying degrees, on many aspects of the operation of the Indiana Union Railway Company.  Communication with federal and state oversight authorities, with various vendors seeking the railway’s business, and internal communication indicating shifts in procedure are all represented in the series.  There is some correspondence in Series 4, however it is a small quantity and is directly related to other non-correspondence materials surrounding a particular situation.

Series 4: Assorted Business Documents [1849–1991]:  This series contains various business papers from the operations of the Indianapolis Union Railway Company.  Of all the series, this one probably has the most variety.  Contained within the series are sub-categories of board meeting minutes [1917–1984, 1950s & 1960s not available], legal claims from 1950–1952 that deal with many organized labor claims, various business contracts, incorporation documents from the later nineteenth century, various financial records and personnel records.  The records from this series are organized chronologically within their categories. 

Series 5: Photographs and Artifacts [1911–1964]:  This is by far the smallest series.  Contained within these 6 folders are black and white images of train tracks, train derailments, rail bridge advertisements, a real estate advertisement kiosk inside Union Station, and two photos of Indianapolis Union Railway Locomotives. The artifacts are numbered and stored separately from the manuscript materials.

series CONTENTS

Series 1: Accounting Records 1884–1967

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Accounting Records 1884–1886

Box 1, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1887–1889

Box 1, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1890

Box 1, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1891–1892

Box 1, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1893

Box 1, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1894–1895

Box 1, Folder 6

Accounting Records 1896

Box 2, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1896

Box 2, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1896

Box 2, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1896

Box 2, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1896

Box 2, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1896

Box 3, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1896

Box 3, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1897

Box 3, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1897

Box 3, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1897

Box 3, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1897

Box 4, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1897

Box 4, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1897

Box 4, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1897

Box 4, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1898

Box 5, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1898

Box 5, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1898

Box 5, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1898

Box 5, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1898

Box 6, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1899

Box 6, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1899

Box 6, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1899

Box 6, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1899

Box 6, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1899

Box 7, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1899

Box 7, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1899

Box 7, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1899

Box 7, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1900–1902

Box 8, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1903

Box 8, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1903

Box 8, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1903

Box 8, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1903

Box 8, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1903

Box 9, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1904

Box 9, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1904

Box 9, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1904

Box 9, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1904

Box 10, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1904

Box 10, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1904

Box 10, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1904

Box 10, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1904

Box 11, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1904

Box 11, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1904

Box 11, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1904

Box 11, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1904

Box 12, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1904

Box 12, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1904

Box 12, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1905

Box 12, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1905

Box 13, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1905

Box 13, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1905

Box 13, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1905

Box 13, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1905

Box 14, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1905

Box 14, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1905

Box 14, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1905

Box 14, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1905

Box 15, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1905

Box 15, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1905

Box 15, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1905

Box 15, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1906

Box 16, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1906

Box 16, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1906

Box 16, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1906

Box 16, Folder 7

Accounting Records 1906

Box 17, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1906

Box 17, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1907

Box 17, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1907

Box 17, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1907

Box 18, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1907

Box 18, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1907

Box 18, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1907

Box 18, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1907

Box 19, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1907

Box 19, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1907

Box 19, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1907

Box 19, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1907

Box 20, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1907

Box 20, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1907

Box 20, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1907

Box 20, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1908

Box 21, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1908

Box 21, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1908

Box 21, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1908

Box 21, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1908

Box 22, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1908

Box 22, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1908

Box 22, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1908

Box 22, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1908

Box 23, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1908

Box 23, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1908

Box 23, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1908

Box 23, Folder 4

Accounting Records1909

Box 24, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1909

Box 24, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1909

Box 24, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1909

Box 24, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1909

Box 25, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1909

Box 25, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1909

Box 25, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1909

Box 25, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1909

Box 26, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1909

Box 26, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1909

Box 26, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1909

Box 26, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1909

Box 27, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1909

Box 27, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1909

Box 27, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1910

Box 27, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1910

Box 28, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1910

Box 28, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1910

Box 28, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1910

Box 28, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1910

Box 29, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1910

Box 29, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1910

Box 29, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1910

Box 29, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1910

Box 30, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1910

Box 30, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1910

Box 30, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1910

Box 30, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1910

Box 31, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1910

Box 31, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1911

Box 31, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1911

Box 32, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1911

Box 32, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1911

Box 32, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1911

Box 32, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1911

Box 33, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1911

Box 33, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1911

Box 33, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1911

Box 33, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1911

Box 34, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1911

Box 34, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1911

Box 34, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1911

Box 35, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1911

Box 35, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1911

Box 35, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1911

Box 35, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1912

Box 36, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1912

Box 36, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1912

Box 36, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1912

Box 36, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1912

Box 37, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1912

Box 37, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1912

Box 37, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1912

Box 37, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1912

Box 38, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1912

Box 38, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1912

Box 38, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1912

Box 38, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1912

Box 39, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1912

Box 39, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1912

Box 39, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1912

Box 39, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1912

Box 40, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1912

Box 40, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1912

Box 40, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1913

Box 41, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1913

Box 41, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1913

Box 41, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1913

Box 42, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1913

Box 42, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1913

Box 42, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1913

Box 42, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1913

Box 43, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1913

Box 43, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1913

Box 43, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1913

Box 43, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1913

Box 44, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1913

Box 44, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1913

Box 44, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1913

Box 44, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1913

Box 45, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1913

Box 45, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1913

Box 45, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1913

Box 45, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1914

Box 46, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1914

Box 46, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1914

Box 46, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1914

Box 46, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1914

Box 47, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1914

Box 47, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1914

Box 47, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1914

Box 47, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1914

Box 48, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1914

Box 48, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1914

Box 48, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1914

Box 48, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1914

Box 49, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1914

Box 49, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1914

Box 49, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1914

Box 49, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1915

Box 50, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1914

Box 50, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1915

Box 50, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1915

Box 50, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1915

Box 51, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1915

Box 51, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1915

Box 51, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1915

Box 51, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1915

Box 52, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1915

Box 52, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1915

Box 52, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1915

Box 52, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1915

Box 53, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1915

Box 53, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1915

Box 53, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1915

Box 53, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1915

Box 53, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1915

Box 54, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1915

Box 54, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1916

Box 54, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1916

Box 54, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1916

Box 55, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1916

Box 55, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1916

Box 55, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1916

Box 55, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1916

Box 56, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1916

Box 56, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1916

Box 56, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1916

Box 56, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1916

Box 57, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1916

Box 57, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1916

Box 57, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1916

Box 57, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1916

Box 58, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1916

Box 58, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1916

Box 58, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1916

Box 58, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1917

Box 59, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1917

Box 59, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1917

Box 59, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1917

Box 59, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1917

Box 60, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1917

Box 60, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1917

Box 60, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1917

Box 60, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1917

Box 61, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1917

Box 61, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1917

Box 61, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1917

Box 61, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1917

Box 62, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1917

Box 62, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1917

Box 62, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1917

Box 62, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1917

Box 63, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1917

Box 63, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1917

Box 63, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1917

Box 63, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1917

Box 64, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1917

Box 64, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1917

Box 64, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1918

Box 65, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1918

Box 65, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1918

Box 65, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1918

Box 65, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1918

Box 66, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1918

Box 66, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1918

Box 66, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1918

Box 66, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1918

Box 67, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1918

Box 67, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1918

Box 67, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1918

Box 67, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1918

Box 67, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1918

Box 68, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1918

Box 68, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1918

Box 68, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1918

Box 68, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1918

Box 69, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1918

Box 69, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1919

Box 69, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1919

Box 69, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1919

Box 69, Folder 5

Accounting Records 1919

Box 70, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1919

Box 70, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1919

Box 70, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1919

Box 70, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1919

Box 71, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1919

Box 71, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1919

Box 71, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1919

Box 71, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1919

Box 72, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1919

Box 72, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1919

Box 72, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1919

Box 72, Folder 4

Accounting Records 1920

Box 73, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1920

Box 73, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1920

Box 73, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1920

Box 74, Folder 1

Accounting Records 1920

Box 74, Folder 2

Accounting Records 1920

Box 74, Folder 3

Accounting Records 1920

Box 74, Folder