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Montana Public Service Commission records, 1907-1994

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana Public Service Commission
Title
Montana Public Service Commission records
Dates
1907-1994 (inclusive)
Quantity
6 linear ft
Collection Number
RS 501 (Formerly RS 296)
Summary
This collection is a subgroup of the Montana Public Service Commission records, RS 501. This collection was not originally processed separately by Division - it contains records of multiple PSC Divisions and its predecessor agency, the Board of Railroad Commissioners. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Public Service Commission records. These records consist of correspondence (1977-1992) of Public Service commissioners and staff; court cases (1927-1969); docket registers (1907-1991); reports (1958-1990); and subject files (1913-1979).
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was established by the Montana legislature in 1907. In 1913 the Board of Railroad Commissioners was made ex officio the newly created Montana Public Service Commission. As such, it was given the authority to regulate a variety of public utilities and transportation companies. In 1971, the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was abolished and its work was taken over directly by the Public Service Commission.

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Content Description

These records consist of correspondence(1977-1992) of Public Service commissioners and staff; court cases (1927-1969); docket registers (1907-1991); reports (1958-1990); and subject files (1913-1979).

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Library & Archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Library & Archives before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Name of Collection. Collection Number. Box and folder number. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series.

Location of Collection

32:8-5

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request.

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Public Service Commission were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 501, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Public Service Commission's various Divisions and Predecessor Agencies that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 501. Rather than reprocessing over 80 linear feet of PSC materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids and provide access to them via links in the primary finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup pertains to your research needs.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Biographical Materials

    • Description: Resumes: Commissioners John Driscoll and Danny Oberg
      Dates: 1983, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: Biographical Materials

  • General Correspondence: Commissioners

  • General Correspondence: Utilities Staff

  • General Correspondence: Transportation Staff

    • Description: Chronological (mostly routine notices of renewal, receipt of registration, inquiries; sampled for procedures)
      Dates: 1988-1991, 1994
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1-9
      Location: General Correspondence: Transportation Staff

  • Court Papers

    • Description: Board of Railroad Commissioners vs. Aero Mayflower Transit Company (only roughly sorted by year)
      Dates: 1939-1948
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 10-14
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Board of Railroad Commissioners vs. United States; Great Northern Railway Company, intervener
      Dates: 1960-1962
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 15-16
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway Company (miscellaneous cases)
      Dates: 1966-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 17
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: City of Great Falls vs. County of Cascade, et al. (re Poor Farm water line)
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 18
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Willard E. Fraser vs. Public Service Commission and City of Billings (re water rates)
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 19
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Gas Consumers Committee vs. Public Service Commission and Montana Dakota Utilities Company
      Dates: 1953-1954
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 20
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Montana Eastern Pipeline Company and Capital Gas Corp. vs. Montana Dakota Utilities Company
      Dates: 1938
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 21
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Montana Motor Freight Company vs. Board of Railroad Commissioners and Bruce Cook Transfer and Storage Company
      Dates: 1938
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 22
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Joyce Nelson and Clarence Nelson vs. Estate of John Holmes and Estate of Della Mae Morettek, et al.
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 23
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: Kenneth R. St. Clair vs. State Board of Education (re fatal car accident in Great Falls)
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 24
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: State of Montana , ex rel. C. W. Lowe vs. Board of Railroad Commissioners (re certificate of public convenience)
      Dates: 1963-1964
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 25
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: State of Montana , ex rel. Douglas Markegard vs. Public Service Commission and City of Billings (re water mains)
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 26
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: State of Montana vs. Theodore Underseth et al.
      Dates: 1927
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 27
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: State of Montana, ex rel Public Service Commission vs. Favero Water Works et al.
      Dates: 1957-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 28
      Location: Court Papers
    • Description: State of Montana, ex rel Public Service Commission vs. Favero Water Works et al.
      Dates: 1957-1967
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 28
      Location: Court Papers

  • Docket Registers

    • Description: Complaint / petitioner dockets registers #9-5831
      Dates: 1907-circa 1970s
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1-2
      Location: Docket Registers
    • Description: Motor carrier dockets #2436-3454, T-3455-T5831
      Dates: 1975-1981
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 3
      Location: Docket Registers
    • Description: Motor carrier dockets #T5629-T9428
      Dates: 1981-1994
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1
      Location: Docket Registers
    • Description: MRC dockets #1-2435
      Dates: 1941-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 2
      Location: Docket Registers
    • Description: Utility dockets list 6553-6643 (includes summary information)
      Dates: 1978
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 3
      Location: Docket Registers

  • Reports

    • Description: Gilbert Dyer, "Public utilities rate policies : Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners"
      Dates: 1958
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 4
      Location: Reports
    • Description: "Historical utilities bills for selected consumptions"
      Dates: 1975-1986
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 5
      Location: Reports
    • Description: "Procedural rules for motor carriers"
      Dates: 1983-1990
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 6
      Location: Reports
    • Description: "Statement of crude oil production and valuation"
      Dates: 1978
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 7
      Location: Reports
    • Description: Statistical reports to National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
      Dates: 1980-1985
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 8-12
      Location: Reports

  • Subject Files

    • Description: Excursion fares
      Dates: 1922
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 13
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Helena water rates
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 14
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Manhattan water rates
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Montana Power Company
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Montana State College, Bozeman, railroad spur
      Dates: 1922-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Mountain States Power Company electric rates, Kalispell
      Dates: 1936
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 18
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Pacific Power and Light Company, FCC cases
      Dates: 1961-1966
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Pacific Power and Light Company, water cases
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 20
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Pipeline rules and regulations
      Dates: 1926
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 21
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Railroad freight rate reduction (#1522)
      Dates: 1921-1922
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 22
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Railroad safety: grade crossings ("Careful Crossing Campaign", #1532)
      Dates: 1922-1924
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 23
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Railroad safety statistics
      Dates: 1913-1929, 1987
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 24
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Rural electric cooperatives
      Dates: 1961-1979
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 25
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Transit and Storage Company pipeline abandonment
      Dates: 1938
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 26
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Wascana Pipe Line Inc.
      Dates: 1972
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 27
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Washington Water Power Company (re coal field development; includes Washington Irrigation and Development Company; Centralia Electric Steam Generating Plant)
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 28-29
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 30
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Western Union Telegraph Company (FCC cases)
      Dates: 1953-1960
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 31
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Western Union Telegraph Company (PSC case)
      Dates: 1956
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 32
      Location: Subject Files

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Television licenses
      Dates: 1971-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 33-34
      Location: Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Public utilities--Montana.

Geographical Names

  • Montana--Politics and government.

Finding aid prepared by Ellie Arguimbau; Updated by Lindsey Mick
2008; 2025

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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