Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Livingston Anti-Merger Committee Records, 1894-1980
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Livingston Anti-Merger Committee
- Title
- Livingston Anti-Merger Committee Records
- Dates
- 1894-198018941980
- Quantity
- 3.6 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Collection 859, MtBC, us (collection)
- Summary
- The Livingston Anti-Merger Committee Records consists of organizational documents including: minutes; financial records; handwritten and typed research notes; rough drafts of position papers, briefs, statements; and research materials to support the committee's arguments. Also included are copies of testimony, briefs, exhibits, cross-examinations and other papers filed by the litigants with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the ICC Examiner, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Newspaper clippings and periodical articles trace the activities of the Committee, other opponents and supporters, and the railroad industry.
- Repository
-
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Warren McGee was a conductor for the Northern Pacific Railroad, a student of railroad history and devoted to his Livingston, Montana community. During the early 1960s, the Interstate Commerce Commission announced plans to grant a merger request by the Northern Pacific Railway Company; the Great Northern Railway Company; Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company; Pacific Coast Railroad Company; Portland and Seattle Railway Company and several smaller rail companies to form the Great Northern Pacific and Burlington Lines, Inc. From 1960 through 1970, Warren McGee was Chairman of the Livingston Anti-Merger Committee. The committee was one of many groups formed in the United States in opposition to the merger. The merger was formally applied for in February, 1961 and finally approved in February, 1970. Warren McGee still lives in Livingston, Montana.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Livingston Anti-Merger Committee was formed on December 4, 1960 to fight the proposed Burlington Northern merger that included the Northern Pacific Railroad, a primary employer in Livingston, Montana. Among many, hearings were held in Minnesota in 1961 and Montana in 1962 by the Interstate Commerce Commission(ICC). In 1966, the ICC denied authorization of the merger, but in 1967, the ICC reversed that decision and authorized the merger. In 1968, the Justice Department sued the ICC and Burlington Railroad, et al in District Court. The Supreme Court eventually heard the case and Chief Justice Burger wrote the opinion in February, 1970 that finally affirmed the merger. Warren R. McGee (a conductor), as Chairman and Wilbur I. (Webb) Sullivan (an engineer), as Publicity Chairman were the driving forces behind the Livingston Anti-Merger Committee's campaign to thwart the merger. They collected numerous research materials to support their arguments against the merger; wrote briefs; published bulletins, newsletters and broadsheets to the members; had extensive correspondence with many diverse factions; testified and cross-examined witnesses at ICC hearings and succeeded in having the Committee included as an intervening plaintiff in the U.S. Circuit Court proceedings questioning the merger. Many of the documents present in this collection are photocopies. There are many attachments to letters and newspaper clippings. Margin notes, interpretations and commentaries by Warren McGee are interspersed onto many of the assorted categories of papers. Primary concerns of the committee were loss of jobs, the economic repercussions to Livingston and Montana and changing operations of the railroad. Arguments also used included lack of jurisdiction of the ICC, false assumptions of profits, interlocking directorships having undue influence on testimony and falsely asserted fast freight service and shipping issues. A file of papers related to a campaign to distribute $2 bills in the town to highlight the economic impact of the railroad community is also included.
The records of the Anti-Merger Committee of Livingston, Montana have been arranged into 2 series; Series 1 consists of organizational documents including: minutes; financial records; handwritten and typed research notes; rough drafts of position papers, briefs, statements; and research materials to support the committee's arguments. Correspondence includes: Warren McGee, Bernice McGee and Wilbur S. (Webb) Sullivan; individual and organized anti-merger supporters including the Northern Pacific Stockholders' Protection Committee; the Montana Congressional delegation (at the time: Senator Mike Mansfield, Senator Lee Metcalf, Representative Arnold Olsen and Representative James Battin) and other national leaders; Montana legislators (including John Melcher); Montana agencies, in particular the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners and their counsel, John C. Sheehy; railroad officials and railroad union members; Federal agencies including the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission; Valentine B. Deale, attorney for the Committee before the Federal courts; Burton K. Wheeler; and assorted national and local publications. Newspaper clippings and periodical articles trace the activities of the Committee, other opponents and supporters, and the railroad industry. Collected articles, newspaper clippings, reports and studies corroborating or disproving the arguments for consolidation of the railroads; materials on the Northern Pacific Stockholders and the Russell E. Skeen proxy fight; and ancillary materials including the $2 bill campaign, merger (M-Day), state and federal legislative bills, copies of press releases and speeches and a map with the Montana merged railroad routes drawn in conclude the series. Series 2 consists of copies of testimony, briefs, exhibits, cross-examinations and other papers filed by the litigants with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and the ICC Examiner (most relate to Montana hearings and hearings in which the Livingston Anti-merger Committee had an active role); and briefs, motions, and other legal papers before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Supreme Court opinion rendered in 1970 completes the collection. Material stored separately is indicated by ***.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Series 1: Anti-merger Committee organizational and working papers, 1894-1980
Sub-series 1 : Minutes, reports, drafts, research notes and publications, 1955-1970
Sub-series 2 : Financial records, 1960-1970
Sub-series 3 : Correspondence, 1959-1980
Sub-series 4 : Research papers collected to corroborate or disprove the issues, 1894-1970
Sub-series 5 : Ancillary papers, 1960-1970
Series 2: ICC Hearings materials and subsequent legal papers, June 13, 1961-February 2, 1970
Sub-series 1 : ICC Hearings papers, 1961-1968
Sub-series 2 : U.S. courts legal documents, 1961-1970
Acquisition Information
The records of the Livingston Anti-Merger Committee (LAMC) were donated to Special Collections in 1970, 1974 and 1980 by Warren McGee of Livingston, MT who served as the Chairman of the Committee during its efforts to prevent the merger of the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Burlington and several smaller rail companies into the Burlington Northern Railroad. The 1974 and 1980 papers were donated to illustrate the aftermath of the merger and vindicate the Committee's predictions for the future.
Processing Note
This collection was processed 2009 February 16
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Antimerger Committee organizational and working papers, 1894-1980Return to Top
The Livingston Anti-Merger Committee (LAMC) organizational and working papers include: minutes; reports; financial records; handwritten and typed drafts of communications, positions and testimonies with notes and miscellaneous papers (mostly produced by Warren McGee); a statistical questionnaire and its results; copies of the newsletters, bulletins and broadsides issued by the committee; copious newspaper and periodical clippings; articles, booklets, pamphlets and other published materials; photocopies of reports and exhibits; and correspondence. Some materials have attachments and many have handwritten editorial comments, margin notes or explanations.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Minutes, reports, drafts, research notes and
publications
Minutes of meetings; reports; handwritten and typed notes; drafts of speeches, press
releases, statements, and correspondence; copies of newsletters, bulletins and
broadsides issued by the Committee; numerous newspaper clippings covering all aspects
of the merger fight; and related articles, pamphlets and booklets are present in this
set of papers.
|
1955-1970 | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | Minutes and progress report (incomplete) |
December 4, 1960-December 3, 1961 |
1/2 | Handwritten and typed notes and miscellaneous papers
during campaign |
1956-1970 |
1/3 | Notes and miscellaneous papers |
undated |
1/4 | Rough drafts of communications, positions and
testimonies |
1955-1968 |
1/5 | Statistical questionnaire of railroad workers and
result |
|
1/6 | Publications (LAMC): newsletters, bulletins and
broadsides |
November 29, 1960-February 18, 1970 |
1/7 | News clippings |
1960 |
1/8 | News clippings |
January-March 1961 |
2/1 | News clippings |
April-June 1961 |
2/2 | News clippings |
July-September 1961 |
2/3 | News clippings |
October-December 1961 |
2/4 | News clippings |
1962 |
2/5 | News clippings |
1963-1966 |
2/6 | News clippings |
1967 |
2/7 | News clippings |
1968-1969 |
2/8 | News clippings |
1970-1980; undated |
3/1 | Articles, booklets, pamphlets, etc. |
1955-1962 |
3/2 | Articles, booklets, pamphlets, etc. |
1963-1973 |
3/3 | Articles, booklets, pamphlets, etc. |
undated |
Subseries 2: Financial records
The Livingston Anti-merger Committee financial records include solicitation letters,
lists of donors, receipt books, reports, statements, checks and checkbooks, deposit
slips, and bills and receipts.
|
1960-1970 | |
Box/Folder | ||
3/4 | Solicitation letters |
|
3/5 | Lists of donors |
|
3/6 | Donor receipt books |
|
3/7 | Financial Reports |
|
3/8 | Statements, checks and checkbooks, deposit
slips |
|
3/9 | Bills and receipts |
December 11, 1960-May 5, 1961 |
3/10 | Bills and receipts |
May 17-December 20, 1961 |
3/11 | Bills and receipts |
January 4, 1962-December 2, 1963 |
3/12 | Bills and receipts |
December 2, 1964-February 25, 1970 |
Subseries 3: Correspondence
Correspondence of the Livingston Anti-merger Committee includes letters between
supporters, government agencies, governmental officials and legislators, railroad
officials and workers, periodical and newspaper publishers, the ICC, Burton K.
Wheeler, Valentine B. Deale, John C. Sheehy, and general correspondence of Warren
McGee, Bernice McGee and Webb Sullivan. Many are copies rather than originals.
|
1959-1980 | |
Box/Folder | ||
4/1 | Anti-merger groups and individuals |
1960-1961 |
4/2 | Anti-merger groups and individuals |
1962-1968 |
4/3 | Deale, Valentine B., attorney for Anti-merger
Committee |
1968-1970 |
4/4 | Federal agencies and legislators (not
Montana) |
1961-1968 |
4/5 | Federal legislators-Montana (Mansfield, Metcalf,
Olsen, Batten) |
1960-1963 |
4/6 | Federal legislators-Montana (cont.) - (includes
Baucus, Melcher) |
1964-1980 |
4/7 | Interstate Commerce Commission |
1961-1967 |
4/8 | McGee, Bernice |
1961-1962 |
4/9 | McGee, Warren R, (general and personal) |
1961-1980 |
4/10 | Montana Government officials and
legislators |
1959-1980 |
4/11 | Newspapers and periodicals |
1961-1968 |
4/12 | Railroad officials |
1959-1980 |
4/13 | Railroad unions and labor |
1960-1969 |
4/14 | Wheeler, Burton K. |
1961 |
Subseries 4: Research papers collected to corroborate or disprove
the issues
Materials including photocopies of reports and research on consolidation plans,
railroad assets, jurisdiction, freight service and complaints, interlocking
directorships, impacts on jobs, shipping issues, Montana products and natural
resources, and effects on Livingston, Montana. Many materials on the Livingston and
Montana Northern Pacific rail operations are original or handwritten records by Warren
McGee or Webb Sullivan.
|
1894-1970 | |
Box/Folder | ||
5/1 | Jurisdiction research papers |
|
5/2 | Railroads papers on consolidation |
|
5/3 | Railroads financial justification and related
reports |
|
5/4 | Northern Pacific assets |
|
5/5 | Northern Pacific assets (cont.) |
|
5/6 | Freight service - schedules and general
information |
|
5/7 | Freight service - fast freight issue |
|
5/8 | Freight service - equipment and availability of cars
issue |
|
5/9 | Railroad service - poor service reports |
|
6/1 | Interlocking directorships - merger railroads and
other industries |
|
6/2 | Impacts on jobs |
|
6/3 | Montana products and shipping issues |
|
6/4 | Local effects on Livingston, Montana |
|
Subseries 5: Ancillary papers
Copies of bills, state and federal plus assorted Congressional Record pages; copies
of stockholders meeting minutes, notices to Northern Pacific stockholders, records of
the stockholders meetings and Russell E. Skeen's proxy papers (includes written
replies); the $2 bill campaign; a file of merger day papers; copies of press releases
and speeches. A Montana map with rail routes drawn in comprise this set of ancillary
papers.
|
1960-1970 | |
Box/Folder | ||
6/5 | Montana legislation |
1961 |
6/6 | Federal legislation |
1961-1967 |
6/7 | Congressional Record |
1961-1967 |
6/8 | Northern Pacific Railroad Stockholders |
1959-1968 |
6/9 | Stockholders meeting and associated
papers |
April 27, 1961 |
6/10 | Russell E. Skeen proxy fight meeting |
April 27, 1961 |
6/11 | Special stockholders meeting |
February 5, 1968 |
6/12 | $2 bill campaign |
|
6/13 | Merger (M-Day) Day |
|
6/14 | Map with the Montana merged railroad routes drawn
in |
|
7/1 | Assorted press releases |
1896-1970 |
7/2 | Assorted speeches to conventions, communities
including broadcasts
(includes audiotape of L.W. Menk) - audiotape stored separately in Box 10***
|
1961-1969 |
Series 2: ICC Hearings materials and subsequent legal papers, June 13, 1961-February 2, 1970Return to Top
Series 2 is the accumulation of ICC papers including copies of pertinent testimony, exhibits, cross-examinations related to the Livingston Anti-merger Committee and the state of Montana and the legal briefs, motions and appeals before the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia and the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Subseries 1: ICC Hearings papers
Copies of papers of the Interstate Commerce Commission hearings on the proposed
merger in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota (in 1961) and Missoula, Helena, Great
Falls and Billings, Montana (in 1962) including witness lists, service notices,
statements (incomplete), exhibits, cross-examinations, briefs, replies and ICC
decisions 1966 through 1968.
|
1961-1968 | |
Box/Folder | ||
7/3 | Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners Merger
Conference with agenda |
June 7, 1961 |
7/4 | ICC Hearings and legal papers of the
MBRC |
June 13, 1961-May 31, 1968 |
7/5 | ICC orders, lists of petitioners and service
notices |
July 12, 1961-February 8, 1962 |
7/5 | St. Paul, Minnesota Hearings: Statements |
October 10, 1961 |
7/6 | St. Paul, Minnesota Hearings: Statements |
October 11, 1961 |
7/7 | St. Paul, Minnesota Hearings: Statements |
October 12, 1961 |
7/8 | St. Paul, Minnesota Hearings: Statements |
October 13, 1961 |
7/9 | Merger Conference St. Paul, Minnesota |
November 1, 1961 |
8/1 | Witness schedules |
December 5, 1961-January 26, 1962 |
8/2 | Cross-examinations of witnesses by Livingston
Anti-merger Committee - Minneapolis Minnesota Hearings |
December 5-December 19, 1961 |
8/3 | Assorted statements ICC hearings |
December, 1961-January, 1962 |
8/4 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Missoula,
MT |
June 11, 1962 |
8/5 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Missoula,
MT |
June 12, 1962 |
8/6 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Helena, MT |
June 13, 1962 |
8/7 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Helena, MT |
June 14, 1962 |
8/8 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Great Falls,
MT |
June 15, 1962 |
8/9 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Great Falls,
MT |
June 18, 1962 |
8/10 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Billings,
MT |
June 20, 1962 |
8/11 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Billings,
MT |
June 21, 1962 |
8/12 | Statements: Montana Hearings, Billings,
MT |
June 22, 1962 |
8/13 | Montana Hearings- Exhibits
W.R. McGee and Wilbur I. (Webb) Sullivan
|
June 22, 1962 |
8/14 | Montana Hearings- Cross-examinations of W.R. McGee
and Wilbur I. (Webb) Sullivan |
|
8/15 | Assorted submitted statements of Montana residents
that did not testify in the Montana hearings |
|
8/16 | Assorted statements before ICC hearings |
1964-1967 |
9/1 | Briefs, replies, service notices before the ICC,
(mostly by LAMC) |
1961-1966 |
9/2 | ICC decisions |
1966-1968 |
Subseries 2: U.S. District Court and U.S. Supreme Court
Legal documents including motions, briefs, appeals and ancillary documents of the
United States District Court of the District of Columbia suit (Livingston Anti-merger
Committee was an intervening plaintiff) and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case
against the ICC merger decision.
|
1968-1970 | |
Box/Folder | ||
9/3 | United States of America (Plaintiff) vs United
States of America and Interstate Commerce Commission (Defendants): motions, briefs,
answers of intervening plaintiffs and defendants (U.S. District Court) |
May-November 1968 |
9/4 | Briefs of defendants Interstate Commerce Commission
and Great Northern, et al, intervening defendants, (U.S. District Court) |
June 1968 |
9/5 | In the Supreme Court of the United States: Appeals,
briefs, statements |
November 20, 1968-September 29, 1969 |
9/6 | Chief Justice Burger Opinion of the
Court |
February 2, 1970 |
Box | ||
10 | Audiotape of Louis W. Menk speech, Livingston,
Montana
(removed from box 7, folder 2)
|
August 4, 1968 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Consolidation and merger of corporations
- Railroads-Mergers-United States
- Railroads-Montana
Personal Names
- Deale, Valentine B.
- McGee, Bernice Lavold, 1921-2001
- Melcher, John, 1924-
- Sheehy, John C.
- Skeen, Russell E.
- Wheeler, Burton K. (Burton Kendall), 1882-1975
Corporate Names
- Burlington Northern Railroad Company
- Great Northern Railway (U.S.)
- Montana-Board of Railroad Commissioners
- Northern Pacific Railway Company
- Northern Pacific Stockholders' Protection Committee
- United States-Congress-Montana delegation
- United States-District Court (District of Columbia)
- United States-Interstate Commerce Commission
- United States-Securities and Exchange Commission
- United States-Supreme Court
Geographical Names
- Livingston (Mont.)
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- McGee, Warren, 1914- (creator)
- Sullivan, Wilbur I. (creator)