Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners records

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana. Board of Railroad Commissioners
Title: Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners records
Dates: 1907-1971 (inclusive)
19071971
Quantity: 5 linear ft
Collection Number: RS 501 (Formerly RS 298)
Summary: This collection is a subgroup (Predecessor Agency) of the Montana Public Service Commission records, RS 501. The Board of Railroad Commissioners served ex-officio as the Public Service Commission until it was abolished in 1971, and its duties transferred to the PSC. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Public Service Commission records. These records consist of annual reports of the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners from 1907-1971.
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

Biographical Note

The Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was established by the Montana legislature in 1907. The board, consisting of three members elected statewide, was given the authority to set rates and establish regulations governing freight and passenger transportation within the state.

In 1913, the Board of Railroad Commissioners was made ex officio the newly created Montana Public Service Commission. In 1919 the Board also was made ex officio the Montana Trade Commission and the Montana Irrigation Commission. The Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners continued to function into the 1970s, when it became the Transportation Division of the Public Service Commission.

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Content Description

These records consist of annual reports of the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners from 1907-1971. The title of the report varied over the years. It was "Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana" from 1907/1908-1918/1919; it was "Report of Cases and Proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana" from 1920-1968. The title returned to "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners" from 1970-1971.

From volume 1-17 the reports were in published hard-bound format; thereafter they were mimeographed typescripts in binders. Beginning in 1913 the Board was ex officio the Public Service Commission; from 1919 to 1928 the Board was also ex officio the Montana Trade Commission and the Montana Irrigation Commission. The reports reflect these various roles and summarize cases heard before the Commissioners.

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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 chronologically in one series.

Location of Collection

33:2-7

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.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Annual Reports
- Description: "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana," 1st-5th
  
  Dates: 1907/1908-1911/1912
  
  Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1-3
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners and ex officio Public Service Commission of the State of Montana," 6th-11th
  
  Dates: 1912/1913-1917/1918
  
  Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4-7
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners and ex officio Public Service Commission, Trade Commission-Mill Control, Irrigation Commission, Trade Commission of the State of Montana," 12th
  
  Dates: 1912/1913-1917/1918
  
  Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission, Irrigation Commission, Trade Commission." 13th-17th
  
  Dates: 1918/1919-1924
  
  Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9-11
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission, Irrigation Commission, Trade Commission." 18th-21st
  
  Dates: 1925-1928
  
  Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1-4
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission, Trade Commission," 22nd
  
  Dates: 1929
  
  Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission," 23rd-29th
  
  Dates: 1930-1936
  
  Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6-12
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission," 30th-42nd
  
  Dates: 1937-1949
  
  Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1-13
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission," 43rd-51st
  
  Dates: 1950-1958
  
  Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1-9
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Reports of cases and proceedings before the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Montana, ex officio Public Service Commission," 52nd-61st
  
  Dates: 1959-1968
  
  Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1-10
  
  Location: Annual Reports
- Description: "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners ex officio Public Service Commission"
  
  Dates: 1970-1971
  
  Container: Box/Folder 5 / 11
  
  Location: Annual Reports

Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners records, 1907-1971

Table of Contents

Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Preferred Citation

Administrative Information

Arrangement

Location of Collection

Processing Note

Acquisition Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Annual Reports

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Corporate Names