Funding for encoding this finding
aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
James C. Mattson is a historian of railroad lines of the Northwest,
especially of the Great Northern Railway. A resident of Seattle, Mattson was an
employee of the Great Northern Railway and later of the Burlington Northern
Railway. Over a period of many years he amassed a large personal collection of
railroad materials, including items salvaged from materials which would
otherwise have been discarded by Burlington Northern Railroad.
Content Description
Annual reports, expense authorization registers, public timetables,
official station and agent lists, and documentary photograph albums from
Northwest railroads, particularly the Great Northern Railway.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Restrictions on Use :
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum 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 :
James C. Mattson Collection on Northwest Railroads, Museum of History
& Industry, Seattle
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Arranged in 7 accessions:
Accession No. 1985.52, Great Northern Railway photograph
albums, circa 1931, 1934
Accession No. 1989.8, Railroad Public Timetables, 1887-1984
(bulk 1930-1970)
Accession No. 1989.14, Great Northern Railway Official List of
Officers, Agents and Stations booklets, 1891-1910
Accession No. 1990.60, Great Northern Railway Company Annual
Reports, 1882-1927
Accession No. 2000.2, Railroad company annual reports,
1877-1895
Accession No. 2007.48, Railroad company annual reports,
1901-1912, 1940-2006
Related Materials :
The Burlington Northern Railroad Company Records, 1876-1971,
(Accession Nos. 1972.5375, 1983.12 and 1986.19) include Burlington Northern
record books, Great Northern account books, and a series of Northern Pacific
Railway Company notebooks of photographs showing joint facilities with other
railroads.
The Railroad Employee Timetable Collection (Accession No. 1983.75,
including several interfiled accessions) includes employee timetables for
northwest United States and Canadian railroads, 1862-2000.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
accession no. 1985.52: Great Northern Railway photograph
albums, circa
1931, 1934
2 albums containing 131
photographs ( .21 cubic feet)
12b.2.1
Two photograph albums which were created by the Great Northern
Railway to be presented to the Interstate Commerce Commission in support of
Great Northern's request to abandon rail lines in Washington State.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
1
1985.52.1: Rail line between Molson and
Curlew
Simmer, Alfred
G. (photographer)
78 photographs
Album of 78 linen backed photographs, all taken on August 29,
1934. The photographs were part of a presentation to the Interstate Commerce
Commission asking to abandon the rail line between Molson, Washington and
Curlew, Washington. (The line was abandoned in 1935). The first 35 photographs
in the album depict various parts of the railroad; the rest are views of the
surrounding countryside between Curlew and Tonasket. Each photograph is
inscribed with a detailed label, giving location, viewpoint and distance from
nearby towns.
1934
August 29
1
1985.52.2: Rail line between Molson and
Oroville
Simmer, Alfred
G. (photographer)
53 photographs
Album of 53 linen backed photographs, undated but probably taken
in 1930 or 1931. The photographs were part of the Interstate Commerce
Commission docket #8280 (Exhibit 17) asking to abandon the rail line between
Molson, Washington and Oroville, Washington. (The line was abandoned in 1931).
The first 31 photographs in the album depict the railroad; the rest are views
of the surrounding countryside. Each photograph is inscribed with a detailed
label, giving location, viewpoint and distance from nearby towns.
accession no. 1989.14: Great Northern Railway Official
List of Officers, Agents and Stations booklets, 1891-1910
1 box ( .42 cubic feet)
12b.2.4
22 booklets (3.75" x 6") from the Great Northern Railway Company
containing lists of officers of various departments, of station agents, and of
stations, including station numbers, class of stations, telegraph calls,
population of station towns, and miles of line operated.
2 bound volumes of photocopies of Northern Pacific Railway AFE
(authority for expenditure) registers, circa 1930-1970. These requisitions
document expenses approved for projects, both large and small, on the various
divisions of the Northern Pacific Railway.
accession no. 1990.60: Great Northern Railway Company
Annual Reports, 1882-1927
22 annual reports ( 1 box)
12b.2.3
22 annual reports for the Great Northern Railway Company for
years: 1882, 1889, 1891, 1893-1895, 1897-1899, 1901, 1909, 1912-1914, 1917,
1919-1921, 1923-1925, 1927
accession no. 2000.2: Railroad company annual
reports, 1877-1895
14 annual reports ( 1 box)
12b.2.3
14 annual reports for the Northern Pacific Railroad for years
1877, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1888 and 1889; for the Lake Superior Terminal
& Transfer Railway for years 1889-1895.
accession no. 2007.48: Railroad company annual
reports, 1901-1912, 1940-2006
1 box ( 1 cubic foot)
12b.2.4
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
1
Burlington Northern, Inc./
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. annual reports
No annual report for 1988. Includes Reports to Employees,
1977-1980. Name changed to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation in
1995.
1969-2006
1
Great Northern Railway annual
reports
Includes Statistical Supplement for years 1953-1962,
1964,1966-1967Includes Annual Report to Employees for years 1940-1942,1952,
1955-1956, 1958-1961, 1963
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
