The Grand Rapids & Indiana is a corporation of the States of Michigan and Indiana, having its principal office at Grand Rapids, Mich. The Grand Rapids & Indiana is controlled by the Pennsylvania Company through ownership of a majority of its capital stock. The records do not indicate that the Grand Rapids & Indiana controls any other carrier corporation. The first entries recorded in the accounting records that are obtainable which relate to the Grand Rapids & Indiana's financial transactions or property investments were recorded on November 1, 1896. The first entries relating to the operation of the property were recorded on August 1, 1896, the date the Grand Rapids & Indiana took possesion and began operation of its property, as explained in the chapter following. The Grand Rapids & Indiana continued to operate its property from this date to date of valuation.
The Grand Rapids & Indiana was incorporated under the general laws of Michigan and Indiana as a reorganization of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4). Articles of incorporation, dated July 7, 1896, were filed with the secretaries of State of Michigan and Indiana on July 11 and July 13, 1986, respectively. The property of the reorganiized company, which consisted of a railroad extending from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Mackinaw City, Mich., with numerous branch lines, aggregating about 427.32 miles of road, was sold at foreclosure on June 10, 1896, and conveyed by deed of John S. Lawrence, master in chancery, dated July 2, 1896, to John C. Sims, who organized the Grand Rapids & Indiana. On July 8, 1896, Sims submitted to the board of directors of the Grand Rapids & Indiana, which appears to have been then in process of organization, a plan of purchase of the property which he had acquired. Under this plan certain securities of the Grand Rapids & Indiana were to be issued to Sims to be used in liquidating certain liabilities of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4) and in settlement of certain claims against that company. This plan was approved and the property conveyed by Sims to the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company by deed dated July 25, 1896. Sims continued to operate the property as the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4) until July 31, 1896.
On May 1 1917, the Grand Rapids & Indiana acquired by direct purchase the properties of the Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail Road Company and the Traverse City Rail Road Company.
The following chart shows the names of the corporations comprised in the corporate history of the Grand Rapids & Indiana, the respective dates of incorporation and for each predecessor the date of succession, the immediately succeeding corporation, and the manner of succession. Reference to each of these corporations is made in the last column by its respective number shown in the first column.
| No. | Name | Incorporation | Succession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway Company. | Under general laws of Michigan, July 11, 1896, and of Indiana, July 13, 1896. | |
| 2 | Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4). | Under general laws of Michigan and Indiana, Oct. 1, 1884. | Sold at foreclosure June 16, 1896, under decree of courts, and acquired by John C. Sims by deed dated July 2, 1896. Conveyed by Sims to 1 by deed dated July 25, 1896. |
| 3 | Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 3). | Under general laws of Michigan and Indiana, July 30, 1857. | Consolidated Oct. 1, 1884, with 4, to form 2. |
| 4 | Grand Rapids, Indiana and Mackinaw Railroad Company. | Under general laws of Michigan, Feb. 18, 1881. | Consolidated Oct. 1, 1884, with 3, to form 2. |
| 5 | Bay View, Little Traverse and Mackinaw Railroad Company. | Under general laws of Michigan, May 2, 1879. | Sold at foreclosure June 7, 1887, to 2, and conveyed by deed dated Jan. 17, 1888. |
| 6 | The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 2). | Under general laws of Michigan and Indiana, Sept. 1, 1855. | Consolidated July 30, 1857, with 7 and 8, to form 3. |
| 7 | Grand Rapids and Mackinaw Railroad Company | Under general laws of Michigan, June 8, 1857. | Consolidated July 30, 1857, with 6 and 8, to form 3. |
| 8 | The Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne Railroad Company. | Under general laws of Indiana, June 23, 1857. | Consolidated July 30, 1857, with 6 and 7, to form 3. |
| 9 | The Grand Rapids and Southern Railroad Company. | Under general laws of Michigan, May 31, 1855. | Consolidated Sept. 1, 1855, with 10, to form 6. |
| 10 | The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 1). | Under general laws of Indiana, Jan. 26, 1854. | Consolidated Sept. 1, 1855, with 9, to form 6 |
| 11 | The Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail Road Company. | Under general laws of Michigan, Feb. 12, 1886. | Sold to 1, May 1, 1917. |
| 12 | Traverse City Rail Road Company. | Under general laws of Michigan, Oct. 30, 1871. | Sold to 1, effective May 1, 1917; conveyed by deed dated June 11, 1917. |
The railroad owned by the Grand rapids & Indiana on date of valuation was acquired for the most part by purchase. In the following table are shown the years in which and the companies by which the several portions of the property were constructed and the manner of their acquistion by the Grand Rapids & Indiana. No property was constructed by The Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne Railroad Company and The Grand Rapids and Southern Railroad Company, and three other companies did not complete the construction of their properties as indicated hereinafter.
| Acquired by purchase, July 25, 1896, representing the property of Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4), constructed by-- | |||||
| Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4)-- | |||||
| Osceolo branch, 1885-1892 | 9.78 | ||||
| Plaster Mill extension, 1890 | 3.93 | ||||
| Missaukee branch, 1890-1894 | 8.64 | ||||
| Manistee branch, 1891, Haaks spur | 4.09 | ||||
| Bear Lake branch, 1892 | 1.07 | 27.51 | |||
| Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 3) partly constructed by The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 2), Grand Rapids and Mackinaw Railroad Company, and The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 1)-- | |||||
| Main line-- | |||||
| Grand Rapids to Cedar Springs, Mich., 1867 | 21.1 | ||||
| Cedar Springs to Morley, Mich., 1869 | 19.3 | ||||
| Fort Wayne, Ind., to Sturgis, Mich., 1870 | 55.8 | ||||
| Morley to Paris, Mich., 1870 | 21.1 | ||||
| Sturgis to Kalamazoo, Mich., 1870 | 36.3 | ||||
| Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, Mich., 1870 | 48.5 | ||||
| Paris to Cadillac, Mich., 1871 | 36.3 | ||||
| Cadillac to Fife Lake, Mich., 1872 | 25.5 | ||||
| Fife Lake to Petoskey, Mich., 1873 | 67.4 | ||||
| Petoskey to Bay View, Mich., 1876 | 1.1 | ||||
| TOTAL | 332.4 | ||||
| Branch lines-- | |||||
| Manistee branch, 1889-81 | 14.51 | ||||
| Missaukee branch, 1880 | 7.64 | ||||
| Long Lake branch, 1881 | 0.77 | ||||
| Deer Lake branch, 1883 | 6.96 | ||||
| TOTAL | 29.88 | 362.28 | |||
| Grand Rapids, Indiana and Mackinaw Railroad Company, Bay View to Mackinaw City, Mich., 1882 | 34.11 | ||||
| Bay View, Little Traverse and Mackinaw Railroad Company, Kegomic to Harbor Springs, Mich., 1882 | 5.76 | ||||
| D. A. Blodgett and Company, Herrick branch (unincorporated) | 5.39 | ||||
| TOTAL | 435.05 | ||||
| Less branch lines abandoned by The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company (No. 4), 1889-1894 | 7.73 | ||||
| Total conveyed to the Grand Rapids & Indiana | 427.32 | ||||
| Less branch lines abandoned, 1903 miles, or reclassified, 0.13 mile, by the Grand Rapids & Indiana, 1896-1902 | 29.16 | ||||
| Total | 398.16 | ||||
| Acquired by direct purchase , May 1, 1917, from The Muskegon, Grand Rapids ans Indiana Rail Road Company, Muskegon Junction to Muskegon, Mich., 1886 | 38.85 | ||||
| Acquired by direct purchase, May 1, 1917, from Traverse City Rail Road Company, Walton Junction to Traverse City, Mich., 1872 | 25.86 | ||||
| Acquired by direct purchase, Mar. 30, 1898, from Widdicomb Furniture Company, Widdicomb extension of Herrick branch (unincorporated) | 3.42 | ||||
| Total acquired by direct purchase | 66.13 | ||||
| Less mileage abandoned by Grand Rapids & Indiana, 1912 | 0.68 | ||||
| Total | 65.45 | ||||
| Acquired by construction: | |||||
| Widdicomb extension, 1900 | 3.17 | ||||
| Harbor Springs extension, 1901 | 0.53 | ||||
| Bear River branch, 1905 | 1.43 | ||||
| Missaukee branch extensions, 1906-1908 | 13.57 | ||||
| Veneer spur extension, 1907 | 2.97 | ||||
| Total | 21.67 | ||||
| Less mileage abandoned, 3.17, and reclassified, 0.37 mile | 3.54 | ||||
| Total | 18.12 | ||||
| Toal recorded mileage | 481.74 | ||||
| Difference between recorded mileage and mileage inventoried, representing tracks classified by the Grand Rapids & Indiana as main tracks, inventoried as sidings | 5.079 | ||||
| Total mileage owned on date of valuation | 476.661 | ||||
Included in the 29.03 miles of road shown as abandoned by the Grand Rapids & Indiana are 4.09 miles of railroad, known as the Luther branch, which the Grand Rapids & Indiana charged, on the date of its acquistion, to miscellaneous physical property account. It has not been determined from the records that are obtainable whether or not this branch was ever used by the Grand Rapids & Indiana as part of its main-track mileage. This branch was abandoned some time during the period 1896 to 1900. Further information as to the manner of construction of the Grand Rapids & Indiana's property is given in the reports on the respective predecessor companies.
The railroad was acquired by construction commenced during 1880 and completed on July 3, 1882. The roadbed was constructed by various contractors and the rails and other track material were furnished and laid by the Grand Rapids and Indiana (No. 3). The records of the Grand Rapids, Indiana and Mackinaw indicated no affiliation between it and the contractors who constructed the roadbed.
As previously explained, the company, at its demise, owned no completed mileage. A contract was let during the year 1856 for the construction of about 14 miles of railroad, extending northwardly from Sturgis, Mich., but none of the road was completed or opened for operation prior to the demise of the company.
As previously stated, the company, at its demise, owned no completed mileage. Its route from Hartford, Ind., to the Indiana-Michigan State line was surveyed and located during the year 1854. A contract was let during May, 1855, for clearing, grubbing and grading, under which some work was performed, but no portion of the railroad was completed or opened for operation.
The road owned by the company was acquired by construction, commenced in January, 1886, and completed in December, 1886. In the construction of this road the great part of the work was performed by contractors who appear, from the records that are obtainable, not to have been affiliated with the company.
The road owned had been acquired by construction, commenced in January, 1872, and completed in December, 1872. In the construction of this road the Continental Improvement Company was employed as contractor. The contractor was affiliated with the railroad company in the respect that, by agreement of December 28, 1871, with the contractor for the completion of the railroad, it was stipulated that the contractor should receive a controlling interest in outstanding capital stock of the railroad company.
The construction of the property of this company was begun about the year 1853, construction work being performed principally by Wm. Sturgis, contractor. It could not be ascertained from the records that are obtainable whether or not the contractor was in any way affiliated with the company. It states that little construction work was performed after 1855.
The Grand Rapids & Indiana has direct connections with other carriers for interchange of traffic at the following principal points:
| Connecting Point | Other carrier |
| Richmond, Ind. | The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company. |
| Winchester, Ind. | The Cleveland, Cincinnati, hicago and St. Louis Railway Company |
| Portland, Ind. | The Lake Erie and Western Railroad Company |
| Decatur, Ind. | Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad Company Erie Railroad Company |
| Avilla, Ind. | The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company |
| Wolcottville, Ind. | Wabash Railway Company |
| Fort Wayne, Ind. | Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway Company Wabash Railway Company The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company The New York Central Railroad Company |
| La Otto, Ind. | The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company |
| Kendallville, Ind. | The New York Central Railroad Commpany |
| Vicksburg, Mich. | Grand Trunk Railway Company |
| Sturgis, Mich. | The New York Central Railroad Company |
| Wasepi, Mich. | The Michigan Central Railroad Company |
| Kalamazoo, Mich. | The Michigan Central Railroad Company The New York Central Railroad Company Grand Trunk Railway Company |
| Grand Rapids, Mich. | The Michigan Central Railroad Company Pere Marqueete Railway Company The New York Central Railroad Company Grand Trunk Railway Company |
| Reed City, Mich. | Pere Marquette Railway Company |
| Cadillac, Mich. | The Ann Arbor Railroad Company |
| Mackinaw City, Mich. | The Michigan Central Railroad Company The Mackinac Transportation Company (car ferry) car ferry connecting with The Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railway Company |
| Muskegon, Mich. | Pere Marquette Railway Company |
The investments of the Grand Rapids & Indiana in other companies on date of valuation are stated in its records at a total book value of $240,930.67. The total of such investments to date of valuation amounts to $2,795,117.04, par value, and $498,883.37 book value. Of these, there have been disposed of $2,174,333.70 par value with a recorded book value of $257,952.70, leaving on date of valuation investments of $620,783.34 par value and $240,930.67 recorded book value. A statement of the several investments recorded as of date of valuation, exclusive of the items mentioned, with their respective par values and book values, follows:
| Par value | Book value | |||
| Capital stock: | ||||
| Affiliated carrier corporations-- | ||||
| The Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail Road Company | 20,000.00 | 19,001.00 | ||
| Traverse City Rail Road Company | 195,500.00 | 5,819.00 | ||
| The Mackinac Transportation Company | 21,666.67 | 50,000.00 | ||
| Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique Railway Company | 75,000.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Total | 312,166.67 | 74,821.00 | ||
| Nonaffiliated noncarrier corporations-- | ||||
| Walloon Lake Country Club | 350.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Harbor Point Country Club | 1,200.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Wequetonsing Association | 200.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Citizens Telephone Company | 200.00 | 40.00 | ||
| Total | 1,950.00 | 43.00 | ||
| Grand total stocks | 314,116.67 | 74,864.00 | ||
| Bonds, affiliated carrier corporations, Traverse City Rail Road Company | 190,000.00 | 49,400.00 | ||
| Advances, affliated carrier corporations, The Mackinac Transportation Company | 116,666.67 | 116,666.67 | ||
| Grand total | 620,783.34 | 240,930.67 | ||
The Grand Rapids & Indiana solely operated the property of the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne under the terms of a lease and agreement dated June 1, 1871, and the terms of a notice dated August 1, 1896. The property of this company was leased on June 1, 1871, to the Grand Rapids and Indiana (No. 3) for a period of 99 years. The lease stipulated that as rental for the property the lessee would pay the net earnings from the operation thereof, and would also pay one-third of any deficiency in the net earnings, to meet the interest on the outstanding first-mortgage, 7 per cent guaranteed bonds of the lessor. Payment of the remaining two-thirds of the interest was guaranteed by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway Company and the Pennsylvania Company, which also were parties to the lease.
At the time the Grand Rapids & Indiana succeeded to the property of the Grand Rapids and Indiana (No. 4), on August 1, 1896, it gave notice that it would not assume any of the obligations incurred by that company, as successor to the Grand Rapids and Indiana (No. 3), under the terms of the lease and agreement of June 1, 1871, but that it would temporarily operate the property, account for the net earnings and apply the same toward the payment of the interest on the bonds of the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne.
The accounting records of the Grand Rapids & Indiana indicate, however, that it has operated the property of the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne from August 1, 1896, to date of valuation, in accordance with the terms of the lease and agreement of June 1, 1871, and that it pays one-third of the deficiency in net earnings, to meet the interest on the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne's outstanding 7 per cent first-mortgage bonds, payment of the remaining two-thirds of the interest being guaranteed by the Pennsylvania Company and the Pittsburgh Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company.
| Solely owned, but jointly used, used with-- | |||
| The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad company; freight and passenger stations at La Otto, Ind. | Cost of operation and maintenance divided equally. | ||
| Grand Trunk Western Railway Company; tracks at Kalamazoo, Mich. | One-half cost of maintenance and one-half of 5 per cent per annum on valuation of $5,899. | ||
| Pere Marquette Railway Company-- | |||
| Station facilities and 2,343 feet of track at Howard City, Mich. | Rental, $500 per annum. Cost of operation and maintenance divided equally. | ||
| Passenger station, platform and track, Bay View, Mich. | Rental, $800 per annum, and one-half of cost of operation of station. | ||
| Plaster Mill branch, 0.37 mile of main track and 0.12 of a mile of other track. | Rental, $500 per annum, and one-third of wages of switch and signal men at Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids, Mich. | ||
| Connecting track at Grand Rapids, Mich. | One-half of 5 per cent per annum on valuation of $3,639, and one-half of cost of maintenance. | ||
| Trackage rights over 0.27 mile of second main trac, Grand Rapids, Mich. | Right of use 0.20 of a mile of track of Pere Marquette Railway Company. | ||
| Trackage rights over 0.21 mile of second main track at Grand Rapids, Mich. | One-half of cost of maintenance. | ||
| Trackage rights over 0.51 mile of main track at Grand Rapids, Mich. | One-half of 5 per cent per annum on valuation of $113,287. Cost of maintenance divided on basis of number of trains of each company using track. | ||
| Trackage rights over 4.66 miles of main track, Grand Rapids to Comstock Park, Mich. | Right to use 4.66 miles of main track of Pere Marquette Railway Company. | ||
| Trackage rights over 0.16 mile of main track at Grand Rapids, Mich. | Records do not record any basis of use. | ||
| The Michigan Central Railroad Company: | |||
| Passenger station at Alba, Mich. | Flat rate of $66.50 per month. | ||
| Telegraph office at Grand Rapids, Mich. | One-half of 6 per cent on valuation of $350, and one-half of cost of operation. | ||
| Pere Marquette Railway Company and The Michigan Central Railroad Company; union passenger station, tracks and facilities at Grand Rapids, Mich. | Revenues, expenses and taxes apportioned to three using companies on a train basis. Interest at 4 1/2 per cent per annum on value of property is apportioned one-fourth to The Michigan Central Railroad Company and one-half to the Pere Marquette Railway Company. | ||
| Michigan East and West Railroad Company; station facilities at Tustin, Mich. | Flat rate of $90.17 per month. | ||
| Manistee and North-Eastern Railroad Company; passenger station and tracks, Walton Junction, Mich. | Flat rate of $68.35 per month. | ||
| Boyne City, Gaylord and Alpena Railroad Company; station facilities at Boyne City, Mich. | Flat rate of $60 per month. | ||
| Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique Railway Company; station facilities and turntable at Traverse City, Mich. | Flat rate of $75 per month. | ||
| The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company; water station, Lynn, Ind. (Used under agreement with the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne). | Flat rate of $75 per month. | ||
| Jointly used, but not owned, owned by-- | |||
| The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company-- | |||
| Transfer house and platform at La Otto, Ind. | Maintained by the Grand Rapids & Indiana; cost of operation and maintenance divided equally. | ||
| Trackage rights over 0.790 mile of track, Richmond, Ind., buildings and interlocker (used under agreement with the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne). | Rental at rate of $3,000 per annum, and 25.8 per cent of expense of maintenance. | ||
| Terminal facilities, Richmond, Ind., including shops, yards, water station, passenger and freight station, etc., (used under agreement with the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne). | Operation and maintenance and other expenses divided on various percentages according to the facility used, etc. | ||
| Passenger and freight facilities, Ridgeville, Ind., (used under agreement with Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne). | The Grand Rapids & Indiana pays 50 per cent of operation of freight and passenger station. Expense of maintenance, including taxes and interest at 4 per cent per annum on value of each facility, divided on train, car, and tonnage basis. | ||
| Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway Company, lessee-- | |||
| Tracks, Fort Wayne to Grand Rapids Junction, Ind., 1.31 miles. | No written agreement. Basis of use unknown. | ||
| Terminal facilities at Fort Wayne, Ind. | No written agreement. The Grand Rapids & Indiana pays $1,800 per month for use of terminal facilities and $29.15 per month of salary of freight agent. Charges for enginehouse repairs and expenses are divided on basis of number of engines handled for each company, plus 10 per cent for heating, etc. Locomotive repairs are charged at actual cost plus 10 per cent. Cost of operating coal wharf divided on basis of number of tons of coal handled for each company, plus 10 per cent of actual cost. Cost of operation of wrecking outfit divided on basis of hours used on each line, the Grand Rapids & Indiana paying, in addition, 5 per cent interest, 5 per cent depreciation per annum, plus 10 per cent and the cost of maintenance. | ||
| Division office at Fort Wayne, Ind. | Flat rate of $2,000 per annum. | ||
| Tracks, Adams Junction to Fort Wayne, Ind., 5.43 miles, and terminal facilities (used under agreement with Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne). | The Grand Rapids & Indiana pays lessor monthly an amount equal to gross earnings derived from use of tracks, computed on a mileage basis. For use of passenger and terminal facilities the Grand Rapids & Indiana pays the Pennsylvania Company 5 cents for each adult passenger and 2.5 cents for each half-fare passenger carried over these tracks whose transportation begins or ends at Fort Wayne. | ||
| The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, transfer house, Avilla, Ind. | Cost of maintenance and operation divided equally. | ||
| The Michigan Central Railroad Company-- | |||
| Passenger terminal facilities at Mackinaw City, Mich. | Cost of operation and maintenance divided equally. Interest on basis of 3 per cent of valuation. | ||
| Passenger station at Wasepi, Mich. | Flat rate of $7.29 per month, and 50 per cent of cost of maintenance and operation. | ||
| Pere Marquette Railway Company-- | |||
| 0.37 mile of track from Western Avenue to passenger station at Muskegeon, Mich., and use of station. | Revenue and expenses in connection with operation and maintenance apportioned on basis of number of passenger trains of each company in and out of station. Interest at rate of 2.5 per cent per annum on valuation of $48,009.60 is payable by the Grand Rapids & Indiana. | ||
| Spur track at Muskegeon Heights, Mich. | The Grand Rapids & Indiana pays an annual rental of 5 per cent on one-half of a valuation of $4,919.11, and one-half of maintenance, plus "usual percentage between railroads". | ||
| Double tracks at Grand Rapids, Mich. | Flat rate of $500 per annum. | ||
| Trackage rights over 0.20 mile of track between Pleasant and Wealthy Streets, Grand Rapids, Mich. | Right to use 0.27 mile of second main track of the Grand Rapids & Indiana. | ||
| Trackage rights on 4.66 miles of main track, Grand Rapids, to Comstock Park, Mich. | Right to use 4.66 miles of main track of the Grand Rapids & Indiana. | ||
| Michigan State Telephone Company, telephone circuit between Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island across straits of Mackinac, Mich. | Flat rate of $133.33 per annum. | ||
| Original data source: | Valuation Reports Vol. 23 pp 718, 723-726, 741, 744-748, 774-775, 778, 781, 783, 786, 789 Interstate Commerce Commission Washington, DC January 1929 |
Although published in 1929, the report is "...as of date of valuation" which was 30 June, 1917