Manuscript Ledger Book Containing Various Contracts and Deals between Different Railroad Companies in Massachusetts and New York.

Large thick folio (15x10 1/2), bound in soft tan calf, maroon morocco corners and spine label, marbled endpapers, [26], 425 + 111 (blank) pp. Hinges reinforced with cloth, front joint split, leather chipped at spine ends and corners are a bit worn, light rubbing, and finger soiling to contents; else very good. Fascinating piece of railroad memorabilia that documents railroad company mergers, deeds for track expansion, and other contractual correspondence dated from 1839-1915, chiefly between Massachusetts and New York. Many of the transactions mention concern the Boston and Albany Railroad, connecting Boston to Albany. The ledger appears to record events from the original documents. Sometimes it cites the individual who copied the document. While the the dates of documents it refers to go back to the before the mid 19th century, these entries were probably done in the late 19th century or early 20th century. The ledger contains over 400 pages of hand-written contract documents, most one to three pages long, plus 26 pages indexing 166 contracts at the front. Nearly all with Public Notarization as well as signatures of the people involved. These are copies of the originals, inked in various highly legible hands. Many of the documents are of the Boston and Albany Railroad, which would become part of the New York Central Railroad system.