Today it is 138 years old.
We will devote a series of articles to retrace the history of the company since its foundation, reviewing the different phases of its activity.
The CFD Company celebrated its 100th anniversary on 4 August 1981; a unique event in the field of French secondary railways. While other similar operating companies have also reached this respectable age, the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer Départementaux is, in fact, the only one that has kept its original name to this day
The Constitution of the company
One year after the promulgation of the law of June 11, 1880, intended to facilitate the creation of secondary railways urgently required by many departments, the Company, whose Articles of Association had been filed on July 2, 1881 with Me Dufour, a notary public in Paris, was founded on the following August 4. Its purpose was to collect railway concessions, to ensure their construction and operation. The head office, originally located at 20, avenue de l'Opéra in Paris, was later transferred to 5, rue Louis-le-Grand, then to 10, avenue de Friedland.
The share capital was fixed at 30,000,000 francs divided into 60,000 shares of 500 francs each.
The company having obtained from the Government the facility to build up the initial capital of each line, after it was put into operation, by means of bonds guaranteed by the granting authority, it was able to meet its commitments with the help of this small share capital by allocating it successively to the lines under construction. As late as 1900, only 250 F had been called up on each share.
The composition of the first Board of Directors
The first Board of Directors was composed of Belgian and French personalities known in financial and railway circles:
Belgium was represented by :
- Mr. Tercelin-Monjot, Chairman of the Compagnie Générale de Chemins de Fer Secondaires in Brussels; Mr. Tesch, Governor of Société Générale to favour national industry in Brussels; Mr. Baeyens, Director of Société Générale to favour national industry in Brussels ;
And France was represented by:
- Messrs. Guiffrey, Director of Crédit Foncier de France, Chairman of the Board; Mir, Director of Crédit Foncier de France; Étienne, Director of Chemins de Fer de l'État; Honnoré, Director of Chemins de Fer de l'État.
Paul Zens, an engineer, was appointed Director of the Company. A consulting engineer was appointed to assist him in the person of Mr. Lesguillier, Chief Engineer of Ponts et Chaussées and former Director of the State Railways. Mr. Paul Zens soon joined the Board of Directors where he was constantly re-elected.
Many of these personalities will see members of their families collaborate with the Company in order to continue the work undertaken. Thus the descendants of Messrs Honnoré and Zens held positions of responsibility on the Board of Directors and Mr Pierre Zens was the promoter of Diesel traction and the construction of tractors and railcars, which today, at the Montmirail workshops, constitutes one of the main activities of the Company.
source : MTVS 1981-3
