Case: ILLINOIS TERMINAL RAILROAD COMPANY v. THE UNITED STATES
Abbreviation: Illinois Terminal Railroad v. United States
Decision Date: 1967-04-14
Docket Number: No. 16-64
Citation: 179 Ct. Cl. 674
Volume: 179
Reporter: United States Court of Claims Reports
Court: United States Court of Claims
Jurisdiction: United States
Parties: ILLINOIS TERMINAL RAILROAD COMPANY v. THE UNITED STATES
Judges: Before Cowen, Chief Judge, Laramore, Dureee, Davis, Collins, Skelton and Nichols, Judges.
Pages: 674–697

Head Matter:
375 F. 2d 1016
ILLINOIS TERMINAL RAILROAD COMPANY v. THE UNITED STATES
[No. 16-64.
Decided April 14, 1967]
Robert T. Molloy, attorney of record, for plaintiff. Gerald J. O’Rourke, Jr. and Robert E. Simpson, of counsel.
Edna G. Parker, with, whom was Assistant Attorney General Mitchell Rogovin, for defendant. Philip R. Miller, of counsel.
Before Cowen, Chief Judge, Laramore, Dureee, Davis, Collins, Skelton and Nichols, Judges.

Opinion:
Per Curiam; :
This case was referred to Chief Trial Commissioner Marion T. Bennett with directions to make findings of fact and recommendation for conclusion of law. The commissioner has done so in a report and opinion filed on April -25, 1966. Exceptions to the commissioner's findings, opinion and recommendation for conclusions of law were filed by plaintiff. The case was submitted to the court on the briefs of the parties and oral argument of counsel. Since the court is in agreement with the opinion, findings and recommendation of the commissioner, with modifications, it hereby adopts the same, as modified, as the basis for its judgment in this case, as hereinafter set forth. Plaintiff is, therefore, not entitled to recover and the petition is dismissed.
Commissioner Bennett's opinion, as modified by the court, is as follows:
At issue in this tax refund case is whether plaintiff corporation shall be denied the benefits of section 163(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, 26 U.S.C. § 163(a) (1964), which permits a deduction for "all interest paid or accrued, within the taxable year on indebtedness" because of the limitation imposed by section 265(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954:
No deduction shall be allowed for—

(2) Interest.
Interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry obligations (other than obligations of the United States issued after September 24, 1911, and originally subscribed for by the taxpayer) the interest on which is wholly exempt from the taxes imposed by this subtitle.
Plaintiff was organized under the laws of Delaware and has its principal offices in St. Louis, Missouri. Plaintiff is a common carrier by railroad operating in interstate commerce and subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission, hereinafter referred to as the I.C.C. At all times pertinent, it filed its federal income tax returns on the accrual method of accounting and on the basis of the calendar year ending December 31. Plaintiff was incorporated in 1954 by a group of 11 trunkline railroads which had offered to purchase the assets and assume the liabilities of an Illinois corporation (plaintiff's predecessor) for $20,015,635 in cash. On April 2, 1956, the I.C.C. approved the sale, authorized plaintiff to issue 2,000 shares of capital stock to the trunkline railroads and permitted them to endorse plaintiff's note for a sum not to exceed $20,015,635. The sale was consummated on June 15, 1956. Among the assets so acquired was approximately $3,000,000 in cash, some $2,500,000 of which plaintiff used to invest in government securities and commercial notes. Among the physical assets that plaintiff acquired were locomotives, freight and passenger cars, depots, tracks and rights-of-way in Missouri and Illinois. In addition, plaintiff acquired the McKinley Bridge, which spanned the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri, and connected St. Louis with Venice, Illinois.
The McKinley Bridge carried railroad tracks and a highway. It was the largest single asset that plaintiff acquired, and at the time of the I.C.C. approval, plaintiff had intended to sell the bridge to the Bi-State Development Agency for $13,500,000 and to obtain an exclusive leaseback of the railroad track and other rail facilities for 40 years or other term to be agreed on by the parties. The sale was to occur contemporaneously with the purchase of assets from plaintiff's predecessor and was intended to finance $13,500,000 of the $20,015,635 purchase price, with the remaining $6,515,635 to be borrowed from the Mercantile Trust Company. But Bi-State, created under a compact between Illinois and Missouri, became embroiled in litigation in the state courts, and the sale was never completed.
The full $20,015,635 purchase price of the assets had to be financed by a loan for that amount from the Mercantile Trust Company. The loan was obtained on June 15,1956, for plaintiff's unsecured, 2-year, 4-percent promissory note, plus the endorsement of the group of railroad company shareholders. The debt was originally intended to provide interim financing until the bridge could be sold. But the bridge was not sold until November 21, 1958, and the note was extended from June 15,1958, to December 15,1958.
Finally, on November 21,1958, the bridge, which had been allocated a cost basis of $8,531,370.93 by the Internal Revenue Service, was sold to the city of Venice, Illinois. The city paid plaintiff $9,000,000 in cash and $11,000,000 par value of the city of Venice's Subordinate Bridge Revenue Bonds, Series "B," dated October 1, 1958, and due October 1,1998, bearing interest at 2 percent from October 1, 1960. The interest on these Series "B" bonds was and still remains excludible from gross income for purposes of the federal income tax. The $9,000,000 in cash was applied by plaintiff to its outstanding debt, causing the debt to be reduced to $11,015,635.
The ordinance which authorized the issuance of the Series "B" bonds by the city of Venice provided for their redemption prior to maturity upon certain conditions without the approval of the bondholders. It also permitted the modification of the ordinance with the approval of the City Council and holder or holders of 75 percent—
in principal amount of each series of the Bonds then outstanding, provided, however, that no such modification or alteration shall extend the maturity of or reduce the interest rate on, or otherwise alter or impair the obligation to pay the principal or interest or redemption premiums, if any, at the time and place and at the rate and in the currency provided therein of any Bond, without the express consent of the holder or registered owner of such Bond, or reduce the percentage of Bonds required for the affirmative vote or written consent to a modification or alteration, or alter or impair the covenants set forth in Section 5.01 hereof. ^[Article X, § 10.02.]
Plaintiff's present bondholdings represent 70.9 percent of the Series "B" bonds issued.
Kail facilities on the bridge were leased back to the plaintiff at the time of the sale under terms which created a 50-year leasehold and options in perpetuity to renew the lease for successive terms of 50 years. The McKinley Bridge is very important in plaintiff's operations, and a substantial part of its revenues are earned by reason of having access to that bridge for transriver shipments.
Due to delays in arranging for permanent financing, the maturity date of plaintiff's debt was extended from December 15,1958, to December 15, 1959, with interest at 4*4 percent. On December 31,1958, plaintiff sold some of its capital assets and United States Treasury bills for cash and used $515,635 of the proceeds to reduce the balance on its promissory note to $10,500,000. Then, in January of 1959, plaintiff requested offers from two investment firms to purchase $4,000,000 par value of the Series "B" bonds. Both firms had shown an earlier interest in the bonds and both submitted bids. The higher bid of 30.799 percent of par "flat" was submitted by B. J. Yan Ingen & Company, Inc., which had previously shown an interest in purchasing all or part of the $11,000,000 par value Series "B" bonds and which reiterated its interest in purchasing any future offerings of the bonds. Plaintiff refused to make any commitments about the prospects for additional sales, but because Van Ingen was the highest bidder for the current offerings, plaintiff sold and Yan Ingen purchased $3,200,000 par value of the Series "B" bonds for $985,568. This sale served the additional function of establishing an overall value of $3,387,890 for the $11,000,-000 face amount of the Series "B" bonds, which value plain tiff and the Internal Revenue Service used in computing the tax arising from the sale of the bridge in 1958.
The sale to Van Ingen was consummated on March 10, 1959. Plaintiff used $500,000 of the proceeds to reduce the balance on its promissory note to $10,000,000. The note was further reduced to $9,000,000 on April 14,1959, when plaintiff sold certain notes and applied the proceeds against the debt.
During 1959, plaintiff received two communications expressing an interest in purchasing a portion of plaintiff's Series "B" bondholdings. One inquiry was from the First Boston Corporation while the other was from McCormick & Company, which made a firm offer. No action was taken on either the inquiry or the offer.
After extending the note to December 15,1960, with interest at 5y2 percent, plaintiff reduced it by $500,000 on October 14, 1960, leaving a balance of $8,500,000. Plaintiff was still unable to arrange permanent financing, however, and had to extend the maturity date on the promissory note continually, first to December 15,1961, with interest at 5 percent, then to December 15,1962, and finally to December 15,1963.
Early in 1962, plaintiff received an offer from Van Ingen to purchase $1,800,000 par value of the Series "B" bonds for 50 percent of par, plus accrued interest. This offer was considerably more than either the First Boston Corporation suggested or McCormick & Company had offered. Moreover, Van Ingen offered to purchase all or part of the remaining $6,000,000 par value for similar cash terms or substituted securities. The offer was declined. Plaintiff continues to receive inquiries about, and offers to purchase, the Series "B" bonds. No action has been taken with respect to any of these inquiries or offers.
In December 1962, plaintiff pledged the remaining $7,800,-000 par value of the Series "B" bonds as security with the Mercantile Trust Company for issuance of plaintiff's First Mortgage, Series "A" Bonds. The Series "B" bonds were pledged, and the operation of the sinking fund on behalf of the Series "A" bonds was accelerated, in order to get an "A"quality rating from Standard & Poor's on the First Mortgage, Series "A" Bonds. The A-quality rating caused the plaintiff's interest cost for the Series "A" bonds to be less than would have been tbe case if the original "BBB"-quality rating had obtained. The A-quality rating probably also increased the marketability of the Series "A" bonds. Proceeds from the sale of the Series "A" bonds were used to pay off the balance of plaintiff's promissory note.
During the calendar year 1959, interest totaling $403,597 accrued against plaintiff and was deducted in plaintiff's 1959 federal income tax return. Upon audit, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue disallowed $111,494.49 of the interest so accrued and deducted on the ground that this portion of the interest related to the tax-exempt Series "B" bonds and was nondeductible under section 265 (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Plaintiff had claimed a net operating loss for 1959 which was reduced by, among other things, the $111,494.49 disallowance. Consequently, the amount of the net operating loss which would carry back to 1956 was similarly reduced, and the Internal Revenue Service recomputed plaintiff's 1956 federal income tax liability.
In March 1963, plaintiff paid into the Treasury of the United States an assessed deficiency in income taxes for 1956 of $94,726.90, together with $17,998.11 in deficiency interest. This deficiency resulted from the disallowance of the interest deduction discussed above, and other adjustments not in issue in this case. Plaintiff made a timely claim for refund and now sues for refund of federal income taxes for the year 1956 on the ground that the Commissioner's disallowance of the interest deduction of $111,494.49 for the year 1959 and the resulting reduction of the net operating loss carryback to the year 1956 were improper and unlawful. The claim here is for $57,977.13, plus deficiency interest paid thereon, and statutory interest as provided by law.
It is evident from the facts that the original $20,015,635 loan was not "incurred" to purchase the city .of Venice bonds. What is less evident, however, is the underlying reason for the continuing existence in 1959 of a debt ranging in magnitude from $10,500,000 to $9,000,000 during a portion of the period that plaintiff owned the tax-exempt city of Venice bonds, for defendant claimed that the indebtedness was "continued" in order to "carry" the bonds, while plaintiff argued that the bonds were unrelated to the loan and instrumental to the successful long-term financing of its business. Because the proceeds from the sale of the bridge were used in part to reduce the loan by more than the cost basis of the bridge, plaintiff argues, the remaining debt must be identified with the other assets and expenses which were acquired or incurred during the purchase and early operation of the business and the additional consideration in the form of municipal bonds represents appreciation in the value of the bridge and, hence, is unrelated to the debt.
But, plaintiff is in error, for by assuming that funds from the loan in question must be traceable to the cost of the bonds, it fails to distinguish between "incurred to'purchase" and "continued to carry." That assumption eviscerates the meaning of the terms "continued" and "carry," which expand the application of section 265(2) beyond the possibly narrow limits of "incurred" and "purchase." In Constance M. Bishop, 41 T.C. 154, 160-61 (1963), affd, 342 F. 2d 757 (6th Cir. 1965) where, although the purchase of the tax-exempt securities was traceable to the debt, the Tax Court analyzed the significance of the term "continued":
She continued the loan instead of repaying it with the proceeds of the sale of the non-tax-exempt securities, so that she would have the funds to purchase and hold tax-exempt securities. This, we consider to be continuing the loan to purchase and carry the tax-exempt securities.
The facts in the case at bar can be distinguished from those in Bishop, supra, but the reasoning by Judge Scott, which was not limited to an identification or tracing of the debt to the purchase of tax-exempt securities, extends logically to this case, supporting the careful distinction between "incurred" and "continued" which plaintiff seeks to ignore. The real issue here is whether the remaining loan, regardless of its size of correlation with the cost basis of other assets, was continued for the purpose of enabling plaintiff to own the Series "B" bonds of the city of Venice. Of course, the resolution of this issue requires a connection-type inquiry, which will be somewhat different from the inquiry into situations where the issue is whether indebtedness was incurred to purchase tax-exempt bonds. It is necessary to establish a sufficiently direct relationship of the continuance of the debt for the purpose of carrying the tax-exempt bonds.
If the loan was needed to sustain plaintiff's business operation rather than its ownership of tax-exempt securities, the prohibitory features of section 265 (2) will not apply. R. B. George Machinery Co., 26 B.T.A. 594 (1932); Sioux Falls Metal Culvert Co., 26 B.T.A. 1324 (1932). In this vein, counsel for plaintiff has argued that the loan was needed to supply the operating capital for the nascent enterprise, which needed such support until long-term financing could be arranged. There is little doubt that capital had to be found. The loan was one source of funds, and the municipal bonds were another. Although it received one offer to purchase at least $1,800,000 par value of the bonds for cash and the remaining $6,000,000 par value for cash or substituted securities, plus several earlier inquiries which contained tentative, minimum-price suggestions, plaintiff refused to accept the offer or enter into negotiations with the other inquirers. Plaintiff could have sold some or all of the remaining bonds if it had wished to do so. It was within plaintiff's power to liquidate some or all of its bondholdings and use the proceeds to reduce the outstanding debt without withdrawing any capital which was committed to, or held in reserve for, the corporation's activities. Thus, a loan was not the only source of funds and was not required by the dictates of successful corporate finance, but rather it was chosen by plaintiff as a more desirable source of funds than the municipal bonds. Plaintiff's argument fails for lack of purity of purpose in maintaining the loan, because it was continued out of a concern for preserving the bondholdings, which could be accomplished only if the debt financed the plaintiff's operations.
Plaintiff has cited R. B. George Machinery Co. and Sioux Falls Metal Culvert Co., supra, as authorities in support of its contention that interest on debts incurred for the purpose of carrying on the business functions of the taxpayer does not come within the aegis of section 265 (2). These cases are distinguishable, however, because there the state securities could not be liquidated and, hence, the taxpayers had no alternative for supplying their cash needs but to borrow money. That is not the case at bar, where plaintiff could have liquidated its bondholdings. What plaintiff seeks to do is to receive tax-free income and at the same time deduct the interest expense attributable to obtaining that tax-free income. This is the double benefit prohibited by section 265 (2). A business cannot escape taxation of income by the device of purchasing or carrying tax-exempt securities with borrowed money not required to carry on its regular functions. Bishop, supra; Denman v. Slayton, 282 U.S. 514, 519-20 (1931).
Plaintiff cannot take refuge behind Rev. Rul. 55-389, 1955-1 Cum. Bull. 276, where a deduction was recognized for interest on outstanding debentures despite the taxpayer's investment of the funds in tax-exempt securities. The ruling emphasized the delays in constructing plant facilities and recognized that the debentures were issued in order to refinance other indebtedness, furnish working capital, and finance contemplated plant expansion, and that the investment in tax-exempt securities was but temporary and pending the delivery of supplies and materials. In the instant case, the Series "B" bonds of the city of Venice have a 40-year life span and plaintiff has not given the slightest indication that it intends to sell any more before they are recalled. This distinguishes the revenue ruling, with its accent on the transitory, from the present case and plaintiff's apparently deep-rooted desire to hold onto the bonds.
Nor can plaintiff find succor in the absence of tax-exempt interest payments on the bonds in 1959 ; what matters is the fact that the securities are tax-exempt and not whether the taxpayer actually paid any taxes on the income from those securities. Clyde C. Pierce Corp. v. Commissioner, 120 F. 2d 206, 208 (5th Cir. 1941).
On the other hand, plaintiff has argued that the bonds were pivotal to obtaining an A-quality rating from Standard & Poor's for the proposed Series "A" bond issue, thereby lowering the interest cost and possibly increasing the marketability of the Series "A" bonds. These facts have been established. Plaintiff argues from them that section 265 (2) will not apply because the continuing existence of the bonds, vis-a-vis their liquidation, was vital if they were to be pledged as security. In order to finance these tax-exempt bonds, which were unquestionably valuable as security for the Series "A" bond issue, plaintiff reasons that continuation of the debt was the only logical course of action. This argument is wide of the mark, however, because the fact that the bonds were instrumental in getting the higher Standard & Poor's rating is not determinative; the issue is whether the indebtedness was continued in order to carry the bonds and the beneficial use of those bonds (absent a showing of essentiality) says little about this central issue. The bonds, like any recognizable asset, were put to use as security (on the Series "A" bond issue). Any bondholdings, or any asset, including cash, could be put to similar use, and the efficient use of an available asset cannot, of itself, help a taxpayer to avoid the stricture of section 265 (2). Also, the character of the long-term financing sprang from the size of the extant debt. Plaintiff's argument here is premised on the existence of the debt, but it is the very enormity of the debt which is being questioned, and to say that a large part of the debt was needed because it enabled an asset to be security for the refinancing of that debt is circular, to say the least.
In addition, plaintiff argues that the bonds were valuable because they permitted plaintiff to control any alteration in their terms which might be initiated by the City Council of Venice, and because access to the bridge was important inasmuch as it was a key facility for transriver shipments. This argument is susceptible to the same criticism as pertained earlier to the use of the Series "B" bonds as security for the Series "A" bond issue. What is important here is whether the indebtedness was continued in order to hold the bonds, not the uses to which the bonds might be put. Moreover, the language of the bond ordinance appears to protect plaintiff fully against any adverse modification of the ordinance. In any event, plaintiff has a renewable 50-year lease of the rail facilities on the bridge. There is no indication that plaintiff needs the bonds in order to use the bridge or to protect its interest in the bridge.
In oral argument before the court, plaintiff expressed the fear that a decision for defendant in this case would jeopardize the deductibility of interest payments on homeowner mortgage indebtedness for taxpayers whose portfolios include tax-exempt bonds. This is a legitimate concern. Congress has rejected a test which would in all cases deny deduct-ibility of interest to the extent of a taxpayer's tax-exempt holdings. See Comm. R. and Cong. Discussion, pp. 728, 729, Seidmen, Legis. Hist, of Fed. Inc. Tax Laws (1938-1861). A relationship must be shown, and, in the relatively few cases which could not be settled administratively, it has been the task of the courts to define the relationship and apply it to the facts. This is an area of tax law in which it is more difficult to define the legal standard than it is to pass on a particular fact setting. Here, the total impression given by the evidence leads to the conclusion that the taxpayer had the forbidden purpose. In another case, the impression will be different. The impression here, however, is not devoid of standards. There is an obvious relationship between the debt and the tax-exempt bonds and it is apparent that continuation of the indebtedness was not necessary other than for the purpose of continuing to hold the bonds. There were undoubtedly good business reasons for holding the bonds apart from the favorable tax aspects, but the latter dominated. This conclusion need not jeopardize the taxpayer whose dominant reasons for continuing indebtedness are unrelated to carrying tax-exempt bonds.
Plaintiff's claim for refund must be denied, and its petition is, accordingly, dismissed.
Findings of Fact
1. Plaintiff is a corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and has its principal offices at 710 N. Twelfth Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri. Plaintiff is at present, and has been, at all times here pertinent, engaged in the business of operating as a common carrier by railroad in interstate commerce subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission, hereinafter referred to as I.C.C.
Administrative Procedures
2. Plaintiff at all times pertinent has kept its corporate books of account and filed its federal income tax returns on the basis of the accrual method of accounting and on the basis of the calendar year ending December 31.
3. Plaintiff timely filed its federal income tax return for 1956 with the United States District Director of Internal Eevenue, St. Louis, Missouri. Upon audit of plaintiff's returns for the years 1956 through 1960, the Internal Eevenue Service recomputed plaintiff's 1956 federal income tax liability upon the basis of reducing a claimed net operating loss sustained in 1959 and carried back to 1956. In determining the amount of the 1959 net operating loss, and hence the reduced amount of plaintiff's carryback to 1956, the Secretary of the United States Treasury or his delegate, hereinafter referred to as the Commissioner, disallowed, among other things, interest in the amount of $111,494.49 accruing in 1959 against plaintiff on short-term bank loans incurred by plaintiff in 1956.
4. On or about March 1,1963, plaintiff paid into the Treasury of the United States an assessed deficiency in income taxes for 1956 in the amount of $94,726.90, together with $17,998.11 in deficiency interest accrued thereon, which latter amount was paid into the Treasury of the United States on or about March 25,1963. This deficiency resulted from the dis-allowance of the interest deduction referred to in finding 3, and other adjustments not in issue in this case.
5. On March 28, 1963, a timely claim for refund on form 843 was filed with the United States District Director of Internal Eevenue, St. Louis, Missouri. This suit was timely filed in the United States Court of Claims on January 17, 1964, more than 6 months after the filing of the refund claim. Plaintiff sues for refund of federal income taxes for the year 1956, on the ground that the Commissioner's disallowance of the interest deduction of $111,494.49 for the year 1959 and the resulting reduction of the net operating loss carry-back to the year 1956 were improper. Plaintiff is the sole owner of the claim here relied upon, and no assignment or transfer thereof, or of any part thereof or interest therein, has been made by plaintiff. No action on this claim has been taken by the Congress of the United States, or by any department of the Government, except as hereinbefore set forth.
Formation of Plaintiff Corporation
6. Plaintiff, under the name of Illinois-Missouri Terminal Eailway Company, was incorporated on November 8, 1954, under the laws of the State of Delaware, for the purpose of executing the provisions of an offer made by a group of 11 trunkline railroads to purchase the assets and to assume the liabilities of the Illinois Terminal Railroad Company, an existing Illinois corporation, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the Illinois corporation or plaintiff's predecessor. Illinois-Missouri applied to the I.C.C. for approval and authorization to purchase the properties of the Illinois corporation, for authority to issue 2,000 shares of its own capital stock, and to issue its note in the principal amount of not to exceed $20,015,685. The group of railroads applied to the I.C.C. for approval and authorization to acquire control of Illinois-Missouri through equal ownership of its 2,000 shares of capital stock and for authority to assume liability, jointly and severally, as endorsers of Ulinois-Missouri's note in the principal amount of not to exceed $20,015,635. On April 2, 1956, the I.C.C. approved these various applications.
7. On June 15, 1956, Illinois-Missouri acquired, for cash in the amount of $20,015,635 and an assumption of certain of the Illinois corporation's liabilities, the assets and business of plaintiff's predecessor. Among the assets so acquired was approximately $3,000,000 in cash, some $2,500,000 of which plaintiff used to invest in government securities and commercial notes.' Among the physical assets so acquired were railroad locomotives, freight and passenger cars, depots, tracks and rights-of-way in Missouri and Illinois, and the McKinley Bridge spanning the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The McKinley Bridge was the largest single asset acquired by Illinois-Missouri from the Illinois corporation. It was and is a railroad and vehicular bridge spanning the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri, and Venice, Illinois.
8. At the time of the application to the I.C.C. and of I.C.C.'s approval thereof, it was intended that, contempora neously with the conveyance to Ulinois-Missouri of the properties and assets of the Illinois corporation, the former would sell to the Bi-State Development Agency, or such other purchaser as might be acceptable to it, the McKinley Bridge property for the sum of $13,500,000, would lease back the railroad tracks and other rail facilities located on the bridge for exclusive use for a term of 40 years or such other term as agreed to, and would pay the $13,500,000 to the Illinois corporation as a part of the purchase price of $20,015,635, with the remaining $6,515,635 to be borrowed from the Mercantile Trust Company. Bi-State, a body corporate and politic created pursuant to a compact between the States of Illinois and Missouri, had prior to that time offered to purchase the McKinley Bridge and its appurtenances for $13,500,000. At the same time, it was intended that, in the event the sale of the McKinley Bridge was not made, Ulinois-Missouri would borrow the full amount of the purchase price, $20,015,635, from the Mercantile Trust Company and issue an unsecured promissory note for that amount, payment of which would be guaranteed jointly and severally by the group of railroad companies.
9. Bi-State's powers became the subject of litigation in the state courts, and the sale of the McKinley Bridge to that agency was never consummated. To obtain the purchase price of the Illinois corporation's assets and business, Ulinois-Missouri negotiated a loan of $20,015,635 from the Mercantile Trust Company, giving its unsecured, 2-year, 4-percent promissory note, dated June 15,1956, which was endorsed by the group of railroad companies.
10. After the sale was consummated on June 15, 1956, the Illinois corporation changed its name to Liquidating Terminal Company, and Ulinois-Missouri (plaintiff herein) changed its name to Illinois Terminal Eailroad Company.
Sale of McKinley Bridge
11. The note referred to in finding 9 was to provide interim financing of the purchase price, pending possible sale of the McKinley Bridge. The proposed sale to Bi-State was not consummated, and thereafter tentative proposals for possible sale of the bridge were received from other sources. On April 14,1958, plaintiff's director's approved in principle the sale of the bridge under a then recent proposal, provided that agreement could be reached on final terms and conditions satisfactory to it, but a satisfactory agreement could not be consummated prior to the maturity date of the existing note and the outcome of those negotiations would determine the amount and type of permanent financing which would be required. For these reasons, the I.C.C., upon plaintiff's application, authorized plaintiff to extend the maturity date of its promissory note in the amount of $20,015,635 from June 15,1958, to December 15,1958.
12. On November 21, 1958, the McKinley Bridge was sold to the city of Venice, Illinois. The consideration received by plaintiff from its vendee was $9,000,000 in cash, plus $11,000,000 principal amount of the city of Venice's Subordinate Bridge Revenue Bonds, Series "B," dated October 1, 1958, due October 1,1998, bearing interest at 2 percent from October 1,1960. The interest on these Series "B" bonds was and still remains excludible from gross income for federal income tax purposes.
13. At the time of the sale of the McKinley Bridge, plaintiff entered into a railroad agreement with the city of Venice, whereby plaintiff leased the rail facilities of the bridge for a term of 50 years, with options in perpetuity to renew the lease for successive terms of 50 years.
14. Plaintiff applied the $9,000,000 cash received from the city of Venice to its outstanding promissory note for $20,-015,635, leaving an unpaid balance of $11,015,635. Plaintiff needed additional time to arrange for permanent financing of its indebtedness by issuance of its bonds or otherwise, and petitioned the I.C.C. to extend the maturity date of the balance of $11,015,635 due on the note from December 15, 1958, to December 15, 1959, to bear interest at the rate of 414 percent. The I.C.C. permitted plaintiff to do so.
15. On December 31, 1958, plaintiff paid $515,635 to the Mercantile Trust Company, reducing the balance on its promissory note to $10,500,000. This payment was made with, money from sales of copper, real estate, and other capital assets and from the sale of United States Treasury bills.
Sale of Portion of Seríes "B" Bonds
16. In January of 1959, plaintiff solicited offers from two securities dealers or investment firms for the purchase of all or any part of $4,000,000 principal amount of the Series "B" bonds. Both firms had earlier shown an interest in purchasing Series "B" bonds and now submitted bids. The higher bid of 30.799 percent of par flat was submitted by B, J. Yan Ingen & Company, Inc., hereinafter referred to as Yan Ingen.
17. Van Ingen had been the principal underwriter for the bridge revenue bonds issued by the city of Venice to purchase the McKinley Bridge. Prior to plaintiff's request for bids, Yan Ingen had indicated its interest in submitting an offer to purchase all or part of the $11,000,000 principal amount of Series "B" bonds. When Yan Ingen made its offer for 30.799 percent for all or any part of $4,000,000 principal amount of the Series "B" bonds, it sought an understanding from plaintiff that should plaintiff decide to offer any additional Series "B" bonds for sale at any time in the future, Yan Ingen would be given an opportunity to purchase such bonds. Plaintiff would not make a formal commitment and advised Yan Ingen that it would be reasonable to assume that no additional Series "B" bonds would be sold in 1959, but, if any of those bonds were sold, that Yan Ingen would be invited to make an offer.
18. On February 9,1959, plaintiff sold $3,200,000 face value of the Series "B" bonds to Yan Ingen at the then fair market price of 30.799 cents on the dollar, for a total amount of $985,568. This sale established an overall value of $3,387,890 for the $11,000,000 face amount of these Series "B" bonds, and this figure was used by plaintiff, and accepted by the Internal Eevenue Service, for purposes of determining the tax due from plaintiff in connection with the 1958 sale of the McKinley Bridge.
19. The sale to Van Ingen was formally consummated on March 10, 1959, and plaintiff received the cash proceeds of $985,568. On that day, $500,000 of said amount was applied against plaintiff's outstanding promissory note, reducing the balance to $10,000,000. The remainder of the proceeds from the sale of the Series "B" bonds was used for payment of the next installment of plaintiff's federal income taxes.
Offers on Remaining Series "Z>" Bonds
20. Shortly after purchasing the Series "B" bonds from plaintiff, Van Ingen reoffered them for sale to the public. The remainder of the $7,800,000 principal amount of the Series "B" bonds has been retained by plaintiff, and carried in its accounts at the value of 30.799 cents on the dollar, or $2,402,322.
21. On March 19,1959, plaintiff's secretary-comptroller received an inquiry from the First Boston Corporation asking if any additional Series "B" bonds were for sale. The First Boston Corporation advised that if any such bonds were for sale, it could place at least $100,000 of the bonds at that time at a net price of 35.75 cents on the dollar. Because of the importance of this matter, the secretary-comptroller referred the inquiry to Mr. A. K. Atkinson, plaintiff's chairman of the board and chief executive officer (now deceased). Plaintiff took no further action in regard to this inquiry.
22. On April 14,1959, plaintiff paid $1,000,000 on its outstanding promissory note, reducing the balance to $9,000,000. The payment was made from the proceeds of certain Dow Chemical Company notes.
23. In August 1959, plaintiff's secretary-comptroller received an offer from McCormick & Company, an investment securities dealer, to purchase $1,000,000 principal amount of the Series "B" bonds at a price of 34.50 cents on the dollar. Because of the importance of this matter, the offer was referred to Mr. Atkinson. In transmitting the offer, the secretary-comptroller called attention to Van Ingen's earlier request to be given an opportunity to bid on any Series "B" bonds which were offered for sale and called attention to the tax consequences of a sale of Series "B" bonds at that time. Plaintiff was operating at a loss at that time, and was expected to continue to operate at a loss for the rest of 1959, and the secretary-comptroller therefore advised top management that the sale of the bonds would actually result in a reduction in the anticipated tax recovery from the carryback loss. Plaintiff never took any action on the McCormick offer.
24. Because it needed additional time to strengthen its financial condition so as to enable it to obtain better terms for permanent financing of indebtedness, plaintiff petitioned the I.C.C. for authority to extend the maturity date of the balance of $9,000,000 due on its note from December 15, 1959, to December 15,1960, to bear interest at the rate of 6% percent. The I.C.C. permitted plaintiff to do so.
25. On October 14,1960, plaintiff paid $500,000 on its outstanding promissory note, reducing the balance of the note to $8,500,000. The payment was made with money from the sale of some of plaintiff's real estate.
Plaintiff made the payments, referred to here and in findings 15 and 22, by selling physical assets it had acquired from its predecessor, the Illinois corporation, and by selling some of the government securities and commercial notes in which it had invested and reinvested some $2,500,000 cash it had acquired from the Illinois corporation.
26. Plaintiff obtained authority from the I.C.C. to extend the maturity date of the balance of $8,500,000 due on said note from December 15, 1960, to Decembr 15, 1961, to bear interest at the rate of 5 percent. Similarly, in 1961, plaintiff obtained authority from the I.C.C. to extend the maturity date of the balance of $8,500,000 due on said note from December 15, 1961, to December 15, 1962, to bear interest at the rate of 5 percent.
27. In early 1962, Van Ingen telegraphed an officer to purchase part or all of the Series "B" bonds. This offer had been preceded by telephone conversations and written correspondence between the parties. In the offer, Van Ingen bid 50 cents on the dollar, plus accrued interest for $1,800,000 par value of Series "B" bonds, and bid the same price for all or any part of the balance of $6,000,000 par value for cash or substitute securities. At a meeting of the board of directors on February 12, 1962, Van Ingen's proposal was discussed, and it was decided to refer the proposal to a meeting of the financial officers of the owning lines.
28. The financial officers of the owning lines normally met to consider plaintiff's major financial transactions and to make recommendations to plaintiff's board of directors. On February 27, 1962, that group considered the Yan Ingen proposal. At the meeting, matters involving the city of Venice, rather than plaintiff, were discussed, although the group did consider plaintiff's need for cash and the tax consequences of selling the Series "B" bonds at that time. The group recommended against selling any of the bonds, and plaintiff's board of directors followed that recommendation.
29. In November 1962, plaintiff again obtained authority from the I.C.C. to extend the maturity date of the balance of $8,500,000 due on its promissory note from December 15, 1962, to December 15, 1963, to bear interest at the rate of 5 percent. However, in December 1962, the balance of the note was fully paid with proceeds from the sale of plaintiff's First Mortgage, Series "A" Bonds issued for that purpose.
80. During the period from June 15, 1956, to December 1962, promissory notes in the various amounts indicated in the preceding paragraphs were outstanding against plaintiff, and interest accruing thereon against plaintiff was paid. During the calendar year 1959, interest totaling $403,597 accrued against plaintiff and was deducted in plaintiff's 1959 federal income tax return. Upon audit, the Commissioner disallowed $111,494.49 of the interest so accrued, on the ground that this portion of the interest related to the tax-exempt Series "B" bonds and was nondeductible under section 265 (2) of the 1954 Internal Revenue Code.
The amount of the disallowance was computed as follows:
1/1/59-3/10/59:
$3,387,890X4%% 12 =$11,998.78X2% months. $27, 997.15
3/10/59-12/15/59:
$2,402,322X4%% 12 = $8,508.22X9% months. 77, 992. 02
12/15/59-12/31/59:
$2,402,322X 5%% 12 = $11,010.64X% month. 5, 505. 32
Total. Ill, 494.49
The amounts shown in the numerator of each fraction above are as follows:
$11,000,000 face value at 30.799 cents_$3, 387, 890. 00
$3,200,000 face value sold 3/10/59 at 30.799 cents_ 985, 568. 00
Balance retained — $7,800,000 face value at 30.799 cents_ 2, 402, 322. 00
Pledging of the Series "Bv Bonds
31. In December 1962, plaintiff pledged the $7,800,000 par value Series "B" bonds with the Mercantile Trust Company, trustee of the First Mortgage, Series "A" Bonds, and also accelerated the operation of the sinking fund (for eventual repayment of the Series "A" bonds) in order that Standard & Poor's would rate the Series "A" bonds with a quality rating of "A" rather than "BBB." Other rating houses, including Moody's, did not grant as high a rating as did Standard & Poor's. The A-rating caused the interest on plaintiff's Series "A" bonds, which was 4% percent, to be lower than it would have been if the rating was BBB. Also, the higher rating may have made the Series "A" bonds more marketable.
32. Plaintiff's First Mortgage, Series "A" Bonds amount to a lien against all of plaintiff's property (other than some equipment), including the $7,800,000 principal amount of Series "B" bonds. The interest rate on these Series "A" bonds is 4% percent. Plaintiff pays $175,000 each year into the sinking fund set up to retire the Series "A" bonds.
33. Plaintiff collects the interest on $7,800,000 principal amount of Series "B" bonds, which have been pledged and are in the physical possession of Mercantile Trust Company. The interest from the Series "B" bonds is one of the sources plaintiff uses for its payments each year to the sinking fund for the First Mortgage, Series "A" Bonds.
34. Plaintiff has continued to receive inquiries about and offers to purchase the Series "B" bonds.
35. The McKinley Bridge is a very important facility in plaintiff's railroad operation, and a substantial part of its revenues are earned by reason of having access to that bridge for transriver shipments.
3,6. The bond ordinance authorizing the issuance of the Series "B" bonds provides, in part, as follows:
section 10.02. The rights and duties of the City, the Sub-Fiscal Agent, the Fiscal Agent and the holders of the Bonds and any interest coupons and the terms and provisions of this Ordinance and any other supplemental ordinance may be modified-or altered in any respect by ordinance of the City Council of the City with the consent of the holder or holders of seventy-five per cent (75%) in principal amount of each series of the Bonds then outstanding, such consent to be evidenced by an instrument or instruments executed by such holder or holders and duly acknowledged in. the manner of a deed to be recorded, and such instrument or instruments shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk and shall be of public record; provided, however, that no such modifica.tion or alteration shall extend the maturity of or reduce the interest rate on, or otherwise alter or impair the obligation to pay the principal or interest or redemption premiums, if any, at the time and place and at the rate and in the currency provided therein of any Bond, without the express consent of the holder or registered owner of such Bond, or reduce the percentage of Bonds required for the affirmative vote or written consent to a modification or alteration, or alter or impair the covenants set forth in Section 5.01 hereof.
The Series "B" bonds may be redeemed in whole o*-in part prior to maturity upon certain conditions and without the prior approval of the bondholders. Plaintiff's bondholdings represent 70.9 percent of the Series "B" bridge bonds issued ($7,800,000 ^ $11,000,000=70.9 percent).
Ultimate Finding
37. Plaintiff taxpayer continued a portion of its indebtedness to Mercantile Trust Company in order to carry tax-exempt securities of the city of Venice, Illinois. The interest attributable to that portion of the indebtedness which was continued during the period plaintiff owned the tax-exempt securities is not deductible and the Commissioner of Internal Bevenue properly disallowed that part of plaintiff's claimed interest deduction. Plaintiff therefore has not overpaid its income taxes.
CONCLUSION Oe Law
Upon the foregoing findings of fact and opinion, which are adopted by the court and made a part of the judgment herein, the court concludes as a matter of law that plaintiff is not entitled to recover and the petition is dismissed.
The opinion, findings of fact and recommended conclusion of law are submitted under the order of reference and Rule 57 (a).
The bonds expressly provided that no interest would be paid in the first two years.
As more fully set forth hereinafter, the principal amount of the bonds obtained was reduced to $7,800,000 by a sale of a portion of the bonds prior to October 1, 1960. In 1960, plaintiff received $89,000 interest on these Serles "B" bonds, and has received $156,000 annuaUy thereafter.
Based upon approval of the Internal Revenue Service, after the sale to plaintiff of all the Illinois corporation's assets for $20,015,635 was consummated, there was allocated to the McKinley Bridge a cost or tax basis of $8,531,370.03.