, 1873-01-11

Tho report submitted to Governor Palmer by
the Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners Of
this State is an interesting and important docu-
interesting in tho facts which 1t pro-
sonts, and important in tho changes It suggests
for tho laws which were intended to control tho
abusoe that had cropt into those two systoms
Since tho last report Of the Railroad Companies,
1,70o nailoa Of railway have boon constructed,
making total Of SG ,258 miles Of road in actual
operation in this State on July 1, 1872, besides
1857 miles in process Of construction. Tho
aggregate cost OF theBo roadH, rs takon from tho
reports OF tho various corporations, is
$225,320,271, or IN oyorago cost Of
E12,2 ,284 por milo. Tho Commissioners ob-
Borvo that tho excessive cost il not
to be attributed to any typographical obstacles
presented by tho stato for there Is no territory on
tho Continont better adapted to tho choap con-
struction of railroads. Thoy bolieyo that tho ac-
tual cost bus not averaged moro than 1926, coo per
milo, and that tho oxcess is to DO found in flct-
tiouB stocl, tho sacrifice OF Hecurilos, aud other
1ossoH incident to bad management. Tic total
capital of Illinois railroads is e264 9125 $685. tl1e
groas earnings for tho yoar wore s43 227 48, from
which G560 per cent is to bo deducted for main
tenanco and operating oxponsoa. Tho average
net earnings wero 90, 1913 per milo. It is found
TINT 70 pcr cont Of tho land in tho State Of
Illinois lies within ayo miles Of railroads
in aotaal operation; Big: por cont within nyo
to ton miles; por cent within ten to flftoon
miloh; and ~ por cont only botwoon fiftoon
and twenty miles. Counting tho railroads run
ming near the border (not included in tho osti-
mnto), tho lako, rivers, and canal and 1t is con-
cludod that no other stato III tho Union pos
goBsoB equal facilities with tho State OF Illinois
for tho transportation of persons and property.
Tho Commissioners have now had sufficient
experience to enable thom to determine tue mor-
its and dofccts Of tho law which called them into
official o1istonco. Their report furnishes nbuu-
dant proof that tho charges made againBt the
Commissioners Of neglect OF duty have boon
unfo,,ndod. Tloy hayo done oyerythiug TINT
tho law enabled them to do. They wore met at
tho outset with tho failure to provide thom with
authority for commencing actions at law, except
in tho way Of assistance to private partios,
Or with money for retaining counsel,
or With penalties for tho adequate punishment
Of infringemonts Of tho law. III the oarlicr part
Of their carcer, they asked their law officer, tho
Attorney General, to adyiso them how they
should proceed, aud received from him tho reply
TINT tho law failed to Indicate tlo nature Of tho
action they should bring, aud alao failed to pro-
vlto tho kind or oxtont Of tho pennlty for violn-
tiona. All that tho Commissioners could do WAS
to await complnintH from porsopH injured.
Whonevcr thoRo camo In, they actcd promptly.
Thoir experience has shown tllat tho original
porsonH preferred to submit rathor than Under
take d acontest against powerful corporations. II,
then, thoro has not been 30 vigorous q prosoo,l-
ton Of railroads al WAS intondod 1t iB bocauso
tho law ia defective, and not because tho Com-
mIssionora have boon deroliot. III QUO caao
wAere tho nocesaary information Ind boon fur
rislod, tho Commissioners fllod bill In No.
Loan County against tho Chicago l. Alton Rail-
road Company for rnJuut discrimination and
oxtortlon. Tho caao was TINT in which s5.G5 por
NJ. foet had boon charged for transporting lu,n-
bor from Chlcago to Lexington, q distance OF 1l0
tnilos, and only IS per n. foot from Chicago to
Bloomington, distance Of 1926 mllos. Tho Rail-
road Company sot up contract with tho stato
under their charter, by which tho corporation