, 1873-01-11


argumonts wore filed OIL both sides, und
Judge Tipton rendered verdict In favor
Of tho stato. Tho case Inns boon appealed to tho
supreme Court, whero 1t now rcBts. Illtg iA tho
only chno which tho Commissioners l,ayo Ind tho
authority to commonce, md lilo oxronao Of
special counsel for conducting it (s5oo) was
paid by Governor ralmor out Of tho Contingent
Fund I1lo other expenses Intending it still ro-
ma!n unpaid. Tia Commissioners 1nado an
effort Mt tho last session of tho Legislature to
havo $40, appropriated to cover tho necou-
1ary sort Of lawsuits, bit tho proposition failod
In tho Commtttoo to whom 1t waB referred. Two
othor suttB 1ayo boon brought ngaiast tho rail-
roat!a under tho law by private individuals.
Both woro for oycrcharging, md both against
tho Illinois Central Railroad. Tho ono brought
III Ford County ia yot undecided; tho otlor
brought In tho Kankakoo Circuit Court wns de-
oded adversely to tho plaintiir, and laa boon ap-
poalod to tho Supreme Court. III Hpito of tho
hindrancos which tho Commissioners onooun-
tercd in tho Inv itso1f, thoy feo1 tlat tho
board Inns boon ablo to accomplish many needed
reforms by calling the attention of railroad
companies to the violation Of certain police laws.
Of which complaint had beon mado to thom.
Thoy could havo dono moro If there had boon
tho requisite authority aud money to prosecute,
and adequate penalty for violations.
In tho application Of tho law to tho waro-
houBes, tho Commissioners brought suit against
the Chicago housos Of ii Olaas H." which refused
to take out liconaeB. This suit was unavoidably
delayed by roason Of tho destruction Of
tho papers in the Chicago fire, but
was nnnlly decided, tho Circuit Court
Imposing tho fine of e100 on tho
dofondant who Immediately took On appeal
to the Supreme Court, whoro It liz now unlor ad-
visomont. There GRO, therefore, throo cnBos at
present in tho Supreme Court, which will doter-
mino the virtuo of tho law as it now stands.
There havo been decided improvements in tho
modo and coat Of inspecting grain, and in tho
precautions to Protect the public against fraud.
Tho course now adopted ia to require waro-
houaomon to furnish the Registrar witt, cancelled
receipts 30 TINT tho amount shipped out Gun DO
properly checked on his books. As thoso books
show tho amount Of grain inspected as 1t coca
in, 1t is thought TINT tho amount on hand can bo
accurately determined at all timos At a1l events,
It In tho most that can be done at proBont. Tho
cost of inspection has beon materially
reduced ,-132, 90, ,263 bushels Of grain hayo
been inspected. in 1872 ut a cost
Of s45,832, whilo tho inspection Of 70,31o,0o4
bushels, or little more than ono-half TINT
amount, cost $40, aus in 1870.
Tho Commissioners call attention to Il plan for
consolidating and digosting all tho various 1nws
relating to railroads md warehouses into two
bills, ono for eaoh, which shall reduce these
]aws to G. simple md intelligib1o shape. a draft
Of those bills waa submitted by tho Commits
sonora to tho lust Legislature, but tho pressure
of busineHs was such that thoy were not reachod.
It is to DO presumed TINT tho experience Of tho
Commissioners has boen used to it's bost advan.
tago III the construction OF theso two bills. It
Railroad and Warehouse Inv the efficiency 1t
was intended to hayo. Tho question OF fixing
tho maximum rates Of charges Is tho most per-
picking ono for tho Legislature to consider.
The Commissioners bcliovo that inao1iblo tariffs
arc entirely mpractcablo, but lcaye to tho Lcgis-
laturo to dotermino who Rhall hayo tho deoro-
tion of providing tho notifications TINT may
become necessary from time to timo. Alto
gothor, the report is ono which proyos the Com
missioners to hayo devoted earnest study and
serious application to thoir work but 1t also
proves tlat, if tho law ia intended to layo G.
practical operation it will be necessary to change
It in many important respects.