The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-05-05

verdict, and shall assess and return with
their verdict the amount Of the fine 10 IL
imposed upon the defendant, M anv snrn
noe less than fivo thousand dollars 49,, OOOl
nor more than ten thousand dollars
$4,000, and the court shall render iudg
ment accordingly: aud if the Jury shall
hnd Tor the people, and that the defendant
has been twice before convicted of a viola
tionof the provisions of this act, with respect
TO extortion or unjust discrimination, they
shall return such finding with their YER
dict, and shall assess and return with
their verdict the amount of the fine to be
imposed upon the defendant at any sum
not less than ten thousand dollars ISIO.-
O0Ol, nor more than twenty thousand dol
lars 800, 0O0l, and in like manner for OK.
cry subsequent offense and conviction
such defendant shall be liable 10 a fine of
twenty-five thousand dollars SOS. 600 :
P'ro1idsd, that in all eases under the pro
vision OF this act, preponderance of evil
dence IN favor OF the people shall be sufii
Gent to authorize verdict and judgment
for the people.
SEC. 9. Ii any such railroad corpora
ton shall, in violation of any Of the proyis-
ions OF this act, ask, demand, charge or re-
ceive OF any person or corporation, any eX-
tOrtionate charge or charges, for the trans
portatiOn of any passengers, goods, mer-
chandise or property, or for receiving, han
ding or delivering treights, OF shall maka
any unjust discrimination against any per
son or corporation in Its charges therefor.
the person or corporation so offended
against may, for each offense, recover of
such railroad corporation, in any form of
action, three times the amount Of the dam
ages sustained by the party aggreived, to
gether with costs Of suit and reasonable
attorney fee TO be fixed by the court
where the same is heard, on appeal or 9th
erwlse, and taxed as part Of the costs of
the case.
SEC. I. 1t shall be the duty of the rail
road and warehouse commissioners to per
sonally investigate and ascertain whether
the provisions Of this act are violated by
any railroad corporation in this State, and
to visit the various stations upon the line
OF each road for that purpose as often rs
practicable and whenever the facts, in
any manner ascertained by said commits
sioners, shall in their Judgment warrant
such prosecution. it shall he the duty of
said commissioners TO Immediately cause
suits 10 be commenced and prosecuted
against any railroad corporations which
may violate the provisions OF this act.
Such suits and prosecutions may be insti
tuted In any county IN this State, through
or into which the line Of the railroad cor
poration sued for violating this act may
extend And such railroad and ware
house commissioners are hereby author
lied, when the facts of the case presented
81 them shall in their judgment, warrant
the commencement of such action, to en-
ploy counsel to assist the attorney general
in conducting such suit ON behalf of the
State No such suits commenced BY said
commissioners shall be dismissed except
said railroad and warehouse commissioners
and the Attorney General shall consent
thereto.
SIC. 5. The Railroad aud Warehouse 1
Commissioners are hereby directed 10 |
make, for each of the railroad corpora 1
tions doing business in this State, as soon
as practicable, a schedule Of reasonable \
maximum rates of charges for the trans \
OF passengers and freight and /
ears on each OF said railroads, and said !
schedule shall in all suits brought against 4
any such railroad corporations, wherein is /
in any way involved the charges of any
such railroad corporation, for the trans
portation of any passenger or freight or
cars, or unjust discrimination in relation 1
thereto be deemed and taken, in all courts
IN this State, as pyf1a farfe evidence that
The rates therein fixed are reasonable max
mum rates Of charges for the transporta-
hon OF passengers and freights and cars
upon the railroads for which such schedules
nay have been respectively prepared.
sand commissioners shall from time to
line, and rs often as circumstances may I
equire, change and revise said schedules
" hen such schedules shall have been
made or revised, as aforesaid, it shah be
he duty of said commissioners 10 cause
publication thereof to be made for three
uccessive weeks,in some public newspaper \
Concluded on third page.