Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-05-06
THE RAILROAp QUESTION.
Mhel MIseo..In Shes. con.e o.

Wisconsin must take hand in the
fight soon, so it is time for all to be
come acquainted with the provi
sions Of the bill. Read it carefully
A bill for an act TO prevent extor.
ton and unjust discrimination il
the rates charged for the transpor
tation of freight on railroads.
SECTION Be ii enacted by thu
people Of the State Of Illinois, repre-.
sented IN the general assembly, If any
railroad company or corporation or
ganized or doing business in this
State under act of incorporation or
general law of this State, now in
force, or which may hereafter be on.
acted, shall charge, ask, demand or
receive any extortionate rate OF
freight or amount Of compensation
fer the transportation Of goods, uaer-
cbandise or property on its road, or
any OF the branches thereof, or upon
any road or roads which it has a
right. license or permission to use.
operate or control. such company
shall, for the first ofTcuse, forfeit and
pay the sum of S. 600 f; for the sec-
ond offense. $40 000; for the third
often SO, $50 000; fer the fourth OF
Tense, $50 600; and for each and
every offense thereafter the sum of
100000, to be recovered ia the
name of the people Of the State of
Illinois, in an action of debt, before
any court in this State of compe.
tent jurisdiction: Provided. that 10
all cases under this law either party
shall have the right of trial by jury.
SEC, 2, If any such railroad com.
pany shall, in violation Of tho pro-
visions of Section ! of this act, charge,
ask, demand or receive of any per-
son or corporation any extortionate
rate of freight or amount of compen.
sntion for the transportation of
goods, merchandise or property on
its roads, or shall make any unjust
determination against any persons
in its charges therefor, the person or
corporation so offended may for,
each offeDse, recover of such compa.
nv. in any form of action, the sum of
81 000 and cost of suit.
SEC. ,. 1t shall be deemed and
taken as Vrina fdcie evidence of un-
Just discrimination and extortion in
the rates of freight, under the two
proceeding sections, with intent to
80 discriminate and extort, for any
railroad company or corporation to
40 charge, ask, or demand, or re =
ceive for the transportation of goods,
merchandise, or property on any rail-
road, for any pittance, the same or
any larger or greater amount, as
freight or compensation, than is at
the same time charged, asked, de-
handed or received for transporta-
ton Of like qualities of the same class
of goods, merchandise or property
over a greater distance upon the
same road or TO charge different
rates for receiving, handling or de.
livPring any such goods. merchan-
disc or property at different points,
on the same or connecting roads or
to charge, ask, demand or receive
for the transportation of goods, mer.
chandise or property over any por.
ton of such road a greater amount
of freight or compensation than is
charged, asked. demanded or receiv-
ed for the transportation of similar
quantities of the same class Of goods,
merchandise or property over any
other portion OF the said road of
said road of equal distance or to
char ge, ask. demand or receive any
greater rate of freight or compense-
lion for the transportation of goods,
merchandise or property than fair
and reasonable rate. This section
shall be construed 40 "a 60 exclude
suy other evidence tending to show
any unjust Naturalization or extor-
ton 10 the rates offreight.
SEC 4. Whenever it shall come to
the knowledge Of the Railroad and
Warehouse Commissioners, or either
of them, either upon complaint of
any citizen or upon notice received
from the Attorney General any
States Attorney or the or the CoHn-
ty Board of any county 10 this State
or otherwise that any such railroad
corporation has violated the proyi-
sions of this act such notice being ae
compahied by the sworn statement
Of some creditable person, showing
the facts supposed to constitute such
violation, it shall be the duty of said
Railroad and Warehouse Commits
sioners to Immediately commence
suit against such railroad, in the
county where such violation occur.
red. And such Railroad and Ware
house Commissioners are hereby au-
thorized, when The facts of the case
presented to them shall, in their
judgmen, warrant the commence
ment of such action, to employ com>
petent counsel TO conduct such suit
on benslf of the State.
SEC 5. La sl cases ueder the pro-
visions ofthis act, . prepoHderapce
Of evidence in favor of the plaintiff,
shall be sufficient to authorize YER
diet ADD Judgement for the plaintiff,
SIC All forfeitures recovered
under the provisions of this act shall
be paid into the State, Treasury, by
the person collecting the same, ir
the manner now provided by law.
SEC Z. An act entitled, "An act
to prevent unjust discrimination,
md avtaptsnna - The rotaa IN hf
charged by the different railroads in
this State for the transportation o
freight on said roads," approved
Arril 7; 1871, is hereby repeated
but such repeal shall not Affect OF
repeal any penalty incurred or righ'
accrued under said set. prior to tn,
time this act takes effect, nor any
proceedings or prosecutions to en-.
force such rights or penalties.