River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-03-30
LAWS or WISCONSIN.
Published March /, 1875
CHAPTER 81.

The people OF the State of Wisconsin, repre-
scented IN Senate and Assembly, do enact as
follows:
Section l. Withia ten DAYS alter the pas.
sage and Publication OF this act, the governor
py and with the consent Of the senate, shall ap.
point railroad commissioner, who shall hold
MS once Tor the term OF two years, from the Al-
teenth day OF February, and until lis successor
rs appointed and qualified. Every two years
thereafter, the governor, by and with The ad.
vice and consent OF the senate, shall appoint a
railroad commissiO. er, who shall hold his
once Tor the term OF two years, and until his
successor shall be appointed and qualified,
and The nomination Of railroad commission
ers shall hereafter be sent to the senate by the
governor during the month of January imme-
diately preceding the beginning OF such
commissioners term OF Office. The governor
shall have power 10 remove such commission.
er, AID appoint another TO fill the vacancy, at
any time, in his discretion. No person own
ing any bonds, stock, or property in any rail
road company, or who Is ia the employment.
OF, or in any way or manner pecuniarily inter
ested in any railroad corporation shall be 80
appointed.
Section 2. The railroad commissioner shall
inquire into any neglect or violation OF the
laws OF this state by any railroad corporation
doing business therein, or by the officers.
agents, or employees thereof. and shall, also,
from time to time, carefully examine and in
HiSSh AAAC Nphullibu VI fhCH IdllTOdu IN the
state, and OF its equipment, and the manner
Of It's conduct and management with relation
70 the public safety and convenience He
shall also examine and ascertain the pecuni.
airy condition and the manner OF financial
management of each and every railroad cor
poratiOn doing business in the state.
Section 8. To enable said commissioner 20
make the report and return required by seq
ton twelve ny OF the act OF which this is
amendatory, the president or managing officer
Of each railroad corporation in the state shall
annually make TO the railroad commissioner.
IN the month OF October, such returns and in
the form he may prescribe, as will afford the
information required for their said official re-
port. Such returns shall be verified by the
oath sf the officer making them, and any rail-
road corporation whose return shall rot be
made, as herein prescribed, within the month
OF October, shall he liable TO a penalty of one
hundred dollars $1,000 for each and every day
aiterthe thlrty-hrst day OF October that such
return shall be wiliully delayed or refused
Section 4. No railroad corporation shall
charge, demand or receive from any person.
company or corporation, for the transportation
OF persons or property, a greater sum than Il
shall at the same time charge, demand or re-
celve from any other person or corporation. for
like service FRI M the same place and no
railroad corporation shall charge or receive a
larger sum per car load from one person than
but this last provision shall not apply to ship.
saction Of its business as a railroad corpor-
alton.
Section 8. No railroad corporation shall
charge, demand or receive from any person
company or corporation, an unreasonable
price for the transportation of persons or prom
ertY, or for the handling or slowing OF any
freight, or for the use of It's cars, or for any
privilege or service afforded by it in the tran
tt of the party aQ6rieved,
Section g. II shall be the duty OF any rail-
road corporation, when within their power so
10 do, and upon reasonable rotice, to furnish
suitable cars to any and all persons who NAV
apply therefor, for the transportation Of any
and all usual kinds of freight, and 10 receive
and transport such freight with all reasonable
despatch, and to provide and keep suitable
facilities for the receiving and handling the
same al any depot on the line Of its road.
Section Z. Any railroad corporation who
shall violate any OF the provisions of this act
as TO extorion or unjust discrimination, or the
provisions hereofestablishing rates, sliall for
felt for each and every such offense TO the
company, person or corporation aggrfeved
thereby, three times the aeual damage sus-
tanned, together with the costs of suit, to be
recovered III civil action therefor, and all
prosecutions shall be made at the expense OF
the state, and it shall be the duty OF said rail-
road commissioner ON receiving complaint in
hAAelhS1 llhih tittNtn Vi THIS STATE, staLlnQ
that any railroad coronation has violated any
1.-THE provisions OF Ia act, and specifying the
acts complained OF, to investigate such alleged
violation, and 1t on such examination he shall
ind such compliant we'll founded, he may, in
his discretion, report the facts 10 the attorney
general, and thereupon it shall he the duty OF
the attorney general 20 prosecute said com.
plant at the expense of the state for the bene-
ments from connecting points.
Section ). No railroad corporation Shall
consolidate the stock, property, or franchise
Of such corporation with, or lease or purchase
the works or franchise OF, or in any way con
troll any other railroad corporation owning or
having under its control a parallel or com.
peting line MOI shall any officer OF such rail
road corpor ton, act as the officer Of any other
railroad corporation, owning or having the
control OF parallel on competing lilies, and
the question whether such railroads are par
alel or competing lines shall, when de- mand-
ed by the complainant I've decided by a Jury
as in other civil issues provided, that the pro-
visions of this section shall not apply to any
contracts now existing, where one corporation
has become responsible Tor the liabilities OF
another, either by advances heretofore made,
or by the guarantee OF bonds previous TO the
passage OF this act; nor shall il apply 10 any
railroad corporation which, prior TO the pas
sage Of this act, shall have been authorized 10
purchase OF hold stock in any oth,r railroad
90 'poratOn.
Section 9 No president, director, officer,
agent, or employe Of any railroad or transpor.
ton company, shall be interested directly or
indirectly in the furnishing OF material or sup
plies TO such company, or in the business OF
transportation rs common carrier OF tFsights
or passengers, over the lines owned, leased.
controlled, or operated by such company.
Section 10 In the construction of this act,
the phrase railroad shall 10 construed TO in.
olude all railroads aud railways operated by
steam, and whether operated by the corpora.
ton owning, them or by other corporations or
otherwise. The phrase railroad corporation"
shall be Construed 20 mean the corporation
which constructs, maintains, or operates a
railroad by operated steam power
Section ]. The Chicago, Milwaukee and
81. Paul Railway Company shah file with the
railroad commissioner before the day when
this act shall take effect, the regular published
schedule ftheir tariff rates for the transpor-
tation OF persons and property, which was In
force on their railroads on the 10Th day of june
A. ID. 1879, duly verified by the oath OF the
general freight agent OF said company thereto
attached, and that com any, and the Western
Union Railroad Company and the Chicago
ana Northwestern Railway Company, shall
not demand, collect, or received greater com.
pensation for the transportation Of persons and
property than r fixed in such schedule for
corresponding distances. This provision
shall also apply 10 such lines Of railroads as
nave been bait ana put into operation by
either Of said companies aud operated under
lease or otherwise, since the date above men-
toned provided, that the Chicago, Milwu-
kee aud 81 Paul railway Company and the
Western Union Railroad Company, and the
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company
shall sell ~ all ticket stations, on their respec.
tive lines within this state. tickets for Eve
hundred miles which shall he transferable;
also round trip tickets, good for FIRST class pas
sengers % and from any station Within thls
state, on their respective lines Of road, at a
uniform rlte OF three cents per mile aud pro-