The Worthington advance., 1881-02-24
Regulating Railroads.

Among the more important meas
ures now before the legislature is the
following, introduced by Senator Buck
relating to railroad corporations in the
state of Minnesota:
4 bill in relation to railroad corporations car
rying freight ,snd TO prevent combinations to
reduce the market price of agricultural pro-
ductions intended for transportation over
the lines of railroad corporations.
Be it enacted by the legislature Of the State OF
Minnesota.
Section I. Each railroad corporation doing
business within this State, being common
carrier and enjoying the right Of way under
tho constitution and laws Of this State, shall
carry all mineral, agricultural and other pro-
ductiOns or manufactures, and all freight,
upon equal and reasonable terms, and for I'll
equal and reasonable rate and compensation:
and II any railroad corporation shall fail to
comply with the foregoing provisions, it shall
forfeit and pay $50, for tho use and benefit
Of any person I'M jurcd or damaged by such
failure, or for the usc and benefit Of any per
son from whom such unequal and unreasOu-
able rates or compensation have been taken,
received or exactcd, or any person on whom
such unequal and unreasonable terms have
ben imposed or cnforccd;to be re ovcred by ac-
ton in any court of competent jurisdiction, land
~
in the county where he resides.
Sec. .. II any railroad corporation doing
business within this State, lcing 4 common
carrier, and enjoying the right Of way under
the constitution and laws Of this State shall re-
fuse to take, accept, receive, carry or trans
port over its line Of road, any mincraI, agri-
cultural or other productions, or mauufac.
lures, or freight, from any person requesting
it to do So, and to carry the same from,
depot or station TO some other depot or STA
tiOn on its lane Of road, it shall forfeit and pay
for the use OF such person the sum Of five
hundred dollars, to !c recovered bv sucl, per-
son in any court Of competent iurisdistion,
and which action may bc brought ty sucl,
person in the county whore he resides. Pre-
vided, however, tj''t such action shall not he
brought unless reasonable rac or cOmEcn-
sation is first paid or rendered to such corlso.
ration for carrying or transporting Over its
line Of road such mineral, or agricultural, Or
other production, manufactures, or freight.
See. 3. No two or more railroad corpora
tions shall bargain, contract, agree, or com-
binc and exact Of any person unequal or un-
reasonable rates for carrying any mineral.
agricultural or other productions, manufac-
railroad depot or station, and II any railroad
corporation shall fail to comply with the fore
going provisions it shall forfeit and pay the
sum Of five hundred dollars, TO he re-
covered by action in any court Of COM
pctent jurisdiction, by any person who shall
in his own name sue such corporation, one
half Of which sum shall bc for tho use and
benefit Of such person, and the other half
to be paid into TIC general fund Of the county
where the action is brought, aud such action
may bc brought In any county where such
corporation has its line of road.
Sec. 4. This act shall be in force from and
after its passage.