The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-10
REPORT OF THE STATE r. R. COM
MISSIONER.
IniractIOns and EvsslOnA OF the Law-Trunh
Lines Shown Up-PrOpOsed New Laws.

The Commissioner has no power vested
in his Office to examine infractions Of
law, or to prevent and punish them.
Complaints are therefore not received at
his Office. Rates from Columbus to points
in Ohio are 25 and 80 cents for 10 words
and two cents each for extra words, and
from 80 to 75 cents to points in other
States where the company has offices.
The rates of the American union range
from 25 cents to 81 and two to seven
cents. Except few local lines, the
main business in the State is done by
the Western Union Company, Of the
State Of New York. The rates for Ohio
are fixed on the basis of ten words, the
price of which ranges from 25 to 30 cents,
with two cents for each additional word.
Rates for other points in the United
States range from 90 cents to So for 10
words, and from four to Is cents for each
additional word.
The rate of the Carrollton Valley, Nc
Connellsville, Cincinnati and Eastern,
Freeman, Put.in-Bsy, Kingsville, Mag
netic Union, Metropolitan, Kelley's Is-
land & sandusky cable telegraph COM
panies range from 15 to 35 cents and
from J cent to two cents for additional
words.
Evasions Of railroad laws: The laws
directing railroads to make reports are
so imperfect that evasions cannot be
prevented. The law compelling rail
roads to have q principal Office in the
State to make reports of accidents,
against discrimination on freights, in re-
gard to changing and publishing freight
rates, and against consolidation, and
leasing parallel and competing lines are
all evaded continually, AS a remedy
the Commissioner recommends that sec.
ton 25l of the Codified laws be amended
80 that roads shall file a report under
oath each year as to the amount of Capi-
tal stock subscribed and paid in, the
amount of funded and floating debt, to
tai amount of paid in stock, debt, and
such other facts as the Commissioner
may require. All receipts other than
earnings, amount paid for interest on
bonds, amount paid in dividends, stat.
ing rate per cent. of all other expenses
not included in the operating expenses,
cost of construction, equipment and
transportation. All the above referred.
When a report is made by private cor.
porations, receivers or trustees thereof
where reports are made by any corpora.
ton, company, board or trustees, associ-
alton, person or persons, the items Of
the present law are required. The res.
son tor suggesting the change is because
25 companies in this State have no
president or officer in charge" as the
Law reads. There are also several roads
in the hands of receivers. At present
the Commissioner is at the mercy Of the
roads that furnish what reports they
deem proper. The Commissioner also
suggests an amendment of the law pre-.
scribing penalties. In short, he reVises
the whole of the present law in the in
terest ofseCuring full and accurate infor.
nation, and prescribing methods of Sc
curing justice to passengers and ships
pers, and protection to poor persons
from the aggressions Of wealthy corpor.
ations. He also declares the policy of
the four trunk lines toward local roads
as grossly unjust and oppressive. Un.
der the present system they are depend.
ent upon the trunk lines for rates and
business, if not for existence, and are
mere servile holdings subject to the des.
potism of the four great com panies. This
reacts with ruinous force on shippers,
and ultimately on the community at
large. Our laws should compel trunk
lines to receive and transport freight
delivered to them by other roads on the
same conditions, and at the same rates
that they carry their own freight. II
this is not done, the time is not far dis.
tant when every local road in Ohio will
be absorbed by one or the other of the
trunk lines, but by far the most injuri-
ous determinations are those made
against the people Of Ohio. This State
and Indiana are peculiarly situated.
East are the great manufacturing States.
West are the vast fertile agricultural re-
gions. The trunk lines carry the grain
and pork of the west to the seaboard at
the same or less rate than they will
carry the products of Ohio and Indiana
to the same destination. The trunk
lines carry Pennsylvania coal and New
York's manufactured articles to Chicago
at less rates than can be obtained by coal
dealers in Ohio. The Commissioner
here gives numerous instances of such
determinations in coal and produce, and
denounCe the iniquitous systems OF
drawbacks given to Chicago shippers.
Ohio is thus taxed for the benefit OF
shippers east and west. The loss on
through freights is made up by way
traffic rates. The Lake Shore earned
last year $13, ,0S1 ,O35, of which SO, ,75S, 1929
came from local earnings. Chicago has
prospered by this unjust discrimination,
and Ohio and Indiana have chiefly con.
tributed to its prosperity. The pork
packing of Ohio has been transferred to
Chicago by this iniquitouS system. But
while this has been pracliced, care
should be taken to prevent injustice to
persons who have invested their earn.
ings in these lines. The interests of the
| CULuphll0p anu bAO puDlAC hGo pIdCblChlly
the same, and neither should be allowed
to oppress the other. The Commission.
or then submits clearer law, prohibit.
ing railroads from charging greater rates
for delivering freight in this State than
for the same kind Of freight a greater
distance over the same line, with other
provisions 40 10 dFawbaCks, copied from
Iowa statute, and provisions relating to
lycal roads and connections With trunk
lines taken from Connecticut statutes
In regard to the rates charged by the
American union telegraph company, the
Commissioner thinks they are not too
high, and that the company is doing q
good, work in reforming telegraph rates.
This company was organized in Ohio
simply to afford the central company III
New York to require the right Of way in
this State. It's State capital stock il
$50 900, OF which $4,000 was subscribed
by four residents of Ohio. Jay Gould
and D. Il. Bates subscribed $50, 900 o.
this stock. and these gentlemen were