Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-12
RAJ ROAD COMMISSION.
Meeting of the Full Board at
San Francisco.
sEOoND-oLAss TICKET MATTERS
A Dentist Dissatisfied in Regard to
His Baggage.

A Dentist Dissatisfied in Regard to
His Baggage.
The full Board CT Railroad Commissioners
met in San Francisco yesterday morning,
Commissioner Cone presiding. Mr.. Beer
stetcher recommended that in the matter of
DIR. Robinson's complaint, filed December 2S
1881, in relation to the detention of his bag.
gage containing dental tools, AID asking fer
compensation, the Secretary be instructed to
inform him that as he has his redress at law,
and full and adequate remedy, he must
obtain it in the Courts. General Stonenan
supported the suggestion, and it was unani.
mously adopted.
d. OConnor, by letter. requested that &C.
! ton on his communication of July II, 1881,
in relation TO rates on grapes, be deferred.
Agreed
sEcoND-CLAss PASSENGERS.
| General Stoaeinan then called up the fol-
loving resolution, which he introduced ct
the meeting of November 90. 1881:
Resolved, That from and after January 1, 1882,
secondcass aceomu odations for seconds class pas.
sengers shall be furnished by and all railroads
in this State at rates OF fare not to exceed 60 per
cent. of the rates charged for stclass passengers
on the said reads for the distances in the me
directions and between the stations that Sec
ondclass passengers shall not be required to travel
in smoking cars; that second-class passengers shall
have the right to lay over tickets on all the
railroads in this State as granted to rst-cass pas
sengers
After the resolution had been read, he
desired to amend it so as to change the date of
its operation to March LIST, and also to make
it apply to main stem lines ny.
Mr.. Cone opposed the resolution, on the
ground that the Commissioners hsd no juris-
diction to state Whist accommodation should
be provided, but to regulate the fares only.
THE QUESTION DEBATED.
Ssoneman-Dcn't you think it wrong to
compel second class passengers to eide in
smoking cars?
Beerstecher thought the Board had no
power in the matter.
StonamaI-Haven't we the right to give
second class passengers lay-over tickets?
Cone thought the Board could not compel
the company TO furnish certain class of &C.
commodation.
Stoneman did not desire to specify the
character of the accommodation so long as
proper accommodation was provided.
Beerstecher claimed that under Section 81
of the Constitution, the Board could not dis
criminate between persons and classes.
ILLEGAL ACTS.
Stoneman-Then it necessarily follows that
every day the companies issue second class
tickets they are discriminating. and it is our
duly to prevent them from so doing.
Beerstecher-I don't know that that is So
Stoneman-Look at the tariff. There ere
really three classes of tickets-frst, second
and third Take Los Angeles, for instance,
where they have three classes of passengers.
IL they have no right to make discrimina-
ton, then / claim we are neglecting our duty
in not prohibiting them from doing il.
claim this resolution is doing no injustice to
the companies.
NO JURISDICTION.
Cone-I object to the resolution, on the
ground that we have no jurisdiction to form
classes. II the frst-elass rates are too high
we can reduce them. We are not bound to
compel the companies to RUIZ trains on any
roads, but when run we can regulate fares.
Stoneman-WeD, my object is to regulate
the fares on the second-class trains which
they run. The theory is that these roads are
run for the benefit of the poor as well as the
rich.
Cone and Beerstecher-The Constitution
says there shsll be no discrimination between
persons and classes.
THE RESOLUTION LOST.
S.oneman-If that be so, let us do our duty
| and pass the resolution and test the matter
before the Courts. We meet here and decide
that we have no authority, and we decide the
law ourselves. It can't do any harm if we
pass the resolution let it be tested in the
Courts.
Beerstecher-The resolution will fall to the
ground without & second.
StonemRn-Are you not willing to go be-
fore the Courts and test the matter?
Cone and Beerstecher-No it would do us
harm to 90 before the Courts with a weak
case and without a majority of the Board in
its favor.
Beerstecher was satisfied the Board could
fix rates but only for one class, but could not
discriminate. The companies could make ex-
cursion rates. The Commission had already
fixed first class fares. and no motion to re-
consider had been given. As regards accom-
modations, no evidence was offered that they
were inadequate.
Stoneman-That's sitting our authority
down 60 very small compass.
Cene-The resolution is lest for want of
second.
General Stoneman sviDced quiet chagrin
at the summary defeat of his resolution.
RoBINsoN's MATTER.
DIR. Robinson then appeared before the
Board and addressed them in relation to his
matter He desired to know whether when
his tickets had once been signed "baggage
checked" the company's agents had right
to detain the baggage and decline to forward
| it, and also whether the agents had right
to open a valise to ascertain its contents with
out search warrant. He made long adj
dress, in which, among other things, he
claimed in this instance the regulations
showed discrimination, for they permitted
drummer to carry 200 pounds of baggage,
but dentist could not carry his tools.
| On motion of Beerstecher the matter was
referred TO him, and permission given him 20
consult the Attorney General The Com
mission then adjourned until TO- morrow.
THE ANNUAL REPORT.
| The Secretary of the Railroad Commits
sioners, W. r. Andrews, has to-day for
warded TO the several railroad companies
operating in this State, the blanks to be filled
up for the compilation Of the annual report
of the Board. The companies upon which
these notices will be served By Bailff Stein
man, are the Central Pacific Railroad and its
| leased lines the Vaca Valley and Clear
Lake Railroad: Sacramento and Placerville
Railroad Company Nevada County N. G.
Railroad Company Visalia Railroad Com
pany: Southern Pacific Northern Division
Black Diamond Railroad Company; San
| Luis Ob;spo and Santa Maria Valley Rlil-
road Bodie Railway ard Lumber Company;
South Pacific Coast Railroad Company
| North Pacific Coast Railroad Company
Pittsburg Railroad Company and the San
Francisco ard North Pacific Railroad Com
pany.