The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-03-08
i. " : ISJI4INUI
Committee on part of the senate.

State Of Kansas:
SECTION 1. No railroad company shall
| charge or receive a rate IN excess of
three cents per mile for the tIansporIa-
| tion of any passenger who is over twelve
| years of age, upon any railroad in this
state, nor IN excess Of half that sum per
mile for the transportation of any pass
| eDger Of the age of twelve years or un-
| der. Each passenger over twelve wears
OF age paying fare shall be entitled 10
have transported without any additional
| charge, baggage not exceeding one hun
| dred pounds III weight, and each passen.
| ger OF Twelve years OF age and under,
| paying fare, shall be entitled to have
| transported without additional charge,
baggage not exceeding fifty pounds IN
| weight.
SECTION 2 The executive council
| shall, before the first dag of April next,
| elect three competent persons, who shall
| constitute board of railroad commits
sioners, and who shall hold their offices
from the dates of their respective cleo
tions for the terms OF one, two and
three years from the first day of
April next. The executive conn-
Gil shall, in like manner, before the first
| day Of April in each year thereafter elect
a commissioner, TO continue ia Office tor
the term of three years from said date;
and in case any vacancy occurs in said
| board, by resignation or otherwise, shall
in the same manner elect a commission
or 10 serve Tor the residue of the term
| The executive council may, at any time,
remove such commissioners, or any OF
them, and elect others to fill the vacancy;
aud ali votes cast by each member N
the executive council for the election of
any person To the office of railroad COM
missioner, or removal from the same
shall be recorded in Il journal kept by
them for that purpose, which journal
shall be kept open at all times To public
| inspection. The said board of commits
siOners shall have authority to appoint
a secretary and remove him at pleasure.
No person owning any bonds, stock, or
property IN any railroad company, or
who is in the employment of, or who is
In any way or manner pecuniarily inter-
ested in any railroad shall be eligible to
the Office of Iailroad commissioner or
secretary of the said board. Said
railroad commissioner or sec
rotary shall be qualified electors of the
state, provided, that not more than two
of the commissioners shall belong to the
same political party. Said commission
ers and secretary shall be sworn to the
| due and faithful performance of the du-
ties of their respective offices before en-
| tering upon the discharge OF the same.
Each of said commissioners shall enter
into bonds, with security TO be approved
by the state treasurer, in the sum of ten
| thousand dollars conditioned for the
| faithful performance of his duties.
| SEC. 3 Said commissioners shall keep
their Office in the capitol, or at some
other suitable place in the city of Tupe-
lIa. Said board or any member thereof
may act officially in any mart Ofthc state.
| They shall each receive a salary of three
| thousand dollars per annum, and the
| secretary shall receive n salary of 81 800
| per annum, to be paid as the salaries Of
other state officers are paid, and said
board shall he provided at the expense
of the state, with necessary office turni-
turc and stationery.
SEC. 4, To provide Il fund for the pay
ment of the salaries and current expenses
of the board of commissioners and the
secretary of the board shall certify to the
auditor of state on or before the Goth day
| of May, IN each year, the amount neces-
sary 10 detray the same which amouut
shall be divided pro rata among the sew
| eral railroad companies, according t.
| the assessed valuation of their property
in the state, and the auditor shall there
upon certify to the county clerk of each
I county, the amount due from the several
railroad corporations located and oper-
ated in sand county, and the county
| clerk shall place the same on the tax rolls
| of his county to be collected the same
as other taxes upon railroad property.
and the county treasurer shall account
TO the state tor the same as provided by
law for other slate funds, provided that
| in unorganized counties the amount so
found due from railroad companies
therein shall be included in and levied
and collected with such taxes as arc
| levied and collected by the state from
railroad companies located in said unor-
] ganiZed counties.
SEC. 5. Said commissioners shall have
the general supervision Of all railroads
il the state operated by steam, and all
express companies, slecping-car COM
/ panieS, and all other persons, com
panies or corporations doing business
| as common carriers in this state, and
| shall inquire into any neglect or viola.
tiun OF the laws of this state by any per-
son, company, or corporation engaged
| in the business of transportation OF per-
sons or property therein, or by the ofii-
GERS, agents or employees thereof, and
| shall also from time 10 time carefully
examine and inspect the condition OF
| each railroad in the stale, and of ITS
equipment and the manner of its con-
duct and management with reference to
the public safety and convenience.
| Whenever in the judgment Of the rail
road commissioners it shall appear that
any railroad corporation or other trans
portation comp any fails, in any respect
or particular, to comply with the
terms of its charter or the
laws Of the state, or whenever IN
their judgment any repairs are ne
cessary upon its road, or any addition to
its rolling stock, or any addition to OF
change of its stations or station houses
or any change in the mode of operating
its road and conducting lis business is
reasonable and eXpedient in order t.
promote the security, convenience, and
accommodation of the public, said com
missioners shalt inform such corpora
ton of the improvement and changes
which they adjudgc To be proper, by q
notice thereof IN writing, to he served
by leaving q copy thereof, certified 10y
the commissioners secretary with any
station agent, clerk, treasurer, or any tii
rector OF said corporation; and report
of the proceedings shall be included il
the annual report of the commissioner
TO the legislature. Nothing in This sec.
ton shall be construed as I-lieving any
railroad company, or other Transports
tion corporation, from their responsi
billy or liability for damage to person
or property
! SEC 6. Said commissioners, Shall, on
or before the first Monday in December
in each year, make report 10 the gayer
nor of their dDings for the preceding
year, containing such facts, statement.
and explanations as will disclost
the working system of railroad
transportation in this state
and its relation to the general business
and prosperity of the citizens of the
state, and such suggestions and recon
mendations in respect thereto, as may Il
them seem appropriate. Said report
shall also contain as To every railroad
corporation doing business IN ;he state
First-Tbc amount Of its capital stock
Second-The amount OF lis preferred
stock, if any, and the condition ot iii
pTeferment.
Third-The amountOi ITS fulGed debt
and the rate OF interest.
Fourth-The amount Of It's floating
debt.
Fiflh-The cost and actual prcsen
cash value of its Rad and equipment
including permanent way buildings anC
rolling stock, all real estate used ex
clusiyely in operating The road, and al
/ ilAtuFSS anu CoaNSulehCtS Tor transact
ing its business.
Il Sixth-The estimated value Of III
other property owned by such corpora
ton, with schedule of the samr, rs,
including lands granted in aid of II
construction.
Seventh-The number of acres uIigin
ally granted in aid of construction E,
its road by the United States, or by tlsi
: state.
Eighth--NGmber of acres of land re
naming uEsold.
Ninth-A lis; of all its officers aud iii
rectors, with their respective places o
residence.
: Tentb-Sueh statistics OF the ROAD am,
| of its transportation business Tor tli,
year, as may, iRsthe judgment al q
! commissioners, be necessary an prapel
for the Information OF tAc l.gislatzr,.
or as may be n quilei by the gov nor
Such report shall exhibit aud fe..r "a