Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-03-09
THE RAILROAD BILL.

- 4he committee OF Conference Amounted nv
the two Houses Of the Kansas Legislature re-
ported the following substitute for the House
Dill and Senate amendments and recommended
its passage. Messrs. Knappenbereer, and
Hoffman, of the House Committee. protested
against the bill as reported:
=. 9e e enacted By the Legislqturs-of The State
Section 1. No railroad company or CORPORA
t,on lion, OWING railroad as lessee or otherwise,
snau charge, collect or receive rate in ex-
cess OF three cents per mile for the Transports
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 passenger of the age Of
Twelve years or under. Each passenger over
twelve years OF age paying fare shall be en-
tilted TO have transported without any addi-
tional charge, baggage not exceeding 100
pounds in weight, and each passenger of
twelve years OF age and under, paying fare,
shall be entitled to have Transported without
additional charge, baggage not exceeding
nifty pounds IN weight.
Section 2. The Executive Council. shall
before the first day OF April next, elect three
competent persons, who shall constitute a
Board OF Railroad Commissioners, and who
shall hold their offices from the dates OF their
respective appointments for the terms Of one,
two and three years from the first tiay OF
April next. The Executive Council shall in
Ike manner, before the first day of April in
each year thereafter elect Commissioner, to
continue in office for the term of threesyears
from said date; and i'm case any vacancy occurs
In SAID Board, by resignation or otherwise,
email In the same manner elect a Commissioner
TO serve for the residue of the term. The Ex-
ecutive Council may, at any time, for good
cause shown, remove such Commits sioners
and elect others to fll the vacancy; and all
votes cast by each member of the Executive
Council Tor the election of any person to the
Office of Railroad Commissioner or removal
from the same, shall be recorded In q journal
kept by them for that purpose, which
journal shalhbe kept open at all times TO pub
| lie inspection. Provided, that not more than
/ two of the Commissioners shall belong to the
same political party. The said Board of Rail-
way Commissioners shall have authority to
appoint Secretary. No person owning any
bonds, stock, or property in any railroad COM
pany, or who is in the employment of, or who
Is in any way or manner pecuniarily interested
! In any railroad corporation, shall be eligible
to the Office OF Railroad Commissioner or
! Secretary of said Board. Said Railroad Com
missiOners and Secretary shall be qualified
electors of the State. Said Commissioners
and Secretary shall be sworn to the due and
faithful performance of the duties of their re-
spectiye offices before entering upon the dis
charge of the same, and no person in the en-
| ploy OF any corporation engaged in the busi-
ness OF transportation orholding stock in such
corporation shall be employed as Secretary.
Each OF said Commiss oners shall enter into
bonds, with, security, to be approved by the
State Treasurer, in the sum of S10,opo zeondi-
TONED for the, faithful performance of his
duties. +ss2 ~,
Section g. The said Commissioners shall
keep their Office in the capitol, or at some
other suitable place in the city of Topeka.
| They shall each receive a salary Of So 900 per
annum, and the Secretary shall receive sal
airy of 81 800 per annum, to be paid as the
salaries of other state officers are paid; and
! the said Board shall be provided, at the ex-
pense OF the State,swith necessary office iurni-
ture and stationery. .r
Section 4. To provide fund for the paw
ment Of the salaries and current expenses of
| the Board of Commissioners and the Secretary
they shall certify tothe Auditor of State on
or before the both day of May in each year, the
amount necessary to defray the same (which
amount shall be divided prorata among the
several railway companies, according to the
assessed valuation of their property in the
! State, and the Auditor shall thereupon certify
to the County Clerk OF each county the amount
due from the several railroad corporations
located and operated in said county, and the
County Clerk shall place the same on the tax
| tolls OF his county to be collected the same as
other taxes upon railroad property, and the
| County Treasurer shall account to the State
for the same the same as provided by law for
other State funds.
Section s.. Said Commissioners shall have
the general supervision of all railroads in the
State operated by steam or otherwise, and all
express companies, sleeping car companies,
! and all other companies or corporations doing
/ business as common carriers In this State and
shall inquire into any neglect or violation of
the laws OF this State by any corporation en-
gagged in the business of Transportation of
persons or property therein, or by the officers
agents or employees thereof and shall also from
time to time carefully examine and Inspect
the condition OF each railroad in the State, and
y 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 Railroad Commissioners
it shall appear that any railroad company or
other transportation company fails, in any re-
spect or particular, to comply with the terms
Of its charter or the laws of the State or when
: ever In their Judgment any repairs are neces-
sary upon its road, or any addition to its roll
ing stock, or any addition to or chance of its
Z stations orstation houses, or any change of
its rates of fare for transporting freight or
passengers or any change in the mode of
operating its road and conducting its business
is reasonable and eXpedient in order to pro-
mote the security, convenience, and accom-
mediation of the public, said Railroad Com
missioners shall inform such corporation of
the improvement and changes which they adj
judge to be proper, by notice thereof in
writing to be served by leaving a copy thereof,
/ certified by the Commissioners Secretary with
any station agent, clerk, treasurer, or any
director OF said corporation aud report 81
the proceedings Shall be included in the an
nual report of the Commissioners to tue Leris-
lature Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued as relieving any railroad company OF
their responsibility or liability for
damage to persons or property.
Commissioners nor any railroad company shall
raise the charge for transportation on freight
on any railroad without giving sixty DAYS
public notice of such change, In such manner
as the Commissioners NAV determine.
Section 6. Said Commissioners shall on OF
before the first Monday in December of each
year, make a report to the Governor OF their
doings for the preceding year, containing such
facts, statements and explanations as will dis
close the working OF the railroad system in
this State, and its relation to the general bust.
ness prosperity OF the citizens ot the State,
and such suggestions and RECOMMENDATIONS
In respect thereto as NAV TO them seem appro
propriate. Said report shall also contain as to
every railroad corporation doing business in
this State: First, the amount of its capital
stock; second, the amount OF its preferred
stock, II any, and the condition of its prefer
ment; third, the amount of its funded debt,
and the rate of interest; fourth, the amount
of it's floating debt : fifth, the cost and actual
present cash value of its road and equipment
includn permanent way buildingsand rolling
stock, all real Estate used exclusively in op
Grating the road, AND al fixtures and con
kveniences for trapsacting its business; sixth
y the. estimated value of all other propert,
1 owned by such corporation, with a schedule o
the same, not including lands granted in ali
sHoffts constructions; seventh. the humber o.
Facres originally Granted in aid of construction
OF its road by the United States, orsby THU
State: eighth, number of acres of such LAND
remaining. ,unsold; ninth, a list of all is Off
GERS and directors, with their respective place.
of residence; tenth, such statistics of the ROAD
and OF its transportation business for the yea
as may, In the Judgment of the Commission
- ers, be necessary and proper for the informa