Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-20
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
The Compromise Bill Materialized and
Introduced in the Senate.
FULL TEXT OF IT'S PROVISIONS
Senator Sergeant Contributes to the
Current Literature Of the Day
Another Bill

The sub-railroad committee, which was
instructed to prepare the compromise rail
road bill embodying the provisions of the
Massachusetts and Iowa laws and proyid-
inc for three commissioners, have not
formally reported, bat the bill prepared by
Hon. James Smith, Jr., one member of the
subcommittee, was introduc ed in the sem
ate yesterday, that being regarded as the
best method of getting it before the legis-
Iature. The following is the full text OF
the bill:
A bill to provide for the establishment of a
Board of Railroad Commissioners and
defining their duties, powers and terms
of Office and repeating certain acts there
in named.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the
State o. Minnesota:
Section / That the governor Of this
state, with the advice and consent of the
senate, shall before the (1sH day of April
next, after me passage of this act, appoint
three (31 competent persons having the
qualification Of electors lone of whom
shall be n person skilled in railroad man
agemenk) who shall constitute board of
railroad commissioners and who shall hold
their Offices from the date of their respec-
tive appointments for the terms of one,two
and three years Pectively,from the first
(fst)day OF April next. In such appoints ent
he shall designate the person who shall hold
MS Office for one year, the person who shall
hold his Office for two years and the per
son who shall hold his Office for three
years. The governor shall in like manner
on or before the first (1st) day in April Of
each year thereafter appoint one commits
sioner TO continue in Office for the term of
three years from said date: and in case
any vacancy occurs III the said board by
resignation or otherwise, shall in the same
manner appoint commissioner
for the residue of the term, and
may remove any such commissioner or
commissioners to fill such vacancy at any
time when so advised and requested by a
resolution adopted by the senate of this
state. No person owning any bonds, stock
or property in any railroad company, or
who is in the employment of, or who is
any way or manner pecuniarily interested
in any railroad corporation, shall be eligl-
BILE to the Office of railroad commissioner,
nor shall any such commissioner
during his term of Office become so inter
ested.
Sec. =. Said commissioners shall organ
izs by selecting one of their own number
as chairman of said board, and said board,
when organized, shall inquire into any
neglect or violation of the laws of this
state, by any railroad corporation doing
business therein, or by the officers, agents
or emplyes thereof, and shall also from
time to time, carefully examine and
inspect the condition of each railroad in
this state, and of its equipment,
and the manner of its conduct,
and management with reference to the
public safety and convenience, and for the
purpose of keeping the several railroad
companies advised as to the safety of their
bridges, shall make semi-annual exami-
nation of the same, and report their con-
dition to the said company. And if any
bridge shall be deemed unsafe by the COM
missioners, they shall notify the railroad
company owning or using said bridge i'm
mediately thereof, and it shall be the duty
of such railroad company to repair and
put in good order, or rebuild any such
bridge, and within ten days after receiv
ing such notice, to commence the repair
or rebuilding thereof, and prosecute the
same with reasonable diligence and dis
sioners are hereby authorized and empow-
cred to stop and prevent said railroad
company from running or passing its
trains over such bridge whilst it is in IN I'M
safe condition. Whenever in the judgment
of the railroad commissioners it shall ap-
pear that any railroad corporation fails,
in any respect or particular, to comply
with the terms of its charter or
- IL toto
whenever in their Judgment, any
repairs are necessary upon its
road, or any addition to It's rolling stock,
or any additions to or change of its sta
tions or station houses, or any change of
its rates of fare for transporting freight or
passengers, or any change in its mode of
operating its road and conducting its bust
ness is reasonable and expedient in order
to promote the security, convenience and
accommodation of the public,sai railroad
commissioners shall inform such railroad
corporation of the improvement and
changes which they deem proper, by no.
tice thereof in writing, to be served by
leaving certified copy thereof with the
president, secretary or any director or
managing officer of such corporation, and
q report of their proceedings under this
section shall be included in the report of
the commissioners to the legislature
Nothing IN this section shall be construed
as relieving any railroad company from its
present responsibility or damage to per-
son or property.
Sec. 3. The said railroad commits
sioners shall, on or before the first Mon
day in January in each year, make report
to the governor, to be by him transmitted
to the legislature at its next session there
after, of their doings for the preceding
year, containing such facts, statements and
explanation as will tend to disclose the
working of the system of railroad trans
portation in this state, and its relation to
the general business and prosperity of the
people of this state, and such suggestions
and recommendations in respect thereto
as to them may seem appropriate. Said
report shall also contain. as to every rail-
road corporation doing business in this
state, the amount of its capital stock, the
amount of its preferred stock, if any, and
the condition of its preferment, the
amount of its funded debt, and the rate of
interest payable thereon, the amount of its
floating debt, the number of acres of
lands granted by the United
States or this state to
aid in the construction of its railroad to it
conveyed. the number of acres of land re-