Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-12
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.
IL FREIGHT AND
PASSAGE RATES.

An Important Bill-A Railroad Conn
mission for FlOrida-SVnopsis of the
Proposed Act-Cold Weather-Senate
and Assembly-The Opening Ball, Of
! the Season.
/ TALLAHASSEE, Jan. l0.-Aside from the
bills bearing upon the proposed constitutional
convention, nothing has been introduced into
the present Legislature more important In its
bearing than the bill entitled. SAN act to create
commission to provide for the regulation Of
freight and passenger tariffs on railroads and
steamboats, in this State"
As the bill is quite lengthy. l pronnse to oiv,.
synopsis OF its provisions. i do not Know
whether or not il is based upon the Georgia
law upon the subject, nor in what respects the
two differ. If there be diversity.
The bill | refer TO provides that there shall
De three commissioners appointed By the
Governor for four years, at a salary of 81 500
annually, whose onfce shall be located at Tsl
lahasSee. These officers are not To be the hold
ers of any railroad or steamboat stock or,
bonds, shall not be agents or employees Of anv
such company, and shall have no Interest in
any company.
After the passage of this act, il any railroad
or steamboat company organized in this
state, or any such company organized IN an.
other state and doing busness-n this, shall
charge, collect, demand or receive a higher
rate than that fixed by the commission. the
offense shall be deemed to be extortion, and
shall be punished upon conviction
If unjust discrimination shall be maaa in
the rates charged for the carriage of freight
or passengers, the same shall be punished IN
the manner fixed by the commission
The commissioners shall make inst and
reasonable rates of freight and passage to be
observed by the various coupanies "a ~
cnarges az any and all points for the neces-
sary handling and delivery OF freghts and
proper regulations against unjust discrimina-
tlons; also, proper charges for the use OF rail
road cars, and proper rules to prevent the
giving or paying OF any rebate or bonus ana
from misleading the public as to the raal
rates, and shall have full power To fix the diff
ference in rates for longer or shorter, dis
tances on the same or different routes and to
ascertain the limits of longer or shorter dis
tances,
Ine commissioners are required to .naka
lot I3r each oil lhe companies schedule of
charges, and said schedule shall oe deemed
and taken in evidence in all the State eonrts
that the rates fixed therein are inst and roos
on2hle, ana these schedules shall be changed
ana revised when necessary. When made or
revised II shall be published four consecntive
weeks IN some newspaper, and a copy of said
schedule Is 10 be posted at the stations of said
road or steamboat. These schedules SO printed
ana published shall be held in suits as ,1riD,0
Jdeie the schedules of such companies,
Ihe commissioners shall investigate .ha
books and papers of the companies to see II
the rules and regulations have been co,aYliad
with, and to make personal visits of tnA ofiiees
stations, etc, and shall have power to ex,
anime anime unaer oath agents and employees of such
companies TO OBTAIN necessary Information 10
prepare their schedules, and To aseertain n
their rules are observed, etc
All contracts snd agreements between rail-
ROAD ana steamboat companies are TO be sub
mi ted to the commissioners to determine
whether they conform to this act and all such
agreements not approved by the commission
eIs shall be null and void.
W men any company violates anV of the ,,re
scrlDeu regulations, and its principal officer il
notified thereof, and refuses to make recon-
pehse p,i 70 any person or corporation, as re-
CURED by the commission, within thirty davs
aleF Sucn notlce, penalty CT not less than
one thousand, nor more than five thousand
collars; u;,La; snail snail be incurred, Each person so
injured shall also have the right of action
ana the companies shall be liable to exemplary
damages " hnes recovered under this act
are TO ne paid into tho State treasury.
Other sections prescribe the meaning
OF. the terms railroad and steamboat corr
porationn and railroad and steamboat cora
pany; They require the issue Of duplicate
and the delivery of freight. A semi -ann9al
ernOr, - '''S Wv
The concluding sections relate to the nav
ana attendance of witnesses and the nun
lsnment on refusal to obey subpgnas
me oIicers and employees of companies are
also required 80 furnish any report desired by
the commission, and a heavy penalty is i'm
posed on such officials as hinder DELAY or oh
struct such commissioners.
me Dlll has not yet been reported on, and
nave mao no opportunity of learning TIC views
OF tIe Legislature upon the subject, Whether
IL VIII encounter the opposition, ,,l. enlist the
support oi tne various transportation comma
mes IN this state, remains "a be seen. ShouId
the Dlll become law, itfis destined TO work q
great alteration in the rates of carriage Of
reigbts and passengers in this day, and con-
s"terable reductions may be expected
Inc heaVy rains OF the last three davs were
followed yesterday by sharp fall in the tenn
pefalufe, ana this morning dawned cold and
clear. Considerable ice was formed and some,
damage sustained by vegetation.
In the Senate this morning a warm disrus
sion occurred upon the report of the majority
OF the Committee on Constitutional Amend
ments IN favor of senator Mckiape's bin in
refeyonee TO calling q convention The
minority report bore the signatures of two OF
the seven members of the Committee
Senator Chandler, oolored, from Marion.
opposed the bill on the part of the RennhIIr
cans almost without assistance and mani
tested considerable ability and ingenuity Az
Ter protracted debate, tile further consider
alton OF the bin was deferred till FRIDAY
An important bill was introduced for the
erection OF an institution for the education of
uea1 ana dumh unfortunates. This action
y IN conformity with . Recommendation in
the Governors message.
Two race bills were introduced in tha As-
semoly, one repeating the law nrohibitiu.g the
intermaFrage of whites and blacks and thss
other authorizing the Boards Of Education for
East and West Fl@Eida Seminaries 10 establish
branch Institutions for the use Of colored
children. Another bill was in relation to tie
assessment, levy and collection OF taxes in
municipal corporations
Inc opening ball of the season takes place
Tonight at the Leon Hotel
NO man from any direction to-day.
w. H. b.