The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-03-09
THE RAILROAD BILL.

THE RAILROAD BILL.
The Committee Of Conference appointed b
the two Houses of the Kansas Legislature re
ported the following substitute for the Hous
blu and Senate amendments and recommends
tts passage. Messrs. Knappenberger an,
Hoffman, Of the House Committee, proteste,
against the bill as reported:
Be it fndeted by the Legislature of the Stat
of Kansas:
Section l. No railroad company or corpora
ton owing railroad as lessee or otherwise
shall charge, collect or receive q rate In eX
cess OF three cents per mile for the transports
ton 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 ovel
twelve years Of age paying fare shall be en-
titled to have transported without any add
tional charge, baggage not exceeding lU
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 exceedin
fifty pounds in weight.
Section q The Executive Council, shall,
before the first day OF April next, elect three
competent persons, who shall constitute q
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 day of
April next. The Executive Council shall In
like manner, before the first day Of April in
each year thereafter elect q Commissioner, to
continue i'm office for 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 electa Commissioner
to serve for the residue of the term. The Ex-
ecutive Council may, at any time, for good
cause shown, remove such Commissioners,
and elect others to Ill the vacancy: and all
votes cast by each member OF the Executive
Council for the election of any person to the
Office of Railroad Commissioner, or removal
from the same, shall be recorded in journal
kept BY them for that purpose, which
journal shall be 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
rany, 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
and Secretary shall be sworn to the due and
faithful performance of the duties of their re-
spective offices before entering upon the dis
charge OF the same, and no person in the en-
ploy of any corporation engaged in the bust
hess Of transportation or holding stock in such
shall be employed as Secretary.
Each Of said Ccmmiss oners shall enter into
bonds, with security, to be approved by the
State Treasurer, in the sum of $4,000, cOndi-
toned for the faithful performance of his
duties.
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 S., 200 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, with necessary Office furni-
ture and stationery.
Section 4. To provide a fund for the pay
ment Of the salaries and current expenses of
the Board of Commissioners and the Secretary
they shall certify to the Auditor of State, on
or before the Goth 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
70 the County Clerk of each county the amount
due from the several railroad corporations
located and operated in said county, and the
tolls of his county to be collected the same as
sfher 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 5. Said Commissioners shall have
che 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
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
1t shall appear that any railroad company or
other transportation company fails, in any re-
apect 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 change of its
stations or station houses, or any change of
its rates of fare for transporting freight or
or any change In the mode of
operating its road and conductingits business
Is reasonable and expedient in order to pro-
mote the security, convenience, and accom-
mediation of the public, said Railroad Com
III inonrorement and cbonoes wbiah .bo,. u "a
sndTe 10 he nroner nv a notice tbe-s9f IN
ssrriting 70 he served nv Leaving a cow ,haraof
eertif;ed bv the Commis sioners, secretorT ,r;,5
sny ststi9n sgent clerE traosurar - VIZ" on.
director of said corporation; and a report of
the proceedings shall be included in the an
iatnra NotbinoS in This section sbaT ha IS
stTnaI as rei;arinr anv roiIroad con, y. ~
otbar transnortet;on corno-at;on 1,ou, -,
tbair resnnpsibiIitr ~ Iis t,ii,- nm 3oa
don,soa 70 r,erso,s ~ nso. .Ui
SoI.re;ss;orar. nov anS- -; -o.S tc w
go tia cbar e. +rsnsrnr,a.;o,, ~ s saS.
<aise Sre ;.Sp tan On Hssn.