The Brookhaven leader., 1884-05-08
THE MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD D
SUPERVISION LAW.

AN ACT to provide tor the regulation OF
freight and passenger rates on r:,ii-
roads in this State, and t" create Il
commission 10 supervise the same,
and for other purposes.
SEC. |. BE il enacted bv the Leg
islature of the State of Mississippi.
That the track of every railroad in
this State is a public highway over
which all persons have equal rights
of transportation for passengers and
frcights on the payment of Just com.
pcnsatiOn to the owner ct the rail
road fo" such transportation; and
any person or corporsion engaged
in transporting passengers ol
frCights over any railroad in this
State, who shall exact, receive OF
demand more than the rat specified
in any bill of ladlng issued 10y such
pcrson or corporation, or who for
his or its advantage or for the
advantage OF any connecting
line, or for any person or ioca.Ity
shall make any discrimination in
transportation against any indjvid-
ual, locality or corporation, shall be
guilty of cXtorli m.
SEC. ,. BE it further enacted
That the party injured may Recover
of the person or corporation guilty
of eXtor ton, as dr1iurd in this act
twice the amount of damages suS-
tanned by the ovrrcharge or discrinl
/ nation, as the case may be, in any
court having jurisdiction of the
amount in any county whCle the
person or corporation is doing bust
ness. And that such actions tc
recover dam ages under this oct
/ shall rhe commenced within ninety
/ days after the cause Of action ac
| crueS.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted
That any person or corporation whC
shall Commit eXtOrtiol as define
by this act, shall be guilty of ;
misdcmeanOr, and on conviction
shall be fined not less than $40 no.
more than 800: provided, that NJ
action for damages shall be sustain
ell for eNtortion, or penalty intlicte,
for violation Of this act, a9ains
any person or. corporation who has
previously Submitted its pasSenge
rates and schedule Of freight charge,
to TIE railroad commission herein
after established, AMI which ha
been approved by said commission
and complied with by said railroad
company.
SEC. 1 BE it further enacted
That commission is hereby created
to consist of three (3) commission
ers, whose qualifications shall b.
the same as the general qualiiica
tions required by law for othe
State officers to be known as TIN
Railroad Commission Of the State O
Mississippi, whose term Of otlic'
shall he two years, and until thei
successors are app piLted and quail
fed, and said mmissiOnerS shal
each take the oath prescribed b,
law for other State officers, and civ,
bond in the sum of ten thousand
dollars, payable to the State of Mis-
sissippi, with two or more 9oo'
sureties, to be approved by tn
Governor, tor the faithful perform
ance of these duties as such com
missioners, and said bond shall b
filed in the Office Of the Secretary 0
State, and thereupon the Govcrno
shall issue commission accordingly
SEC. 3. BE it further enacted
That immediate Y after the pasSag
Of this act, the Governor with tn
advice and consent OF the Senate
shall appoint said Railroad Com
missioners. And if vacancies occu
bv death, resignation, or otherwise
when the Legislature is not in ses
sion, such vacancies shall be tillet
10y appointment, to be made by tn
Governor; such appOlntees 10 hole
their office until the next meetin:
of the Legislature thereafter, whel
their successors shall be appointe'
as herein provided Tie salary o
; each commissioner shall be tw'
thousand five hundred dollars pc
! annum to be paid from the Stat
Treasury in the manner provided b,
law FIR the salary of other Stat
officers, and the commission ma.
employ a clerk at salary not L
exceed fifteen hundred dollars, /,