Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-19

of any town, OF the Judge Of the county
court OF any county within which any
part Of any such railroad is located, II
shall be the duty Of the board OF rail-
road commissioners to make an exami-
nation Of the physical condition and
operation thereof. Before proceeding
to make such examination IN accord
ance with such application, said board
of commissioners shall give to the APP
plcants and the corporation reasonable
notice in writing Of the time and place OF
entering upon the same. If upon such
examination it shall appear to said
bo,rd of commissioners that the COM
plant alleged by the applicant is well
founded the board shall so adjudge, and
shall inform the corporation operating
such railroad Of its adjudication in the
same manner as is provided in section 4;
and the company failing for sixty days
after such notice to remove the cause OF
complaint shall incur a penalty OF not
less than one thousand nor more than
five thousand dollars for each day
thereafter that the cause of complaint
shall not be removed.
II. No request or advice OF the
board of railroad commissioners shall
have the effect to impair, in any man
ner or degree, the legal duties and obli-
cations of any railroad corporation, or
its legal liability for the consequence OF
its acts, or of the neglect or misman-
agement of any Of its agents or SER
wants.
10. That it shall be the duty Of said
commissioners to investigate the books
and papers Of all the railroad COM
panies in this State, to ascertain if the
rules and regulations aforesaid have
been complied with, and to make per-
sonal visitation of railroad offices, sta
tons, and other places Of business for
the purposes of examination, and to
make rules and regulations concerning
such examinations, which rules aud
regulations shall be observed and
obeyed as the other rules and regula-
tions aforesaid. Said commissioners
shall also have full power and au-
thority to examine all agents and en-
ployees Of said railroad companies and
other persons, under oath or otherwise,
in order to procure the neces-
sary information to make ust
and reasonable rates Of freight and
passenger tariffs, and to ascertain if
such rules and regulations are observed
or violated, and to make necessary and
proper rules and regulations concerning
such examination, and which rules and
regulations herein provided for shall be
obeyed and enforced as all other rules
and regulations provided for in this act.
q. That said railroad commission
ers, in making an examination for the
purpose Of obtaining information pur-
suant to this act, shall have power to
issue subpGndS for the attendance Of
witnesses by such rules as they may
prescribe. And said witnesses shall
receive for such attendance two dollars
per day, and five cents per mile travelled
by the nearest practicable route in going
to OF returning from the place of meet
ing Of said commissioners, to be ordered
paid by the Governor upon the presen-
tation Of Subp0nas, sworn to by the
witnesses, as to the number Of days
served and miles travelled. before
the clerk of said commissioners,
who is hereby authorized to administer
oaths. In case any person shall will
fully fail orrefuse to obey such subp@na,
it shall be che duty Of the judge of the
circuit court of any county, or the
hastings court Of any city, in court or
in vacation, upon application Of said
board of commissioners. to give an at
tachment for such witness, and compel
him to attend before the board Of COM
missioners and give his testimony upon
such matters as shall be lawfully re-
QuireG Wy such board of commissioners,
and sa 4 Judge, in vacation. shall have
power to punish for contempt as in
other cases of refusal to obey the pro-
cess and order Of such court.
90. That the said commission shall
have general supervisory control of the
road. to whom matters of diScOurtesy
by conductors. agents, and employees Of
railroad companies, matters of derelic-
ton and lack Of accommodation at sta
tons. proper lights and landings at sta
tons where passenger trains stop during
the night, shall be reported, and said
commission shall have full power to act
in the premises to order removal of
said official, and to order such changes
as will best secure the safety and accom-
mediation of the public; and every rail-
road company shall post in conspicuous
place at each Of its dep0ts and stations
and in each Of Its passenger cars a copy
of this section; and the removal Of any
officer, agent, or employe which the
commissioners may require shall be
promptly made, or the company failing
to comply with such requisition shall
be subject to a fine Of not less than
900 nor more than $500 for each re-
iusal or noncompliance with such or
der Of the commissioners, to be reco-
yered in the name Of the State, in the
manner herenbefore provided for the
recovery of other penalties named in