Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-30
FREIGHTAND PASSENGER TAR
IEES
The Bill TO Amend the Railroad Com
,..-.a.-ef q . aTniaSion Law. ..talet u

bly, by the railroad committee of the Sem
ate on Friday.
SECTION l. Be ID enacted by the General
Assembly Of the State of Georgia, That Sec
ton of the said Act of Oct. A. 1879, known
in the Code OF Georgia of 1882 as section NOE,
which said section prescribes the duties of the
Commissioners as 70 making rates of freight
and passenger tariffs and rules and regula-
tions TO be observed by all railroad companies
doing business in this State be, and the same
is hereby repealed, and that herea ter sec
ton of said Act and section 7l9(e) of said
Code shall be as follows: That the Commits
sioners appointed as heretofore provided
snail be authorized TO make such just and
reasonable rules and regulations as may be
necessary for preventing unjust diScrlmina-
ton in the transportation of freight and
passengers on the railroads OF this State; and
to that end shqll he authorized to make such
rules and regulations to designate and fix the
proportion Ofdifierence in rates of freight and
passenger transportation to he allowed for
longer and shorter distances on the same or
different railroads of this State, and TO pre-
scribe what shall be the limits OF longer and
shorter distance; that they shall be author
ICED to make Just ana reasonable rules and
regulations to be observed by said railroad
companies on said railroads in this State TO
prevent the giving or paying of any rebate or
bonus, directly or Indirectly, and from mis-
leading or deceiYing the public In any man
ner as to the real rates charged for fr light
and passengers; and that they shall be au-
thorized to make such just and reasonable
mining of the complaints, hereinafter pro-
vided for, as to them shall seem meet and
proper. Provided: That all such rules and
regulations shall be consistent with the laws
of this State and of the United States, and,
provided further. that nothing in this act
shall be construed to authorize any Interior
ence with or regulation OF Interstate COM
merce.
SEC. 2. Be 10 further enacted by the authority
Aforesaid. That Sc ton 6 of the said actof oct.
IA, 1879, known in the said Code Of Georgia as
section 1890, prescribing that the Commits
sloners shall make schedules OF rates and de-
claring the effect of the same as evidence be,
ana the same is hereby repealed, and that
hereafter section Of said act and section
1850 of said Code OF Georgia shall be as fol-
lows That the several railroad eorDorations
doing business in this State are hereby author
iZe and required to make each for itself, as
soon as practicable, schedule Of just and
reasonable rates of charges for the transpor-
tation of passengers, freight and cars on the
res ective railroads in this state, and sand
railroad companies shall. from time to time
and as often as circumstances may require,
change and revise said schedule, and
when any aehclu shall have been
be the duty of each of said corporations re-
spectively to cause publication thereof to be
made for two successive weeks in some public
newspapers pub ished in the cities OF Atlanta,
Augusta, Albany, Savannah, Macon, Rome
and Columbus, in this State, and after the
same shall be 80 published. II shall be the duty
of each Of such railroad companies to post at
all OF the respective stations, in conspicuous
pl zee, copy OF said schedule TO be observed
by them for the protection of all persons con-
cerned; and whenever any railroad company,
doing business in this State, shall make
charge or collect Other than just and reason
able rates for the transport auonof freight or
passengers, or shall make unjust discrimina-
ton In its charges for freight or passengers,
or shall give or pay any rebate or bonus In the
nature thereof, directly or INDIRECTLY, or do
any act 10 mslead or deceive the public as to
the real rates charged or received for freight
or passage, any person. community, town,
file with the Commissioners appointed
under the act of which this act
10 amendatory, petition in writ
ing, IN which the cause or ground OF COM
plant against such railroad company, and Of
the wrong or injury 20 the complainant shall
be plainly and distinctly set forth; and upon
such petition being died with said Commits
sloners, they sh al proceed to hear and deter
mine the same under such just and reasona-
bic rules of procedure as they may have pre-
scribed for the hearfng OF such causes in the
county in which such cause OF complaint
originated. or in the county OF the principal
place OF business of such com pany, or in the
county of Fulton. and upon the hearing there
of, the Commissioners are hereby authorized
and empowered to decide and determine the
matters in dispute, and TO make such rules
and regulations concerning the same as shall
be just and reasonable, and not inconsist-
ent with the laws of this state or Of
the United States, to be emf reed by such
pr ceedings aud penalties a. are provided in
the said act Of Oct. IL, 1879, for violation of
the rules and regulations provided ana pre-
scrlbed by said commissioners; that should
either party be dissatisfied with the decision
of the commissioners. or with anV rule or
regulation made by them in any case, such
party shall have the right to carry the same
by appeal to the Superior Court Of the county
where the complaint originated, under the
same rules and regulations as 10 supersedeas
manner nrOViOpd nv
law in cases OF appeal from courts of Ordi-
nary, except that the right to have q superse-
IDEAS shall est in the discretion of the com
missloners, or OF the judge OF the court before
whom the appeal is TO be heard, and said
Superior Court shall he tr aud determine such
case unuer the same rules and regulations AS
are now prescribed by law for hearing equity
cases IN said court; that said causes shall have
precedence of all other causes on the docket,
and shall be heard AMI determined at the
first term unless continued for prOviden-
in opposition TO the railroad company
or companies may be represented by the
Solicitor General " the circuit in which said
cause Is heard; that either party TO such pro-
ceeding may move for q new trial, or except
to the action and ruling of such Superior
Court. in the same manner as is now provided
by law in other cases, and that The officers of
the Superior Court, the Solicitor General and
the clerk of the Commissioners. performing
services herein provided for, shall be entitled
TO the same fees and charges AS they are now
allowed by law for like services, or such as
may he fixed by the commission or the court,
60 be paid bv the party east in the proceedings
In which the SAID services are rendered, or by
either party, in the discretion OF the Commits
sioners or the court, as now provided by law
for taxing costs in equits cases.
SEC. 3. Be 10 further enacted bv the authority
aforesaid, That section ~ of SAID act OF Oct
IA. 1879. known in said Code Of Georgia as
section 7l9 %, which defines the terms ''rail-
road corporations" or "railroad company"
be, and the same is hereby amsnded by in
sorting after the word "inGividualsn the
words receiver or receivers" 30 that said
section, when amended, viii read as follows:
That the terms 'railroad corporation" or
railroad company" as contained in this act,
shall he deemed ard taken 70 mean all corpO-
rations, cOmpaniesO or individuals, receiver or
receiver, now owning or operating. or which
NAV hereafter own or operate any railroad,
in whole or in part, in this state, and the pro-
visions OF this act shall applylo all persons
firms and companies, and to all associations
OF persons. whe her Incorporated or other
wise. that shall do business as common car
riers upon any Of the lines OF railroad in this
State tetreet railways excepted. the same as
70 railroad corporations hereinbefore mem
toned.
Src.4. BE u further enacted, That no Increase
OF freight or passenger rates shall 20 into effect
until thirty days after the beginning OF the
advertisement required in section 2 OF this
act.