Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-02-05
MINNESOTA RAILROADS.

MINNESOTA ia ILR0ADS,
Annual Report or tho hannesota Railroad
Commissioners for tho Year 1855 s.: j
Grain Elevators and Warehouses and
Transit Ratios Treated Of Mt Consider
49,. abls Length. 4agS.
WORK OF THE conM1ss1oN: V y. +.
The commission began their work by .
careful study of the law, It was Thought
better to proceed slowly than to jeopardize
the public interests by precipitate action.
The establishment OF state grades, the formu-
lation of rules and regulations for the serv-
ice, and TIE selection and appointments OF
inspectors and weighers, were of paramount
Importance Grain and wood rates required
revision, and complaints concerning the con-
ditton of station houses demanded consider
alton. The commission have succeeded in
abolishing transit rates on grain, except
In . purely optional form Wood rates
have been regulated, and other rates
of general character have been
considered Station houses have been
visited on nearly all new lines, with tho
result of securing better accommodations
for patrons. Uniform grades in wheat and
other grain, and q uniform system of weigh
ing, have also been put In operation. The
act of March S. 1885, for the regulation OF
railways, was the Legitimate outcome of o
complaint throughout the state that railway
managers were becoming arrogant. The peo-
pie demanded the establishment of an indie
pendent tribunal, clothed with authority to
consider and redress their wrongs It is from
the complaints made by the people that the
board obtains its most reliable information
on the subject of corporate extortion, mis-
management and oppression. The law Gre
ating the commission is an important step in
the right direction toward the proper regu-
latlon aud control of corporations that have
received their franchises from the people of
the state. In administering the law the
commission has sought to promote the in
terests of the entire commonwealth. The
subject Of additional legislation has been
considered, out no suggestions will be made
until the time for the next annual report
The commissioners state they experienced
much difficulty in preparing their report,
because several of the companies did not an
ever the questions asked in an accurate and
definite manner, evading, they say, the
question, or claiming the information could
not be given From this charge they ex-
empt the Milwaukee g. st. Paul. North
western, Duluth & Iron Range and Northern
Pacific. In the future the com missioners say
they will insist that the reports of all COM
panies be complete and definite. The COM
missioners consider railway map of the
state necessary, and will have one prepared
directly under their supervision 1t
will be a township matter, with the
topography compared with original data
from the surveyor generals Office. The set
vi March 5, 1885 which requires at least
one Of the commissioners to visit the various
stations in the state, at least once in three
months is considered TOO stringent, as it
occupies too much time Of the commission
ers. The views of Commissioner Baker, as
stated in his annual reports Of 1882, 1883
and 1884, regarding pools and pooling is
reiterated by the commission. 1t thinks
that so long this system is in vogue it
should be put under state control and state
supervision, until that desirable result shall
be fully consummated Since the new law
became operative there has been a marked
increase in the number Of complaints. The
nature and character of them cover wide
range Of subjects. Seventy six OF these were
received up to December l, and of them
thirty-seven adjusted The others were still
in process OF settlement
FREIGHT CLASSIFICATION AND STATISTICS
Complaint is made Of the system of CLASH
fying freight A uniform classification
throughout the country is advocated. The
commissioners think the state legislatures
should do all in their power to secure this,
and also to have all classifcations subjected
to the approval of the commissioners before
put in operation. If the several states are
not able to do this, the matter should be
made 4 subject for federal Legislation
Freight earnings compared with 1884 were
increased $71 1896. Referring to reduced
freight rates, and the limit of such reduction.
the commissioners endorse the opinion vent
ured by the Iowa commission that some
point between 81 and 81 cents
per ton per mile is as low
an average as freight can be
hauled under the conditions Of the present
traffic" The estimated average per ton per
mile in Mime sota was 81. 4G, and the total
average rate on the entire lines of roads do
ing busin ess in the state $1.31. PASSENGER
traffic is the subject of another paragraph.
in which So. IS is given as the average rate
per passenger per mile, and 81. OF as the
average earnings from each passenger. Com
pared with the figures of 1884, the average
rate Tor oil passengers carried shows de-
crease Of cents The fixed rate per mile
for local passenger travel Is 4 cents The
commissioners think the time has come
when this should be reduced to 3 cents.
They think the volume of business
and increased facilities of the roads
would warrant this reduction During
tho past year the passenger rate per mile
was increased on the Milwaukee j. st Paul
and Cedar Rapids 4 Northern, and decreased
on the Omaha, Northwestern, Manitoba.
Northern Pacific and Minneapolis St Louis.
Tho scalper is given recognition in the re-
port to be condemned in very harsh Ian
guage. scalping tickets, the report says, is a
species of brigandage which tithes the whole
passenger traffic In concluding this para
graph the present policy of the pass system
is deprecated, and the commissioners ex-
press the hope that congress will fully con-
sider this question in the proposed national
supervision of railways
PASSENGER WAITING ROOMS
The act of March Z, 1855, requiring rail-
road companies to provide suitable passen-
ger waiting rooms at cities, towns and vii
lagos, took effect June /, 1855 Prom per-
sonal investigation thirty -one stations were
found inadequately provided with accom-
modationA The results were presented to
the companies, with satisfactory results in
most cases Twenty -one stations have been
built or enlarged. and others promised at an
early day: If, under. the act of March 5,
JcsSN h.