The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-02-09
nInnEso NEWS.
THE COMMISSIONERS REl,oRr.

Tho Annual Report Of the Slinnesota Rail-
road Commis.ion Discusses Quest ons %
1nterest, such - FREQ 1ransportation ana
Appeals to the Courts
The annual report Of the railroad and
warehouse commission OF Minnesota IL now
in press and was given out for publication
yesterday. The following extracts cover the
most important points:
The AMOUNT Of the taxes paid into the
state treasury for the year ending Dec. 81,
1886, was 1872. 236 48. an increase Of $500.
49,. 81 over The previous year.
The number of passengers killed VAST.
and the number injured 81; number of en-
ployes killed. IS; number injured, 40; total
casualties 496
Total number of employees on all the lines
June 81, 1887. was I'll. 4s3. an increase Of
1873 over 1886.
The total number of passengers carried
during the year was 8.141, 1853, against
6.323.188 in 1886. The average rate per
mile was 2. 46 cents in 1887 and 27O cents
in 1856.
The total number of tons Of freight car
1ied IN 1887 was II. l5O, 1872, against 8. 49,
66S Tor the previous year: and the average
earning on each ton was 81, 81 In 1887 aud
S. Oh in 1886 Tho average rate per ton
per mile in 1887 was 1.27 cents.
THE STATE PASS SYSTEM.
Inc interstate commerce law prohibits
ncers or employees The state act provides
that all charges made for any services
rendered in the transportation OF passengera
aud property shalt be equal and reasonable.
But sue" law effectualy utilities the bene-
t1cent provisions by provlso that nothing
in The provisions of this act shall ba con-
strued to prevent common carriers from
issuing passes for the free transportation of
passengers" This opens q discussion Of the
pass system. The total abolition Of the
..v>rSn al 10 AH~
roads, and would increase the revenues the
state derives from the taxation OF the gross
earnings "A ticket entitling one to
free passage by rail was often more
effective in enlisting tho assistance and
support OF the holder than its value in
money would have been, and IN 4 great
many cases it would have been received and
availed of when the offer of money, made to
accomplish the same end, would have been
epurned as bribe. 1t ia the conviction of
this commission that the issuing OF passes as
now practiced in this state is an unjust dis
pays, and ia opposed to the spirit Of the act
passed for the regulation of common carriers;
that it IA frightful source OF corruption;
that it is injurious alike TO the public ana
private interests of the companies them
selves, ana that IL is one OF the chief OBJ
stac'es in the way of proper and neces-
sary reform in railway management and the
control thereof under the authority of the
state.
COMPLAINTS.
In speaking of the long and Snort haul
clause, the report recites the case OF the
minneapolis 4 ST. Louis road for relief, a de-
clsion being rendered by the commission
against the company The commission il of
the opinion that it is not well to prohibit
common carriers from reducing rates at
Will. The common carriers OF the state, 80
lar as IL known to the commission, have
shown themselves ready to comply with tho
law which relates to The filing aud publica-
tons OF tariffs In other material points
suits. the operation of the law has been
favorable, both to the roads and the public
In the matter OF complaints it has been
found that. in the first instance, it is o wise
and satisfactory policy to open CORE
Epondence with the company with view to
adjust the matter complained OF. The COM
panles have been prompt in responding to
letters SO addressed to them, aud in very
many instances satisfactory adjustment
has been reached without further pro-
cedure. There are some cases, however,
which cannot thus be disposed of. Some of
the cases which have occupied the attention
OF the commission deserve q notice, such as
the order relating to the switching charges
in Minneapolis, milk rates on the Iowa &
Minnesota division Of the Omaha road, pas
senger rates on the Manitoba and Northern
Paclhc, the complaint OF the Mankato job
bers' union as TO rates on the Omaha from
Duluth to Mankato.
PASSENGER RATES
The question oil passenger rates In Minue-
sofa received the con sheraton OF the CON-
mission in 1886, and an order was made
that the maximum rate should not exceed
three cents per mile The Duluth Iron
Range was excepted from this order as was
also the Manitoba and Northern Pacific, the
latter road having made a reduction in
freight rates. On Nov 10, 1887. the COM
mission, after examining the annual report
OF the companies, issued an order requiring
the passenger rate on the Manitoba and
Northern Pacific to be placed at thee cents
per mile. The Manitoba appealed to the
the order to be set aside. A stay of proceed
ings was granted, and the matter rests at
that point as regards the Manitoba. The
Northern Pacific has neither obeyed the
order or appealed therefrom. it claiming
that being a corporation created by an act
OF congress it is not subject 10 state req ua-
ton or control. But it will be time enough
10 consider this LITTER point when the courts
have passed definitely upon the issues raised
by the ManitOna company.
STATE CONTROL AT ISSUE
The appeals to federal and state courts.
lnjunctions. restraining orders and stays OF
proceedings show the temper and disposition
OF the railway managers of tho state with
reference to state control of common car
riers
Nearly every eHort mace by the commits
sion to assert the supremacy Of the state has
been by an appeal 10 the courts, and every
move with reference to rates. classification,
methods OF dong business with the public
is resisted as an impertinence. The amounts
involved in the cases now in court against
the companies are not large, and if decided
against the companies would make no per-
ceptlbie decrease In their revenues Notably
Is this true OF the order affecting milk rates
on the Iowa & Minnesota division Of the
Milwaukee road. and OF the order affecting
passenger rates on the Manitoba and NORTH
ern Pacific roads II is the principle of state
control and state legislation which is now at
issue in the courts
A PATHETIC APPEAL.