The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-04-23

nd not to exceed $500
Sec. II. The commission shall ascer-
4hin as early as practicable the amount
~ money expended in construction and
Equipment per mileof every railway in
Texas; the amount of money expended
to procure the right-of-way, and the
amount of money it would require to re-
construct the road bed, track, depots
and transportation. and to replace all
the Physical properties belonging to the
Tailroad.
1T shall. also ascertain the outstanding
hpnds, debentures and Indebtedness and
the amount respectively thereof, when
lssued and rate of interest, when due,
for what purposes issued. how used. to
whom issued, to whom sold. and the
price in cash, property OF labor, if any,
Teceived therefor, what became of the
proceeds, by whom the Indebtedness is
sfheld, the amount purporting to he due
thereon, the floating Indebtedness of the
company. TO whom due and his address,
the credits due Oh it, the property ON
hand belonging to the railroad company
and the judicial and ojher sales of said
road, its property or franchises, and the
amounts purporting TO have been paid,
and IN what manner paid therefor. The
commission shall also ascertain the
amounts paid for salaries to the officers
OF the railroad and the wages paid the
employees.
For the purpose in this section named
NTflQ commission
sperts to inspect and assist them when
needed, and from time to time as the
Information required by this section is
obtained, it shall communicate the same
to the Encouragement by report, and
Hle duplicate thereof with the comp
troller for public use. And said infor-
nation shall be printed from time to
time in the annual report of the COM
mission.
Sec. 12. The said commission shall
cause to be prepared suitable blanks
with questions calculated to elicit all
information concerning railroads, and
as often as it may be necessary furnish
laid blanks to each railroad company.
Any railroad company receiving from
the commission any such blanks shall
cause said blanks to be properly filled
out so as tH answer fully and correctly
each ques .,on therein propounded, and
in case the are unable to answer any
question ti,ev shall give satisfactory
reason iNr their failure, and the said
answers duly sworn to by the proper
officer of said company, shall be return
ed to said commission at this office, in
the city of Austin within thirty days
FROM the recelpt thereof
(a} II any officer or employee of rail
road company shall fail or refuse to fill
out and return any blanks as above re-
CURED, or fail Or refuse to answer any
questions therein propounded. or give
false answer to any such questions,
Tor shall evade the answer to
1any such questions, such person
shall be guilty of misdemeanor,
and shall on conviction thereof be
fined for each day he shall fail to
perform such duty after the expiration
tjf the time aforesaid penalty of $500,
cntion therefor in the proper court; and
penalty of a like amount shall be re-
covered from the company when it ap-
Hpears that such person acted in obedi-
ence to its direction, permission or re-
qnest in his failure, evasion or refusal.
Said commission shall have the power to
prescribe system of bookkeeping to
be observed by all the railroads subject
hereto under the penalty prescribed in
this section.
,e#lb) The said commission shall make
and submit to the governor annual re-
morris containing full and complete
account of the transactions of their
office, together with the information
gathered by such commission as herein
Required and such other facts, sugges-
lions and recommendations as may be
by them deemed necessary, which re-
bort shall be published as the reports of
the heads Of departments. The said
kcommission shall have the power and it
us hereby made its duty to investigate
all through freight rates on railroads in
Texas. and when the same are, in the
opinion of the commission, excessive or
levied OF laid in violation of the inter-
state commerce law, or the rules and
Regulations of the interstate commerce
commission, the officials of the railroads
are to be notified of the facts and re-
|squested to reduce them or make the
proper corrections as the cases may be.
When the rates are not changed, or the
proper corrections are not made accord
ing to the request of the commission the
Better is instructed to notify the inter
state commerce commission and to apply
to it for relief.
Sec. ID. The said commission, in
making any examination for investiga-
lion provided in this act, shall have
bower to issue subp9nas for the at
; tendance of witnesses by such rules as
they may prescribe. Each witness who
shall appear before the commission, at
place outside the county of his residence,
Shall receive for his attendance 81 per
hay and cents per mile, Travelled by
the nearest practicable route. in going
NnIO Of