The Magnolia gazette., 1891-04-25

Of railroad haye been masls from
time 10 time, begirnlng with july
1crb. 1885, besides numberles'
local, commodity. or JOINT tarlft'
established with our sanction OF
at rsuegsstlou 4 The result oi
these reductions IN local freight
rates. as stated Ia our annual re.
mort made 10 the leglslature of
1883, has been a very much
larger aggregate annual saving to
the people of the state than that
resulting from the passenger re-
.dactlons, and this saving since
then has been Increased by reason
of subsequent revisions. Two
lines of railroad in the state lthe
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley,
and the Canton. Aberdeen and
Nashville) have a maximum
freight rate inserted 10 their char
tiers by the leglslat are, aud the
fact that this maximum which
these roads are allowed by law to
charge is greater than what would
now be a fair and reasonable rate,
illustrates the impI evident char
acter of such legislation.
All along in che judgu ent OF
the writer. as / have endeavored
to show in the annual reports 70
the legislature, the rates charged
by the railroads on ''local" bust
ness have been out OF proportion
to those charged on "thronghD
business.
THIS inequality, 1T has been the
object Of the commission IN the
various reYisions from time to
time to mo,hfy aud correct. A
careful watchiulness and the poll
cv Of fair but fearless revision
persisted in, will ultimately so
lessen this inequality as 20 great
ly advance the interests of all the
people of the state.
Competition largely protects
the interests of the cities and
towns where several lines concen'
trate , but the people who are not
benefited by lt--thess Of isolated
localities who are at the mercy OF
s single line of railroad--are the
sufferers and SHOULD he projected
bv an efficient and just enforce
ment of supervision laws.
Since have been a member of
the board, we have caused to be
erected or enlar ged ninety depots
in the state, greatly superior to
those replaced. We have caused
bulletin boards to be put up and
kept posted at all telegraph sta
tons, and promulgated Iegula-
tions IooKlng tothe comfort and
convenience of pa assengers at de.
pots aud on trains, .-te.1
q. Suggestions of amendments te
the railroad supervision laws made
IN oar several annual reports,
have been embodied in statute,
by the Legislature, aotabiyg those
relative to insecure bridges tracks
and tunnels. the preservation oi
order on trains and At depcts, ths
erection and location of JOINT Of
union depots, the abolition with.
out ths consent of the colnmissior
of stations, the furnishing o.
sufficient passenger cars, esc. q
M THE PENITENTIARY. ~
Daring the existence of .th,
lease of the penitentlarS, oul
dutles we're almost entirely su
l3ervisory, bu. since the cauceila-
ton of the lease, December 4th
1883, By the beard, the activ'
management Of. it has devolye'
upon us. At the outset, upoI
taking chasge, we found II neces
sarv tolexpead Large amount Il
The equipment of the penitentiary
and shops, and the purchase o
mules, ETC., for the farm. Durlnl
that year, 1889, and since, W
have rented and cultivated for tn
state a penitentiary farm, an
have established a wagon factor.
within the walls, thereby furnish
ing employment to quite a nun
ber of the prisoners. The large
part of the coByicts were, durinI
the first year Of our management
hired out as plantation hands.
The financial results in 1889
were the sum Of s22, 1877 81 pan
into the Slate treasury bv th
board Of control, the same bein
receipts in excess of expenditures
includes the proceeds of tn
rkp - the prison farm
some 81