Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-01
THE RAILROAD BILL.
Tho Full Text Of the Perfected
PLEASURE as 1t Now Stands.
POWER TO MAKE RATES.
low the Commission shall ne Consti-
tatsd-whas1ts Powers Arc 10 be-
Schedules and How Changed.


the patron of the bill and will champion it
In the House. and Mr.. ID. Gardiner Tyler.
Of Charles City. will lead the effort TO get
u through the Senate. The basis of the
measure 10 the Kent bill which was IN
PRODUCED into the last Legislature,
but never passed the Senate. There
have. however. been, incorporated In IT
several important amendments suggested
by tho Richmond Chamber of Commerce
together with changes ernanating from
other sources. In order that the public
may become thoroughly acquainted with
its provisions by the time it comes up Tor
discussion in the Legisiature. the DISPATCH
presents this morning the full text OF the
perfected measure.
PULL TEXT OF THE BILL
The title OF the bill which will be taken
mp by the House Committee on Roads as
soon a. the lawmakers return to their la
bors is TO establish q commission and
provide for the supervision OF railroads
and other common carriers in the State OF
Virginia" The bill reads: a
]. BE il enacted by me Generd assembly. o.
Virginia. That there shall be established a
commission, 20 be called a board of roll
road commissioners. for the State OF Vir-
GINA, 20 be nominated aud elected in the
manner hereinafter provided. and invest
ri with the following powers and duties
10 wit:
HOW 1Hg COMMISSION Is FORMED.
q. Said board shall consist Of three COM
mlssioners, nominated by the Governor
and elected by majority of the Joint vote
Of the General Assembly, and upon their
election they shall be commissioned by
the Governor, and shall take and sub
scribe the oath hereinafter prescribed,
and shall hold Office for the term herein
after provided. Should the persons norni-
mated by the Governor, or either OF them
not be elected by the General Assembly
the fact shall at once be reported TO the
Governor by the Keeper of the Rolls OF the
House of Delegates, and upon such notice
the Governor shall make other nOmira-
tions 10 supply the place or places OF those
vino failed If election until the whole
number constituting said s0aro as herein
provided shall be elected.
g. After the expiration OF the terms OF
Office of the commissioners first elected,
tho term of Office of their successors shall
be SIX years. But at the first election one
commissioner shall be elected for two
wears one for four years, and one for SIX
yeArs. Said commissioners shall severslly
take and subscribe an oath faithfully 10
discharge the duties OF their ONCE; That
they are not the owner nor In any way
company, canal company, steamboat
company, telegraph company. express COM
pany. nor IN any firm or ASSOCIATION OF
persons, incorporated or otherwise, dong
the business of common carrier IN this
state. and that they will not so become
the owner of such stock or become inter-
ested in such stock during their contlnu-
ance in office. Said oath shall be taken
and subscribed before some officer OF the
State authorized to administer oaths, and
shall be filed in the Office of the Auditor of
Public Accounts. and an entry of the
taking of such oaths shall be made on the
records OF the proceedings OF said CON-
missioner, which shati be kept IN Its Office.
In case vacancy occurs in SAID CON-
mission by death OF resignation when the
General Assembly is not III session the
Governor shall at once commission some
one to fill such vacancy until the same is
supplied by election by the General As
sembly. And IN case member OF SAID
board becomes disqualified. he shall at
once remove the disqualification or resign,
and on his failure to do so he must be sus-
pended from Office by the Governor.
In case of suspension the Governor shall
fill the vacancy until the suspended CON-
missioner is restored or removed, or his
successor is elected and qualified.
OFFICE AND SALARY.
A. Said commissioners shall De furnished
with an office, necessary furniture, and station
cry, and may employ secretary or clerk at an
annual salary Of 81 200, at tho expense OF the
sfate,an the annual salary Of each commits
sioner shall be $4,000, 20 be paid from the
Treasury Of the state. The Office Of said com
missioners shall be kept In the city of Richmond
A majority Of the commissioners fhal
constitute quorum for the TRANSACTION
OF business. They shall select chairman
from their number, who shall preside over tue
- tlo ,tt.ia nj ia abs
she commissioner whose term OF Office Is lart 70
expire shall preside In his stead. All sums Of
money authorized to be paid 10y this act out OF
tho State Treasury shall be paid only on the
certificate OF the board Of commissioners direct
cd 20 the Auditor OF Public Accounts provided
that the total sum 10 be- expended 10y said CON-
missioners Tor ofico rent, furniture, and station
cry shall In no case exceed the sum OF s2,uut
for the frst year and ~, 800 for each succeeding
year
g. Said Board OF Commissioners shall have the
general supervision OF all railroads In THIS State
and other corporations and associations dOlnt
business as common carriers and shall cxamin,
the same ard keep informed rs 10 their physica
condition and the mHnnar in which they ara
operated, with reference TO the security ana ac'
commodation OF the public and tho complanc,
OF the eaid corporations and associations VIII
the laws of the Commonwealth, and the PROV
ai0ns OF this act shall apply 20 trustees, re
ceivers, and others owning ana operating th'
INQUIRED TO MAKE RATES
Tho said Board Of Raj BAD Commissioners ar,
hereby authorized and required 10 make for eacl
O. the railroad corporations dong business II
this state, as soon as practicable, schedule o
Just and reasonable rates oI charges Tor tn
Transportation OF passengers and freight an'
cars on es>sh Of said railroads, and said schedule
snail In suits brought against any such raiiroa'
corporation wherein Is involved inc charges Q
any such railroad corporation for the transpor
tation OF any passenger, or freight, or cars, O
unjust discrimination IN relation thereto. ~
doomed aud taken In all the courts oil the stat
o. suihciont evidence that the rates, rules, an'
regulations theron nxed are just and reasona
bic rates and charges, rules and regulations 70
the transportation OF passengers and freight an'
cars upon the railroads, and reasonable rule
aud regulations Tor tho conduct OF sei
roads: and said commissioners shall, froD
ti,nv TO time, md as often as the
deem proper. change and revise said schedules
When any schedule shall have been made or re
vised az Aforesaid, IL shan be the duty OF al
euch railroad companies 20 post at all OF thel
respective Stations In u conspicuous place,
copy OF said schedule for the information OF tn
people; and Tor tnis purpose II shall De the dut!
Of said commissioners TO forward copy OF sucl
schedule by mail TO The ciliof transportation OF
ncer OF each railroad company as soon as pre-
pared. vita a notification appended to said sche
dule when the same shall 20 into effect
SCHEDULES PRINA rAciE EVIDENCE.
All such schedules a. Aforesaid shall be ro
ceiyed and held In all suits as pTAra .fdc'e Ia
proof than the production OF the schedules do
sired 20 be uesd az evidence, with a certificate q
Tho Board o, Railroad Commissioners, or HI
clerk thereof, thar the same Is a true copy OF tn
schedule prepared by them for the railroad com
pany or corporation therein named. and that tn
bamo was duly forwarded as aforesaid 10 th'
chief transportation officers OF the railroad II
question, with the date upon which said schedule
was forwarded; provided, shat II any railroad II
this STATE shall deem the schedule OF rates or IN
rules and regulations liked by the commissioner
a. 70 passenger fare or tar n on any class OF mer
chanalee named "a such hUheouio unreasonable
the said rallrcad company may appl? IN writiul
20 said commission Tor correction oi tie same
specifying the ground of grievance. and askinl
that tue same may be corrected and II, upoi
the airing, the com uiSsion refuse 10 coinpl,
with said request the cofnpQny 30 aggr1eve'
ma. upon ton day'r notice thereafter, appeal Z
the Chancery Court OF the siiy OF Richmond. and
the elm commissioners shall tncroupon transmit
20 the said ChaAcery Court q record oi their dc
teflninations OF the rates OF gaii company, VIII
iue exceptions OF The company thereto and tnel
de ii0ns thereon aud all she papers ana eyi
dence considered BY Iiem IA making Their DC
clsior.
: cAsEs TO Rave PRECEDENCE.
The seid cause shah be placed on the docke
OF said court and shall have precedence Of al
other causes aud shah DC tried under the Same
rules and regulations as arc prescribed for IA.
= trial OF osher causes. except tnst the rate Exec
BY The commissioners shall be taken 10 b.
pr.pla ftk4e Just aud fair; provided, the Hppea
may ey conseut Of The commissioners anc con-