The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-06
A DEREL|CT COMMISSION.
Eleven Railroad Companies
That Have Never Submit
ted Report.
EvADING THE CONSTITUTION.
Merchants Declare That the Com
mission Is Useless and Ought
to Be Abolished.

A good many people are of the opinion
that the State Railway Commission is a
little worse than useless and ought to be
abolished. There is nothing particularly
new in this opinion, which at one time
crystaIlized in the form OF impeachment
proceedings. The Commissioners are sup
posed to stand between the people and the
CORPORATIONS IL the matter of regulating
freights and fares. A part of their duty is
to gather detailed in formation relative to
railway operation for the information of
the Legislature and the people, the same to
be published in annual reports to the
Governor. Extensive powers have been
granted the commission by the constitu-
ton. Section p says, after prescribing the
manner of election:
Said Commissioners shall have the power,
and it shall be their duty, to establish rates of
charges for the transportation of passengers
and freight by railroad or other sportation
companies, and publish the same from time TO
time With such changes as they may make;
to examine the books, records and papers of
all railroad and other transportation COM
panies and for this purpose they shall have
power to issue subpenas and all other neees-
sary process; TO hear and determine COM
plants against railroad and other transporta-
ton companies, to send for persons and papers,
to administer oaths, take testimony and pun
in the same manner and to the same extent as
courts of record, and enforce their decisions
and correct abuses through the medium of the
courts.
Said Commissioners shall prescribe a uniform
system of accounts TO be kept by all such cor
porations and companies. Any railroad cor
poration or transportation company which
Shall fail or refuse 10 conform 10 such rates as
shall be established by such Commissioners, or
shall charge rates in excess thereof, or shall
fail to keep their accounts in accordance with
SFa1d hall
be fined not exceeding SIC, 900 for each Of
Tense; and every officer, agent, or einploye of
any such corporation or company who shall
demand or receive rates in excess thereof,
or who shall in any manner violate
the provisions of this section, shall
be fined not exceeding $4,000, or be i'm
prisone6 in the county jail not exceeding one
year. In all controversies, civil or criminal,
the rates of fares and freignts esta blished by
said commission shall be deemed conclusively
just and reasonable.
And again in section of an act ap-
proved April 10, 1850:
The process issued by the board shall extend
TO all parts of the State. The board shall have
pena in like manner as courts of record, and
any process issued by the board may be served
in any county in the State.
How the Commissioners have used the
power granted them under the law in
years past is a matter of public notoriety.
The present board went into office under
pied ges to reduce rates, yet no reduction
has been made or attempted as far as can
be learned. Not only have these pledges
to the people been ignored but the Com
missloners have signally failed in their
duty as clearly laid down by the constitu-
ton.
Section 6 of the act creating the board
makes it the duty of the Commissioners to
notify all railroad corporations engaged in
the business of transportation, demanding
reports covering all the details of construc-
ton, operation. revenue, ETC., and this
within thirty days after taking office. The
Commissioners are also required to cause
blanks TO be prepared proposing questions
calculated to elicit facts and statistics
deemed necessary for the information of
the Legislature.
How have the members of the present
board complied with the requirements of
this Iaw2
No doubt some of the more important
transportation companies have been asked
for reports. One has complied, the Cali
fornia Railroad-one in eight months.
There are eleven railroads in the State,
however, that have not been asked fer re-
ports. As matter of fact these compa-
MES have never filed report with any COM
mission. The reason IS apparent. No
reports have been asked for. The COM
panies referred to are as follows:
Bodie and Benton Railroad, Mono
County; Smith River Railroad, Del Norte
County; Chino Valley Railroad, San Ber-
nardino County; Sierra and Mohawk Val
ley Railroad, Sierra County; Santa Ana
and Newport Railroad, Orange County;
San Diego and Pacific Beach Railroad
Company, San Diego County; California
Pacific Lumber Company's Railroad,
Humboldt County; Southern California
Motor Railroad, San Bernardino County;
Cahuenga Valley Railroad, Los Angeles
County: Pomona and North Pomona
Railroad Company, Los Angeles County.
These roads are all in active operation
and have been for some years. Some OF
while others handle only freight. In
length they vary from Is to IT'S miles The
secretary of the commission said yesterday
that he had not notified these roads to
send in reports, because preceding COM
missions had not done so. He had never
heard of some of them, but thought that
the matter ought to be looked into. The
Commissioners are not highly regarded by
the merchants, who, after their pledges to
the people, naturally looked for some re-
lief from exorbitant rates.
A representative of George W. Gibbs &
Co. said yesterday:
II am a Democrat and voted for Stanton,
but l am sorry for it now. This board evil
IDENTITY intends TO do nothing. What have
previous boards done? 1t has always been
a proposition of talk much and do nothing.
The commission ought to be abolished 1t
is a shame to tax people to maintain such
body"
Mr. Miller of Miller, Sloss & Scott said:
''The Railway Commission is a useless
body. No man of intelligence expects
reduction of rates, or anything else from
three men owned body and soul by the
Southern Pacific Company. It's the old
story When has Railroad Commission
attempted to do anything for the people?
Pledges-yes l know. What do pledges
amount to from those people? The COM
mission ought to be abolished.