The San Francisco call., 1895-11-14
The Railroad Commission Decides
to Fight for Its
Rights.
IGNORED BY MANY COMPANIES.
The Attorney.Generals Opinion In.
spires the Board to Demand
Annual Statements.

The Railroad Commissioners met yes
terday in their offices in this City. Conse-
quent upon their deliberations a motion
was passed having for its object all attempt
to compel all transportation companies to
submit annual reports. This was the most
important step taken by the board.
Chairman La Rue stated that the attor-
neys for the commission had informed
him that the case of the Southern Pacific
against the commission in the Circuit
Court had been postponed for one week.
Letters from w. w. Foote and J. G..
DAILY accepting the positions of advisory
counsel were read. These attorneys stated
further that they would Immediately hold
a conference with Attorney General Fitz-
gerald in regard to the Southern Pacific
suit.
Resolutions adopted by the Sacramento
Federated Trades supporting the board in
is action in cutting rates were read by the
secretary and ordered placed on the
min utes.
A letter from the assistant general man.
ager of the Southern Pacific regarding the
abandonment of a narrow gauge track be-
tween the Tuolumne River and Wood
bridge, beng part of the Lodi branch Of
the Northern Railway, was presented. The
reasons for abandoning the line were
lack of freight or traffic to make it pay
expenses. Cow fences cross the railway
now as they have done since the Southern
Pacific secured control of it.
The commission has lately received COM
munlcations from various lines assuring it
that 1t has no legal authority to demand,
or, IN fact. expect annual reports from
them. Still other transportation COM
panies, which have been designated by
the board as "delinquent.' have taken no
notice whatever of the existence of such a
body as the State Railway Commission.
They have simply ignored the board. First
OF all among these is the Southern Pacific
Company's whole system. The others
are:
Pacific Coast Steamship Company, Oakland,
san Leandro and Haywards Electric Railway
Company, Mount Lowe Railway Company
Pasadena and Los Angeles Railway Company,
| Wilmington Transportation Company San
Francisco and San Mateo Railway Company,
Sacramento Transportation Company; steamer
Gold, +. A. Allen. agent; steamer Zinfandel,
n. Y. Wulf, agent steamer Napa City, G. G.
Pinkham, agent; California Transportation
Company, California Navigation and Improve
ment Company, Union Transportation Com
pany, Bodie and Benton Railway Company,
San Diego Pacific and La Jolla Railway Com
pany, Pomona and North Pomona Railway
Company. San Bernardlno and Riverside Rail-
way Company, Cahuenga Railway Company,
>
steamer Monticello, Hatch Bros, agents /;
Stockton and Lodi Railroad Company, West
shore Railway Company, Piper, Aden. Goodall
d Co., San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company,
Corral Hollow Railroad Company.
Chairman La Rue suggested that the
secretary communicate with these de-
linquents and other transportation COM
panies that have failed to make reports as
| required by law, lnstructing them to file
| reports with him before December 1. On
| mo- tnr,t III lacl @lo -.
| board.
| Secretary Newman, asking for informa-
| ton, remarked that there were letters on
| file from nearly all these companies, ques-
| tioning the power of the commission to
demand reports.
well, the Attorney-General has given
| his opinion that the board has the power
| to compel all transportation and railway
companies to make these reports" replied
| Com missioner Stanton.
Wouldn't it be we'll to incorporate that
! fact in the secretary's letter." asked La
Rue, land also the fact that if the reports
be not made we shall compel the COM
! panies to show cause and cite them to ap-
| pear. The Attorney-General will begin
proceedings at once to carry the question
| to head"
"The Attorney-General has also stated
that he will not arbitrate with electric
road companies, and we should demand
their. reports, Stanton added. The
stage companies should be included, as
| the Attorney General said they were
Transportation companies, and as such
should report to u.s."
Undoubtedly, assented La Rue.
There's stage up in the Sierras." re-
marked Commissioner Clarke, ''from
Truckee to Tahoe. that charges so much a
man can hardly afford to travel on it.
No doubt there are many others like it..
| There is no check on their charges"
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company
and other lines engaged in transportation
along the coast of California it was held
should be included with the rest, since the
same authority was cited to show that
they were subject to the commission.
They also will be asked to submit annual
reports.
Commissioner Stanton moved that the
Valley road and the Corral Hollow road
be requested to make reports on the cost
of construction, contracts for grading,
material, wages, right of way, etc. He
explained that the information was
needed for statistical purposes-to show
the cost of railroad construction in Cali
fornla at the present time. The motion
carried.
The meeting adjourned until Novem-
ber o.