The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-02-23
A BILL.


Provide for the General Supervision of
Railroads, Steamboat and Canal Com
panies, Express and Telegraph Com
panies Doing Business in the State of
of North Carolina"
The General Assembly of North Caro-
lima DO enact:
SECTION 1. Chapter 800 of the laws
of 1891 is hereby amended by striking
out all Of lines 9 and 10, Section 1 of
said Act, except the word years" at
the beginning of line 8 and inserting
in lieu OF the matter thus stricken out
the following: THE successor to any
OF said commissioners whose term shall
be about to expire shall be chosen by the
people at the general election held next
before the expiring of said term; this
provision however is not to apply to
the commissioner whose term shall ex-
pire during the current year." Said
Section ] is further amended by strik-
ing out the words General Assembly
that co~nvenes" in line IS and insert
ing in lieu thereof people at the gen
eral election held"
SEC 2. It shall be unlawful for any
railroad or steamboat company to
charge or receive for transportation of
6 passenger between any two points in
North Carolina more than two ~ cents
per mile first class fare or 4 and a
half 2b for second class fare.
SEC 3 It shall be unlawful for auy
telegraph company to charge for a
message between any two points in
North Carolina to exceed the following
rate, to wit: Fifteen (45) cents for a
message Of ten words or less in the
body OF the message (the address and
signature not to be c~hargedfoI) and one
cent for each additional word over ten
words.
SEC 4 It shall be unlawful for any
company or person operating a tele
phone line or exchange to charge more
than at the rate Of twelve dollars per
annum for the rent or uge of a tele-
phone at a residence, or eighteen dol
lars per annum for the use or rental of
a telephone located in a store, ofice or
other place Of business.
SEC 5. No railroad, telegraph or
telephone shall, in consequence
of the establishment of the rates
herein provided for, give a less
amount of accommodation Tor inferior
accommodation than in now fur
nished.
SIC. 6. That just and reasonable
freight rates within the meaning Of said
Chapter 800, Acts 1891, are to be pre-,
scribed and established by the Railroad
Commission in the following
The charge for freight between any
two points in North Carolina shall be
calculated upon the following basis
to wit: taking said charges for freight
in connection with the receipts from
all other sources, the total gross re,
ceipts from all sources, shall not yield
to any railroad company to exceed a
net profit of six per cent. per annum,
on the actual cost of the construction
of it's line and equipment and other
necessary property in this State. In
calculating said net profits the Rail.
road Commission is forbidden to take
into consid GRAFTON, as a proper and legi,
innate deduction from the gross re,
ceipts, so much Of any and all salaries
paid by any railroad company which
is in excess of 50, 500 per annum to any
one ohcer-Or the payment of other
unnecessary or exorbitant expenses,
or the rental paid on leased lines or
disbursements for purposes not within
the line of the duties of said corpora.
ton within the scope of its charter.
For this purpose the Railroad Commits
sion is hereby authorized to send for
persons and papers, and to examine all
; officers, agents and employees IF said
railroad corporation or other person,
under oath, as is provided in said chap
J ter.
; SEC. Z. It shall be unlawful for any
railroad, steamboat, telegraph Or ex,
press company to issue a free pass or
frank or render service at less than the
rates charged the public generally, to
any person holding an Office or place
| of profit or trust under this State I'm.
der any pretext whatsoever, whether
for services rendered or otherwise; noI
; to any other person mot an employee
or officer of itself or connecting line
except for services Of equal value rem
dered by the recipient to said com
: panies.
SEC. 8. Every railroad, steamboat,
|. telepraDh and exDress comuenV shall