The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-02-25

ACT SAlHU8o Gy e&S8 UuAs Nt8foSy
to charge or receive for srAasportA
ton Of . passenger between Any tuo
points in North Carolina more than
iuo 90 cects per mile for drst-elass
fare or ore and . half tlit for sec
ord class fare.
SEC. J. Isshali be unlavsul for
any telegraph company TO charge
for q Message between Any tvo
points in North Carolina TO exceed
the llowing rate, 10 vii: Fifteen
(l5) cents for . message OF ten words
or lees 10 the body Of the message
(ihs address and signature no; TO
be charged for) and one cent for
each additional word over ten words.
SIC. 1. II shall be unlawful for
any company or person operating .
telephone line or exchange to charge
more than q. the rate Of twelve dol
lars per apnum for the rent or use
of q telephone At . residence. OF
eighteen dollars per annum for the
use or rental of . telephone located
in a store, Office or other place OF
busiIess.
SEC 5. N, railroad, telegraph or
telephone shall. in consequence OF
the esta blish ment of the rates here
IN provided for. give less amount
Of accom- modation Tor inferior &C
com omdatlop) that is now furnished.
SEC. e. That just and reasonable
freight rates within the meaning OF
said Chapter 800. Acts 1891. are to
be prescribed and established by
the Railroad Commission in the man
ner following: The charges 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 ex-
coed net profit Of six per cent. per
aunum, on the actual cost of the
construction of its line and equip
ment and other necessary property
in this State. In calculating said
net profits the Railroad Commission
is forbidden to take into considera-
ton, as a proper and legitimate de-
duc,ion from the gross receipts, SO
much of any and all salaries paid by
any railroad company which is in ex-
cess of $4,000 per annum to any
one oficer-or the payment of other
unnecessary or exorbitant expen-
ses, or the rental paid on leased lines
or disbursements for purposes not
within the line of the duties of said
corporation within the scope of its
charter. For this purpose the Rail
road Comm ssion is hereby author
zed to send for persons and papers,
and to examine all officers, agents
and employees of said railroad cor,
poration or other persons, under
oath, as is provided in said chapter.
1t shall be unlawful for any rail
road, steamboat, telegraph or ex-
press company to issue 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 IN
der this State under any pretext
whatsoever, whether for service
rendered or otherwise; nor to any
other person (not an employee or Of
ficer of itself or connecting line)
except for services of equal value
rendered by the recipient to said
companies.
Every railroad, stea mboat, tele-
graph and express company shall on
the first day of July of each year re-
turn on oath to the Railroad Com
mission list of the franks or free
passes granted to persons other than
employees of themselves or of a con-
Meeting corpol alton, stating oppo-
site to the name of each person the
nature of the service for which said
free pass or frank was issued, which
list so returned shall be open at all
times to the inspection of the pub
lie. Any violation of the provisions
of this act shall be punished as is
provided fer violation of the regu-
lations Of the Railroad Commission
in aforesaid chapter $40, acts 1891.
and in addition thereto, for each and
every violation of this act the cor
poration so offending shall be liable
to a penalty in the sum of two hun
dred dollars to be recovered before
justice of the peace in any county
in which such corporation shall have
part of its line or track or habitually
exercise its franchise. Any person
holding any Office or place of trust
or profit under this State who shall
accept frank or free pass from
aforesaid corporations or service at
less rate than is charged the public
generally, and any other person
(other than employees and officers of
said corporation or q connecting
company who shall accept a free
pass or frank (or less services at
rates less than those charged the
public generally unless in return
for services rendered shall likewise
be liable to penalty of two nun
dred dollars to be recovered by any
person who shall sue for the same.
All acts and part of acts in con.
flict with this act are hereby re.
pealed.
This act shall be in force from
and after its ratification.
| AAJOhA1t nEfOhts
The committee on railroads and
Railroad Commission to whom H.
B. Bill was referred, make the fol.
lowing report:
We are of opinion that it is to the
best interests of the State that no
change be made in the manner OF
electing Railroad Commissioners.
We have given full consideration
to the subject of reducing the rates
charged by railroads and steam
boats in North Carolina, and we
are Of opinion that existing rates
as fixed and supervised by the Rail.
road Commission, should not be in.
terfered with. An examination OF
the report of the railroad commits.
sioners will show that they ente,
into every detail Of transportation
freight and passeuger-and that
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