Evening journal., 1897-03-16
THE GRANGERS' BILL.
Want a Railroad Commission
Established III the State.
NEW BOILER INSPECTION MOVE:

GIVEN UP HOPE OF PLEASANT
JoBs-NEws OF HOUSE AND
SENATE.
STAFF Correspondence Evening Journal
DOVER, March 16.-Representative
Donaldson, chairman of the special
railroad committee. has received from
the Changers a bill to establish a rail-
read commission for the State Of Della
ware. IL provides for the appointment
of a commission composed Of one mem
Der from each county, to be appointed
! by The governor for the term of five
years. provided that the first appoint
mems shall be for three, four and five
years, respectively After that the ap-
pointments shall be for five years as
the terms expire. The salary of each
commissioner shall be $1,000 per an
mum, payable quarterly The governor
is authorized to fill all vacancies with
in thirty days after such vacancies oc-
/ cur. The commissioners shall be resi-
dents of the state, qualified voters and
not less than % years Of age. The bill
| provides that no person so appointed
shall be directly or indirectly interested
in any railroad in this state or out OF
it, or i'm stocks, bonds, mortgages, Sc
curities or in the earnings Of any such
reads. II any commissioner shall be-
come so interested he shall be at once
disqualified and his office declared to
be vacant and a successor appointed.
No commissioner shall hold any other
state or Federal office. Neither shall
. he engage in any business inconsistent
with his duty as commissioner. If one
F..rN
retary of the board he shall receive
{ $500 additional, but IL a secretary is
elected outside, the salary shall not eX-
ceed $500 q year.
Iha commission shall have authority
= to employ experts from time to time
as occasion may require. The main Of
{ flee shall be in Dover, and the office
expenses shall not exceed 5000 per year
! The annual expenses of salaries of said
S commissioners, their clerk, experts, etc.
o including office rent, not to exceed the
, sum Of $4,000 per year. shall be borne
e by The several companies operating
S railroads in this state, according tC
q their gross income, to be appOrtiOned
s by the state treasurer On or before the
s first day of July of each year. The
7 commissioners, their clerk and experts
e shall be transported free on every rail
j. road in this state when travelling OF
Official business. They may hold ses
- sions in any part of the state to facili
tate work. They shall have general su
n pervisiOn of all railroads in the state
whether operated by steam or electric
7 ity, and shall examine the same AM
n keep themselves informed as to tn
d physical condition and the manner IL
y which they are operated with referenc
I 20 hsa nnI ion q
= the public. the compliance of the sew
4 eral companies, with the provision o
their charters and the laws OF thi
state and tht provisions Of the ac
- shall apply all railroads and to tn
l. corporations, trustees, receivers o
y others owning or operating the same
1t Is their duty TO establish all neces
sary rates, charges and regulations Il
- govern freight and passenger tariffs
,r with power to correct abuses and pre-
Il vent unjust discrimination and eXtor
H. ton in the rates of freight and pcr3en
ger tariffs on the different railroads @
the state, and to enforce the same b
. having penalties inflicted as by this aC
prescribed, through proper courts hav
ing jurisdiction. The commission sha
also have ample powers to classify an
I subdivide all freight and property tina
may be transported over the railroad
d CT this state into such general and spC
cial classes and subdivisions as may
o found necessary and expedient an
shall fix reasonable rates thereon.
may make rates for express cOmpanie
different from rates fixed for railroad
and shall have power to establish rei
sonable joint rates of freight charge
on freight that may pass over two {
more lines OF railroads, and if the tw
or more railroads fail to agree the con
mission shall settle their differences.
NAV also change the classification
rates at any time. 1t shall have pOw'
to hear and determine the complain
- against classification or the rates.
shall also establish reasonable passel
ger rates. which shall not exceed q
- rates fixed by law. 1t shall also ha'
~ power 70 make just and reasonab
arSs rates for charges for the use or tran
- portation of loaded or empty cars {
-. anv of the roads. II may establish Il
-. each and all railroads reasonable rat
~, for the storing and handling of freig
~ and fer the use of cars not unload'
as l after forty-eight hours notice to Il
consignee, not including Sundays.
The railroad companies shall be e
titled to ten days notice and heari
- before any rates shall be fixed, to q
~. end that justice may be done, and shi
~ have process to enforce the attendan
iee ss OF witnesses, which process shall
80 80 served as in civil cases.
he Appeals from the orders Of this col
-st mission shall be taken to the cou
having jurisdiction in Delaware, and
such cases shall have precedence ov
all other causes on the docket of a d
ferent nature And from the low
vas court the case may be taken to the q
et- pellate court, where it shall also ha
on precedence over all ether causes Of
$50 different character II the suit occu
yer during the term the parties shall
'ay ready for trial after ten days noti
Ia and she burden of proof shall rest up
the plaintiff. During the time OF su
ear suits or appeals therefrom the rat
ub, regulations, orders, classifcations,
or charges Of the commission shall
operative and binding upon all su
ct. companies.
ooI The oor,, m fceiounrq shall at all tin