Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-02-16
AN EXTRA SESSION
Governor Leedy Intimates that
An Extra Session Will be
Called
II Majority OF the Members of the
Legislature Will Indicate their Ap.
prOvaI Of Legislation Proposed.


gave to your correspondent a draft of
the Legislation proposed by Governor
Leedy to be submitted to the legisla-
ture, should an extra session be called.
1t is understood that this "bilT' has
been forwarded to each member of the
Legislature, with the request that they
indicate their approval or rejection.
"An act concerning railroads, con-
ferring additional powers on the
Board of Railroad Commissioners, and
BE 1T ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE
OF THE STATE OF KANSAS.
Section 1.-'"That the Board of Rail-
road Commissioners of Kansas shall
have the same power to bring before
them any parties as witnesses, to COM
pei them to testify, to compel the pro-
duction of books and papers and the
exhibition of the same to bring parties
before them as subjects of inve stiga-
tion or as defendants against COM
plants or for any purpose mentioned
IN this act that is now exercised by
the District Courts of Kansas in bring
ing witnesses and other parties into
court and all sheriffs and other officers
are hereby required to serve and en-
force all subpoenas, summons, writs
and orders of every kind directed from
said Board of Railroad Commissioners
in the same manner and with the same
effect as if emanating from any Dis
trict Court of the State of Kansas and
the same fees shall be charged thereon
as If the same process had come from
the District Court and return of said
writs and said fees shall be made to
the Secretary of the said Board and
said costs arising in matters before
the Board of Railroad Commissioners
shall be collected and paid out by the
Secretary of the said Board as similar
costs in a court of record now are.
The said Board shall have the same
power that is possessed by the Dis
trict Courts to punish by fine or inn
Prisonment all contempts, etc. = =
Section 2.-"That all judgments, de-
cisions, orders and other rulings of the
said Board of Railroad Commission
ers shall have the same force and eff
feet in the State of Kansas as if made
by any District Court and shall not be
renewable in any court of the State
of Kansas except in the Supreme
Court thereof.
Section 3.-"That upon the filing of
any complaint in writing by any
shipper or consignee in the State of
Kansas against any railroad company
the said defendant shall be served with
notice of the time of hearing twenty
days prior thereto and with a copy of
the said complaint. Thereupon the
Board shall proceed to investigate and
decide what redress if any the COM
plainant shall receive and may exer-
else therein all powers heretofore pos.
isessed or conferred by the act.
Section 4.-"That the said Board of
Railroad Commissioners shall have
power upon their own volition or that
of their attorney at any time to inves-
tigate the classification of any prop
erty carried by any railroad of Kan
sas and the rates charged for freight
from any point in Kansas to any other
point in Kansas and to decide what
charges if any shall be made therein,
but all parties subject to said investi-
,gations shall be heard in accordance
with the rules laid down herein and
made by the Board.
Section 5.-That on the first day of
April of each year, or on the Monday
following if said day fall on Sunday,
the said Board shall meet in the State
House at Topeka, and devote the said
MONTH of April and such other time as
shall In their Judgment be necessary
TO heariag all persons, companies and
corporations who desire to present evi-
dence and to make arguments thereon
in regard t1any freight rates or classi-
fcations il the State of Kansas and
with regard to any Determinations
that now occur in the charges for ship
ment of property by railroad compan'
les in the State of Kansas and in re-
gard to the schedules heretofore in
force as to freight rates and classif.
cations in the State of Kansas. Hav.
ing sati sfied themselves on said sub
jects, on the first day of May or as
soon thereafter as may be possible, the
said Board shall proceed to prepare q
schedule of rates to be charged fol-
property shipped over railroads in the
State of Kansas and of the classified
tions to be made of the said property
for shipment, schedule being pre-
pared for each railroad doing busines:
in the State of Kansas. Having pre-
pared the said schedule they shall
have the same printed and on the frs
day of May nr soon thereafter as i
possible they shall cause the schedule
,of each road to be served on the saiC
railroad company, and for twenty day
thereafter the said parties SO servs'
shall be allowed to file in the Office o
said Board at Topeka, written protest
against any portions of said schedule