The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-24
BUREAU OF RAILROADS
ESSENTIAL ARTICLES OF THE
AGREEMENT RECENTLY MADE.
Reduction In Mates Discouraged and
the Violntors 10 he Punished
on Conviction.

The essential articles of the agreement
recently made between the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fe. Chicago Rock Island
and Pacific Southern Pacific, Missouri Pa
cihc. st. Louis Southwestern. Texas Pacific,
Missouri, Kansas and Texas, st. Louis and
San Francisco, Kansas City, Pittsburg and
Gulf Houston and Shreveport, and the
Cromwell and New York and Texas steam
ship companies, comprising the South
western Freight Bureau, in addition TO
those already published in The Post, re-
garding deposits as penalty fund, etc.,
are reproduced for the benefit OF readers
interested as handlers, consignees, con-
signcrs and transporters, etc. Article D
reads
Section /. 1t shall be the duty of the
chairman of the bureau, and also Of the
conference committee, acting either Jointly
or 81 parately, to discourage reduction In
rates by rebate or drawback by payment
OF commissions, lighterage or carriage, by
Illegal rate Issues as dehntd by gal ana
bureau decisions. by lndefbiiling weights
or misrepresentation OF the contents OF
packages, by the giving of free OF selling
reduced passenger Transportation TO shi9-
pers, their representatives or employees, or
TO merchant bureaus, including dona-
tons 10 the latter in lieu thereon, By the
payment Of shippers kilograms, or by any
unlawful device whatsoever. Upon com
plant, or upon knowledge or reasonable
suspicion, derived from any source, that
such devices are Dsing practiced, 1t shall
be their duty ID promptly AMI thoroughly
investigate each Gaze, in every reasonable
and orderly way consistent with the pur
nose of this organization as declared in tn,
preamble, and invoke the aid OF the iei-
eral and State commissions to summarily
stop the unlawful practices, submitting TO
the commission the evidence secured, and
render any necessary assistance in the
prosecution Of such cases in the courts
Sec. 2. In cases whera complaint Is
made to the conference committee of secret
rates, rebates and manipulations being
made by any member. and the committee
upon investigation, having satisfied itself
| that such complaint Is well founded al
though unable TO secure proof sufficient 10
| enabls II 10 proceed against the party com
planned of. as provided hirein, may, by a
/ majority vote, coneurred in by the chair
man OF the bureau, certify its findings 10
all members. whereunon the latter may, at
once. on legal notice by legal tariffs, meet
such reductions so found to secretly exist.
Sec 8. The conference committee Is EN-
powered to call upon any officer or agent,
through the chief traffic officer, for state
ments under cath. with respect to any
matter properly the subject Of investiga-
ton under this article. and failure 10 re-
sp,nd within ten days or other psriot
| fyed. in the discretion OF the committee.
TO such demand. shall be deemed an ad-
mission of guilt.
| Sec. T. The conference committee shall
| also. upon either positive or reasonably
! circumstantial evidence, after ts.aring the
accused, assess and collect from the Offend
| Ing member n fine which shall not be more
than the gross earnings computed Q, law
| mi rates on the tonnage carried bv the Of
| Tending member, under the Illegal advice
with minimum fine Of one hundred dol
| lars $500.
Sec. 8. Upon complaint or showing thai
a Joint rate, lawfully established under tbs
provisions OF this agreement in connection