The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-21
|TRAL CONSOLIDATION
s.y.rs Has Signed The Bill Per-
hitting 1t.
!, copuIssloNtRS AND ATTORNEY
p.,,eve. that the states
nv, ,re Fully Protected
in the Measure

|srued the Houston anu , ieAas 81 =
.,,ast,ou bill. The following Is
!. !, the correspondence submitted
,.,orpey general and the railroad
Liam with regard thereto;
..sd Commission of Texas, Austin,
Nav 1O.-Governor Joseph d.
| rrecutiye Office. Governor: Your
yesterday is just received, trans
i Is substitute house bill No, 1872,
[,,irg the Houston and Texas Central
"A company to purchase a number
"a railroads. most of them quite
I,,,ss and to construct a new rail-
k,om Burnett to Lampasas in this
With your request that we advise. you
our views in reference to this bill.
,hink Il best to state the length OF
|, the roads to be purchased by the
In and Texas Central company, the
n Of It's stock, the amount of its
outstanding and the aggregate of
{s,ock and bonds and the valuation Of
Il made by this commission;
[ Central Texas and Northwestern
X is 1881 miles in length. and it has
kidding 100000 of stock and $3.50, 900
M. and is valued at S212, 1850.
Fort Worth and New Orleans rail-
I 1905 miles long, and has outstand-
BOO 900 stock and 100000 in bonds,
! valued at 1913, OS6.66.
Lancaster Tap is 4.76 miles in length
n are not informed that 1t has any
or bonds. 1t has not been valued by
! we do not know that it has a chart
Austin and Northwestern railroad
Ie5 miles in length, has outstanding
loco Of stock and Sl,920,000 in bonds,
| valued at $1,753, G94.22.
Granite Mountain and Marble Falls
lad is $50 miles in length, and it's
bonds and valuation are embraced
bse Of the Austin and Northwestern
3D.
aggregate length of all these rail-
Is l71.37 miles. The aggregate
IN Of their stock and bonds is $4,-
b Their aggregate value as fixed by
commission Is $2,53S, S91. IS ~ which is
|lOs.62 less than the aggregate of
stock and bores, and if this bill
d become a law it would reduce their
lilies by that sum.
|uit is pending in the State district
al Austin to forfeit the charter OF
LAustln and Northwestern Railroad
Inv, one OF the railways this bill Is
BED to enable the Houston and Texas
|al railroad to buy, on the ground that
Dustin and Northwestern railroad has
Substantially consolidated with the
Iern Pacific company of Kentucky,
Is the owner OF nearly all OF its
in violation OF sections 8 and 6,
L 10, Of the State Constitution. We
tstand that the legal authorities are
IA on the question as to whether con-
Suon results from one of the corpo-
bs owning the stock OF the other. This
fully preserves to the State, If it
d become a law, all its rights con-
Il with this litigation, il 1t should be
b proper to go on with it.
Pther objection which has been urged
is bill is that it will increase and
CITIZEN an already large system OF
Pads in this State and may create a
fal Influence detrimental to the best
fsts Of the state If there is such
p Il exists now as The roads it is
lsed to consolidate are now under the
patton and control of what is under
10 be the Southern Pacific system
Fhst view. is further answered by the
That the ownership of these road.
not enable them to control froiSht
or to deny tho people the bcnclits
|npeiltlon However, many RAILROADS
|oe put under the same management
|onlrol, still the railroad commission
NE power and 1t is its duty to pre-
the freight rates and compel obedi-
10 them.
tnero is an important proviso to tho
section Of this bin by which. if the
o. the bill shall be accepted by these
Esuons, they agree 10 abide by and
u % the rates rules. regulations
|equlrements ot he railroad commits
4 me State of Texas until the same
ASIDE by a court of competent iuris-
II on nnal trial, If this should have
faeV which we understand was ia
/ oy It, of preventing the enjoininG
commission from enforcing It's rates
,ney are annulled by . competen
Y VIII prove to be q most important
pom In the interests of the state and
anu 70 secure IL we would be fully
~ u dlsregarding any minor objec-
" ms Dill becoming a law.
snould he found that there is nc
Elaional objection 10 this bill. or that
alhs provisions which preserve &c
a'e these objections, we are Of the
r. mat the merging of these short
- mo one corporation Will ma
reailce the expense Of their man
~ and will thereby make # prac
70 reduce correspondinglZ the cost
esportation to the people. ana we
lais TO be o merit instead Of AIDE
N se understand, n these minor road
exist, It would be in the power OF
s.s'oh and Texas Central Railroad
la oy amending its charter. tc
lsm and add them 10 its system OF
ssnlout the aid of the legislature.
- interests of the State can not he
ssuer in relation to pending liti-
suuer the terms of this bill, on the
70 see no objection to its becoming
ftully. ' WIN Tue p'ii' e'
faea) John H. Reagan, Chairman.
L. ]. Storey. Commissioner.
E W. Joseph D, sayers. Capitol
Esv GENERALS Office. Austin, Tex
ls'--Dear Sir: have received
Is, nor requesting my opinion as to
IA s,uuonallty of senate bill No
IL 1.so as TO its effect upon the suit
n the district court of Travis
eust,s TO forfeit the charter OF
I'm ana Northwestern Railroad
fs,, nrst norton of your question ]
\ hs,;. after careful investigation.
IN 1--we the bill is unconstitutional.
| ono,s = question. as part of my
h s AZ, section OF the bill:
|nstrSsas aall not affect ard shall not
bere,o,aa s affecting in any way the
n IL . ~. instituted by the. attorney
Of ra ne name and of behalf of the
lEests,s.Ass against the Austin and
b. Il y railroad company and now
Eourt IN TNe iwenty-sixth judicial dis
Eo. ls.s ana Tor Travis county, being
| lana sn,, upon the docket OF said