The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-30
RAILWAY LEGIsLATroN.
Synopsis of New Laws Passed by
Different StateH

Following is summary of railway leg.
islation during the year and which is jus,
becoming effective in some States:
| Arkansas-This State now has rail.
road commission for the FIRST time.
| Connecticut-The only law of genera
nature was one modifying the restriction.
on Sunday railroad traffic which have here.
| tofore prevailed. The railroad commits.
sioners may now permit trains to be rur
| on Sunday. There was much discussion
on the charters of various electric ant
street railroads, but no material change
in general laws. The municipal taxation
of street railroads has been the subject
OF much discussion, many charters hay.
ing been granted in past years which were
too liberal to companies
Illinois-The law regulating the incor-
poration of street railroads was revised
An act was passed requiring street cars
to be heated in winter.
Kansas-The railroad commission Is
abolished and the Court of Visitation
takes its place. The court is clothed
with far-reaching powers and It's consti.
tutionality will no doubt be questioned
in the higher courts on a number OF
grounds.
Louisiana-The State has railroad
commission for the first time.
Maine-Railroads and street railroads
are hereafter to be built only after tht
granting of a certificate of public con-
venience and necessity by the State rail
road commission. law was passed look
ing to the restriction of highway grade
crossings, or rather to the strict regulation
of the building Of new crossings. A mile
age ticket law passed in this State re.
quires the issuing railroad to take back
unused coupons at the end of year.
Observation-Disclosures was no general
legislation of Importance. An attempt to
authorize street railroads to carry freight
was defeated, but a number of individual
roads We're granted this right.
Michigan-The principNI<feature of the
years legislation in Michigan was the
action of the supreme court in multiplying
the two principal laws passed the rail-
road tax law and the law to authorize
the city of Detroit to buy and operate
it's street railroads. The same court has
also declared void the law, passed some
years ago, requiring the railroads to issue
mileage tickets at a low rate. good for
two years The Legislature authorized me-
gotiations with the Michigan Central and
other roads holding special charters, look,
ing to the surrender of these charters.
Minnesota-The railroad commission has
been made elective. law was passed
which forbids increase of freight rates on
grain, coal, lumber and i've stock, though
there is proviso which permits rate wars
If the normal rates are restored Slthin
sixty days. Minnesota, like number
of other Western States, passed several
petty regulations, such as requiring rail-
roads to- give return pass to every
drover, etc.
Mssouri-Two of these police regula.
lions are the most prominent laws in the
list of new acts in this State. One OF
them requires railroads to have their
trains connect at functions and another
requires companies to build connecting
tracks for freight. A general street rail-
road law was passed, the provisions of
which are liberal
New York-A bill was passed authorize
ing the local taxation of the franchises
of railroads in streets, the valuation in
all the cities and towns to be made by a
State board. Several acts of the nature
of police regulation were passed, and
also a number of amendments making
improvements in the details of existing
statutes.
North Carolina-The Corporation COM
mission has superseded the railroad COM
mission but with little. If any, change
in function, SO far as the railroads are
concerned.
oregon-This State now has railroad
commission.