The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-30
RAILROAD NEWS.
Coal Dealers Claim Overcharges
Against the Carriers.
Want Legislative Remedy in
Kansas and Missouri.
TEXT OF THE BILL
Which Proposes to Regulate
Coal Weights.
Provides Also For General
System of Track Scales.

Coal dealers Of Missouri. Kansas and
Oklahoma. comprising the Mid-Stare
Wholesale and Retail Coal Dealers as
ISOLATION, are making move 70 remedy
q grievance they have against the ran
roads- They claim they are charged
more freight than the actual weight OF
coal delivered warrants and they want
= Law nassed prohibiting this A bill has
been prepared, covering the matter anu
the legislative committee Of the asSocl-
alton viii endeavOr 10 get the Dill
through this winter
The bin. as drafted by President H c
Taylor, Of Lyons. and legal counsel
reads
An act for the protection OF consumers
of fuel restraining railway companies
from charging freight upon more than
actual weight OF coal delivered and :
per cent additional for natural shrink
age and defining the manner OF ascer-
tanning the weight OF coal delivered re-
curing the railway companies to pro-
vide scales or accept other weights
Section L Every railway corporation
chartered by or organized under tne
laws of this state. OF doing business
within the limits Of the same shall. on
or before the 1st day of July, A D,
1901. provide track or car scale OF sur
ficient capacity for weighing coal IN car
lots while on the car, at every station
Fr-------
way operated by il
Section > Any railway company that
shall fail 10 provide and maintain there
after after the LIST day OF July 1871 q
suitable and reliable scale for the weigh
ing Of carloads Of coal to be delivered
by them at desIinati ton. shall be required
TO accept the weights Of any public
weigher. or the weights of the con-
eignee. the weights Of the consignee to
be verified by a1fidavft when demanded
by the railway company and shall col
lect freight upon only weights OF coal as
Section 8. Such railway company shall
be entitled to collect and receive from
the cOusignee for each car OF coal the
sum Of ten cents for each car Of coal 50
weighed, as compensation Tor such
weighing when weighed on their scales
Section I. Any railway company that
shall collect from a consignee a greater
sum for the transportation charges on
any car OF coal than such tranSpOrta-
ton charges would amount TO as ascer-
taiEea in the manner provided by the
provisions OF this bill. except that they
shall be allowed TO charge for an excess
Of weight Of ? per cent TO cover natural
Shrlnkage OF coal while in transparra-
tlon, shall be liable TO a penalty of S25
for each car upon which such over
charge has been made. to 1A recovered
in an action brought in the name OF the
state in any court Of competent jurisdic-
ton and shall also be liable to the con
signse for the fun amount Of such over
charge and Tor any damage that may be
sustained by said cOnsignee through
delay in delivery or otherwise. resulting
from a refusal Of any railway company
to comply with the provisions Of this
act, together with q reasonable attOr-
ney's fee 10 be recovered by an action n
any court Of competent jurisdiction Pro
Tlced that demand shall be made Of the
agent at the station al which such case
may arise for payment of such over
charge and damage at least ten DAYS be
1ore the beginning OF such suit before
such attorneys fee shall be allowed.