The Monticellonian., 1902-09-11
ARKANSAS yIAIE MWS.
Prohibitions Claim a Gain of Twenty five Per Cent in
 Vot. Against License.
WOULDBE NEGaO RAPIST PUT TO DEATH.
Official Returns on Vote For Governor From Foriy-nine Counties.-Deiinque Taxpnysrs Granted a Remission of Penslties.
Railroad Commission Report.

Railroad Commission Report.
 The Arkansas railroad commission has completed it's second annual report The preface to the statistical report is as follows:
 Railroad Building-During the time covered by this report. encouraging progress has been made in the con struction and extension of railroads running into practically new and un- developed sections of the state. The White River railroad, branch of the Missouri Pacific system, is being bullt from a point north of Batesville up White river in the direction of the zine fields of northeast Arkansas.
 The St. Louis and North Arkansas railroad has been extended from Flu reka Springs to Harrison, distance of some forty-five miles, and the con struction is being pushed, with Mar shall as the present objective point.
 The Ozark and Cherokee Central railway, the Fort Smith Western rail road, the Arkansas and Choetaw, and the South Missouri and Arkansas, have also made considerable progress in construction.
 Upon the whole, the conditions seem to have been reasonably favora- ble to railroad building, and great and costly improvements are constant ly being made in the tracks and equip ments of the long lines.
 Rates-Prior to the publication of the first annual report, the standard freight distance tariff had been adopted and put in force on the longtime roads. While this tariff may, in some respects, be imperfect and inadequate to meet all possible exigeneies. time has proven 1t vast improvement on the irreg= ular and unstable rates charged by the 1t a vast improvement on the the roads prior to it's adoption. Hence, it has been deemed best to allow it to remain undisturbed in it's essential features. Tariffs have also been pro- mulgated and put in force upon num- Der of short-line roads of the state
 Litigation-In the suits instituted against the commission, the same are now pending and are being diligently pressed for final adjudication.
 Recommendations have seen no good reason to reeede from the posi- tion taken in the first annual report, with reference to additional legisla- ton needed to make the commission more efficient agent in producing the benefcent results for which it was created With this end in view ap- propriate bills were drafted and in troduced in both houses of the last legislature, but failed of passage. We feel that no useful purpose would be subserved by bringing these bills upon the record at this time. This. however will be done in a subsequent report
 Complaints-Many complaints of in adequate transportation facilities have been, filed by shippers. reeiting their inability to procure cars for the prompt transportation of freight. The causes of some of these complaints have been removed with reasonable prompthess upon application to the proper railroad officials. Others have required more decisive action upon the part of the commission and sev eral citations have been issued hear
  In one instance, suit has been ordered in a state court with a view to final settlement of a very important point in issue. Orders and opinions in these cases are in the proper appendix to this report.
 Overcharges-Our attention has been called to many instances of alleged overcharges in freight rates, demur rage, etc. Each case has been given a thorough investigation, and when just cause of complaint was found the matter was brought to the notice of the proper railroad officials.
 In large majority of instances thesec laims were amicably settled, the amount of overcharge refunded to the shipper, or the demurrage remitted. Others have, however. required hear ings.
 orrespondenee-The correspondence of the office has been voluminous, but only such letters as are deemed of public interest, because relating to the construction of the law, or explana- tions of the tariff are brought upon the record in the appendix.