Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-04-23
JIM CROW FOR STEAM RAILWAYS
CHAPTER 109.

CHAR lex luJ.
AN ACT to Require all Railroad Com
panies and Corporations, and all
Persons Running or Operating Cars
or Coaches by Steam on any Rail-
road Line or Track in the State of
Maryland. for tne transportation of
Passengers. TO provide Separate
Cars or Coaches for White and Col
ored Passengers. without any Diff
ference or Discrimination in the
Quality of or Convenience or Ac-
commodation in such Cars or
Coaches.
Section BE ii enacted by the
General Assembly of Maryland. That
all railroad companies and corpora
tions. and all persons running or oper-
ating cars or coaches by steam on any
railroad line or track in the State of
Maryland for the transportation of
passengers. are hereby required to
provide separate cars or coaches for
the travel. and transportation of the
WI te and colored passengers on their
respective lines of railroad: and each
compartment of a car or coach. divid-
ed by a good and substantial partition.
with n door or place on exit from each
division. shall be deemed separate
ear or coach within the meaning OF
this Act. and each separate car. coach.
or compartment shall bear in some
conspicuous place. appropriate words.
in plain letters. indicating whether ii
is set apart for white or colored pas
sengers.
Sec. And be il enacted. That the
railroad companies and corporations
and persons aforesaid. shall make no
difference or discrimination in quality
of. or convenience or accommodation
in the cars. coaches or compartments
set apart for white and colored pas
sengers.
Sec. 3-And be il enacted That any
railroad company or corporation or
person that shall fail. refuse or neg
lect to comply with the provisions of
sections one and two of this Act. shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
and upon indictment and conviction
thereof. shall be fined not less than
three hundred dollars. nor more than
one thousand dollars for each Of
tense.
Sec. And be il enacted. That the
conductors or managers on all rail-
roads shall have power. and are here
by required TO assign to each white
or colored passenger his or her re-
spective car. coach or compartment.
and should any passenger refuse TO
occupy the car. coach or compartment
To which he or she may be assigned
by the conductor or managers shall
have the right to refuse to carry such
passenger on his train. and may put
such passenger off his train. and for
such refusal or putting OFF the train,
neither the conductor. manager nor
railroad company or corporation, or
person owning or operating the same
snail be liable for damages in any
court: and the passenger so refusing
to occupy the car. coach. or compart-
ment To which he or she may be as
signed by the conductor or manager.
shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor. and on indictment and convic-
ton thereof shall be fined not less
than five dollars nor more than fifty
donars. or to be confined in Jail not
less than thirty days. or both. in the
discretion of the court, for each Of
Tense.
Sec. 5.-And be it enacted. That any
conductor or manager on any rail
road. who shall fail or refuse to per-
form the duties imposed upon him by
Section four of this Act. shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. and
upon indictment and conviction there
of. shall be fined not less than twenty
five dollars and not more than fifty
dollars for each offense.
Sec. 6.-And be ii enacted, That
when any car, coach or compartment
for either white or colored passen-
gers shall be completely filled. where
no extra cars or coaches can be OBJ
tanned. and the increased number of
passengers could not be foreseen. the
conductor or manager in charge of
such train is hereby authorized TO as
sign and set apart portion of the
car. coach or compartment assigned To
passengers of one color to passengers
of the other color.
Sec. And be il enacted That the
provisions of this Act shall not apply
TO employees of railroads. or TO per-
sons employed as nurses or to Off
GERS in charge of prisoners. whether
the said prisoners are white or color
ed. or both white and colored. or to
the prisoners in their custody. nor
shall the same apply to the transpor-
tation of passengers in any caboose
car attached to a freight train. nor to
parlor nor sleeping cars. nor through
express trains that do no local bus;-
ness.
Sec S.-And be it enacted. That this
Act shall take effect from the first
day of July. in the year nineteen hun
dred and four.
Approved March II. 1904