The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-16
RAILROAD NEWS
RAILWAY MINISTER
VISITS ST. PAUL
Canadian Commissioners Inves.
tlaates Minnesota Methods
of Railway Regulation.

A. G. Blair, Canadian minister OF rail-
ways spent several hours in st. Paul
yesterday, investigating the Minnesota
system of railroad regulation. He visited
the offices of the state railroad and ware
house commission, conducting an extern
sive examination into the methods en-
ployed by the state commissioners.
Mr. Blair held long conference with
Judge Ira B. Mills and Secretary A. z.
Clausen. He made inquiries regarding
the powers of the commission in the regu-
lation of passenger and freight rates and
the methods employed IN arriving at an
equitable basis for fixing rates.
Statistican Thomas Yapp explained to
Mr.. Blair the details of the system III
vogue in keeping the records of the Office
and the filing of the various freight and
passenger tariff sheets.
my visit is of no official Importance" ;"
said Mr. Blair. Il have come to the
United States to investigate the various
systems employed by the states in regu-
lating railroads. Minnesota is the first state
that 1 have visited and / am greatly
pleased at what 1 have learned this aft
ernoon. You see, this is an educational
tour for me.
within the next few months Canada
is going to establish a railroad commits
sion. The office of minister of railways is
to be abolished and in it's stead we are
going to have a commission composed of
three members
A Powerful Commission.
f"The law creating the Canadian COM
mission was passed at the last session of
parliament. We are now about ready to
place the new system in operation. Under
the new system the commission will have
much greater powers than the minister Of
railways now has. The commission will
have absolute power to regulate passenger
and freight rates This, of course, is a
great deal of power to place in the hands
of commission. have been told that
there are but few commissions In the
United States that have this power We
will also have the power to conduct
searching Investigations into the methods
of rail lines, to ascertain if their reports
and financial statements are correct and
to ascertain If they are granting unlawful
rebates to favored shippers.
Our commission will be as powerful
as any of the state commissions and will
have much more power than your inter-
state commerce commission. The head
quarters of the new commission will be
in the government building at Ottawa,
where l now have my offices.
I'm parliament when the question of a
strong commission was first brought up,
il was opposed by the railroad interests
However, the people demanded commits
sion with power to fix and regulate rates,
and the bill was finally passed, despite the
efforts of the corporations to defeat the
legislation.
1.-The law creating the commission pro-
vides for three members, who will each
serve a ten-year term. The commission
ers are to be appointed by the governor
general, and not elected by the people, as
in Minnesota.
Glow about the railroads in Canada :?
AS in the United States, the railroads of
our country have had prosperous period
for the past six years. Every line has
been taxed to its full capacity to care for
the heavy traffic Much new equipment
has been purchased and all the large lines
have expended millions of dollars in max
ing permanent Improvements.
During the past year about $500 miles
of railroad track has been laid. All the
roads are expanding and vast areas of
new territory are being opened to set
tlement by the railways.
Grand Trunk to Build.
1.-THE Grand Trunk Pacific will begin
work on its transcontinental line this
year. Sur &s'rs are already mapping out
the route - the road and within a few
years Canada will have two great sys-
TENS crossing the continent. The Grand
Trunks road will open up country, the
richness of which cannot be surpassed
anywhere in the world. The road will
make accessible the great Peace river
country"
Mr.. Blair will remain in the Twin Cities
until tonight, when he will leave for
Chicago. He will go to Springfield ILL.,,
to look into the workings of the Illinois
commission, and will visit several other
states to investigate the systems en-
ployed in the regulation of railroads
While in st. Paul yesterday Mr.. Blair
called upon President James ]. Hill, of
railroad officials