The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-02-16
ACCIDENTS NEED LOOKING INTO.
State Railroad Commission Wants
New Legislation.

State Railroad Commission Wants
New Legislation.
In the recommendation of the state
railroad and warehouse commission
for additional legislation the members
ask that they be given authority to in
vestigate the cause of railway acct
dents in the state, and that law be
passed compelling the roads to report
every accident. The recommendations
are:
The commission should be given
power to order the erection and main
tenance of interlocking plants at
points where in their judgment the
same are necessary for public safety.
"A law requirin application to be
made to the commission for written
consent before any railway company
shall raise state rates on state traffic.
Legislation providing a severe pen
atty for the issuance of memorandum
slips or other form of grain ware
house receipts, except such form as is
provided for in section 4, chapter 14S,
General Laws 1895, and established in
accordance Herewith by the railroad
and warehouse commission.
"a law requiring railway companies
to report to the commission all acct
dents occurring within the state at the
earliest possible opportunity afteur the
accident takes place, and making 1t
the duty of the commission to make
careful investigation as to the cause
and results of such accidents.
"a practice is now growing up
among grain buyers at country points
of taking more pounds per bushel than
the law specifies, particularly so with
oats and barley, and the commission
recommend that penalty be provided
for this offense."
In speaking of the supply of cars the
report says:
"The movement of grain from interi-
or points to the terminal markets of
Minnesota from the crop of 1904 has
been relatively large during the fall
months. The larger part of the grain
crop of 1904 was moved to the ter
minal markets between the first of
September and the first of December,
with less delay and friction than has
occurred in many years.
"The question Of distribution of cars
among shippers, ordinarily a prolific
source of complaint, has been raised in
but few instances, the railroad compa-
MES having exerted themselves in an
endeavor to prevent any reasonable
ground for complaints of this charac-
ter.
1.-THE fact that all available box cars
were pressed into the grain service re-
suited to some extent in a shortage of
these cars for wood shipments, leading
to few complaints from this class of
shippers Flat cars were substituted,
and the urgent demand of shippers of
wood was satified in this manner. No
serious trouble in this direction was
experienced, however, and by the first
of December shipping conditions agoin
became comparatively normal"
The following survey of the years
work is made by the commission:
1.-THE courts have sustained the COM
mission in all cases where orders have
been contested.
"It has been Thoroughly demonstrated
that office inspection of coarse grains
and fax is much more satisfactory
than field inspection and this plan
will be extended to all inspection work
30 far as practicable.
"a plan Of rigid examination, on the
civil service basis, has been adopted
In the appointment Of inspectors and
those who attain the highest degree of
nflciency are first on the list"