Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-02-20

power to administer oaths, certify to
official acts and to compel the at,
tendance of witnesses and the produc-
ton of papers, way-bills, books and
accounts.
All rates, charges, orders, rules,
regulations and classiications, pre-.
scribed by the commission, shall be
conclusive and deemed and accepted
to be reasonable. fair and just in all
respects, until finally found otherwise
in a direct action brought for that
purpose in the manner prescribed by
this act. II any railroad company be
dissatisfied with any rate, classical
ton, rule, charge, order, act or regula,
ton, adopted by the commission, the
company may file a complaint, setting
forth the particular cause, or causes,
of objection in the circuit court OF
Dane county against the commission
as defendant. The action shall have
precedence over any other cause of a
different nature pending, and shall
be tried and determined as other civil
actions. Such suit may be filed at
any time and stand ready for trial
after issue is joined, upon ten days
notice. Either party to said action
may appeal to the supreme court at
any of its terms, and said action so
appealed shall have precedence in the
supreme court of all causes OF a
different character therein pending
In all trials the burden Of proof shah
be upon the plaintiff to show by a
preponderance Of evidence to a rea-
sonable certainty that the rates,
regulations, orders, classifications
acts or charges, complained of are un,
reasonable and unjust.
The railroad commission shall, as
soon as any classification and rate or
rates provided for are prepared by it,
furnish each railroad company with
the same and the rules and regula-
lions made by the commission with
reference thereto. Said classification
and rates and rules and regulations
shall take effect at date which may
be fixed by the commission not less
than twenty days after the service
thereof. Each of said railroad com
pan1eS shall cause the same to be
printed and posted up in a con
spicuous place at each of it's stations.
Any person complaining of any
thing done or omitted to be done by
any railroad in violation of the pro-
visions of this act, may apply to the
commission for redress.
The commission shall have the-right
to inspect the books and papers OF
any railroad company.
The commission is to ascertain as
early as practicable the amount OF
money expended in construction and
equipment per mile of every railway
In Wisconsin, the amount OF money
expended to procure the right of way,
and the amount of money it would re-
quire to secure the right Of way,
reconstruct the roadbed, track, de-
pots and facilities for transportation
and to replace all the physical proper
cites belonging to the railroad 1t
shall also ascertain the outstanding
bonds and indebtedness and the
amounts respectively thereof, when
issued, to whom issued, TO whom sold,
the price paid in cash, property or
labor if any received therefor, what
became of the proceeds, by whom the
Indebtedness is held, the amount pur-
porting to be due thereon the float
ing Indebtedness of the company. to
whom due and his address, the credits
due to the company, the property on
hand belonging to it, the judicial or
other sales Of said road, it's property
or franchises, and the amounts pur-
porting to have been paid and in what
manner paid therefor The commits
sion shall also ascertain the gross and
let income of the road from all
sources in detail; the amounts paid
for salaries to the officers of the road,
and the wages paid to its employees
and the hours Of continuous service
OF each. For the purpose in this
section named, the commission may
employ sworn experts for such in
spection of the affairs of the com
pany to assist it when needed, and
from time to time, as the information
required by this section is obtained,
it shall communicate the same to the
governor by report, and file a dlrpli-
cate thereof with the secretary OF
state.
Ii any officer or employe of a rail
road company shall refuse to fill out
and return any blanks as required in
this act, or shall fail or refuse to an
swer any questions therein PROFOUND
ed, Or shall give false answer to any
such question, such person shall be
guilty of mfsdeamor and be punish
ed by fine Of not more than $500
nor less than 500 for each day.
The commission must investigate all
through freight rates on railroads in
this state; and when the same are, in
the opinion of the commission exces-
sive, or levied or laid in violation OF
the interstate commerce law, or the
rules and regulations of the inter