The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-10
EXAMINE ROAD BED
R. R. Commission Hears
Complaint of Yadkin Road
Bill Giving Specific Right to Require
Improvements Killed, But Board
Proceeds On Idea That Power
is Incident of Office.

The members of the Railroad Com
mission left yesterday afternoon for
Salisbury, where they will start on a
trip of inspection over the Yadkin
Railroad, from Salisbury to Norwood
The trip is made as the result of
the complaint to the Commission from
Mayor j. w. Bostian, of Albemarle, as
to the condition of the road bed of
the road, which is alleged to be un-
safe. 1t is understood that the COM
plant is made by the mayor on be-
half of citizens of the town and of
people living along the line of the
road.
The Commission will make a thor
ough inspection and, if they find that
the complaints are we'll founded, will
take the matter UP with the Southern
which is in control of the property. If
q satisfactory adjustment be not made
by the Southern in that event, it is
possible that the question as to the
power of the Commission to require
improvements of road beds and equip
ment may be determined as the result
of the present trip.
1t will be remembered in this con-
nection that a bill was introduced
during the Legislature and heard be-
fore the Railroad Committee of the
EotIldl0 SpeClllCdlly 10 the 0OID-
mission the right to make inspections
of railroads as to their road-beds,
equipment, etc, and to require them
to do all such things in those respects
as would tend to promote the reason
able safety and convenience of the
public. The bill was fought siren
ously by the railroads on the grounds
that the powers given were dangerous
in their scope and also arguing that
the Commission had the power neces-
sary to make the inspections and to
require reasonable improvements and
accommodations The bill was killed
by the committee, although it had
been recommended by Chairman Nc
Neill and championed by him before
the committee, his position being that
he had prepared it upon complaint of
certain parties as TO particular rail-
road properties because of a doubt
which had been expressed as to the
powers of the Commission in the way
of giving relief in the instances con-
templated by the bill
Judging from their action in taking
up the complaints as to the Yadkin
road the Commissioners now seem to
have determined to assume that they
have the powers granted by the bill
referred to as an incident of their
office and to be preparing if neces-
sary to test the matter. While the
powers referred to had been under
stood to exist in the Commission, they
have been questioned by the railroads
which with usual Inconsistency after
wards opposed the bin TO confer the
power on the ground that it was a
useless piece of legislation as being
already possessed by the Commission.
New Train From Murphey.
The Commission has also been noti-
foH of Of II
Vile and Nashville Railroad in re-
cent request of the Commission for a
new. train between Murphey, in ex-
treme western North Carolina, to Blue
Ridge. Ga, to make very desirable
connections. The Commission acted
upon complaint from western people
as TO inadequate service and took the
question of the additional train with
the road. The new train went into
operation yesterday and, it is said will
be of the greatest convenience to many
western people.