The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-24
new LAWS
F0RRAILWAYS
PROPOSED

Boston. Jan. 2A-Many important re-
visions OF the laws relating TO railways
and street railways through a more sys-
tematic body legislation and notably
the recommendations of a new law per-
mitting under certain restrictions the ac-
quiring but not the conclusion OF street
railway companies by railway corpora
tions. were the leading feature of re-
port OF a special committee Of last years
legislature which was nled with the pres
ent legislature today
The committee accompanied its report
with five bills The first contains the pro-
visions OF the law common 10 both rail-
way and street railways, the second rela-
tive 10 railroads alone the third 10 street
railways alonewrhe fourth 10 electric rail-
ways and the fifth 20 investments by rail-
ways In street railways.
The committee is not unanimous In Its
conclusions. although each part OF the re-
port has the assent OF more than ma
jority. No attempt has been made 10
remedy every defect In the present law.
In the revision OF the railway and the
street railway laws the committee has
endeavored To prepare a more systematic
body OF legislation By bringing up to date
the present laws.
Although numerous petitions for inter
urban railways have been the legislature,
the granting OF special charters for such
companies should not be encouraged in
the opinion OF the committee. Ii believes,
however, that the legislature should deal
with the principles OF transportation and
leave the railway commissioners the de-
cision as 10 which corporation is best
suited TO operate cars on any particular
route.
The bill covering the ideas OF the COM
pany provides that upon that part OF the
line situated in the private way the COM
pany shall be taxed as IL it were a rail-
way corporation. with a street railway
tax upon that part OF the line operated on
a highway
In taking up the consolidation OF two
transportation companies, the company
declares that while there is no sound rea-
son why railroad corporations should not
be given equal rights and privileges, yet
as the railway corporations OF the state
are practically combined under three
great systems II has seemed unadvisable
that street railway companies be author
lied TO hold railroad stock The bill is
therefore limited TO legalizing the acquisl-
tion Of street railway stock by railway
corporation; under the certification OF the
railway commissioners.
The committee is not In favor OF corpor-
ate consolidation of railway companies
with street railway companies. believing
that the identity OF street railway COM
pany should be preserved.
The committee does not favor any re-
vision I'm the present method OF taxation
OF street railway companies. but believes
that the stock of railway corporations is
sued TO purchase the stock OF street rail-
way companies should be relieved from
such taxation.
Senator Silas ID. Reed and Representa-
tive Charles s. Davis submitted a minor
ity report, I'm which they stated their in
ability to agree with the report OF the
COMMITTEES with regard to the Merger
and they did not believe that the acquisi-
tion OF the street railways by steam rail-
roads should be allowed in the common
wealth.
They also held that the present law
should be amended so as TO encourage
street railroads to acquire locations on
private lands
street roads and steam railways will,
OF course. be competitors" the dissenters
say. land their interests will In many
respects be adverse but both will live
and neither will destroy the other any
more than the elevated roads have de-
stroyed the street roads running directly
under their structure and carrying people
along the same route"