Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-11-09
IMPORTANT MEASURE
Mr.. Gibson's Bill for Supervision
Of the Railroads
Total Of 457 Bills In the House, 90 In Sen
ate, and 100 More still with the Com
mittees.


When the legislative sun went down
Tuesday, the last day for the regular in
PRODUCTION of bills, 457 had appeared in |
the House and 90 in the Senate. The |
revision committee had 100 more on hand |
to bring in during the rest of the week. |
A very large proportion OF the bills in
troduced during the week are of minor |
Importance and ought not TO take up |
much OF the committees time. A few |
bear upon matters in which the state as |
a whole is interested. One bill appropri |
ates S47, 309 to compensate towns which |
free the bridges over the Connecticut |
river and aid them in the construction |
Of new bridges. Another provides for |
the testing of all cattle coming into the |
state within six days after their arrival.
Another appropriates $4,000 for i'm
provement of highways of the state and
provides for the appointment Of state
highway commissioner and a supervisor
in each county. Others provide for the
establishment Of courses in agriculture in
certain schools. Another abolishes the
present system of oversight of penal in
sttutions and provides for single board
OF three, one member of which shall act
as purchasing agent
The bill requiring railroads in the state
to redeem all rebate checks given on
trains has become a law by the COVER
nor's signature. and the attempt to re-
peal the law making Sunday close
season for hunting has been defeated.
Matters at the capitol are assuming
more definite shape this week. but some
| OF the larger measures still wait and the
committees are not getting rid OF the
| small stuff" in very rapid fashion. The
advent of the Vermont association on
Friday and the trip to the Barre granite
| quarrles today will not tend to expedite
| genuine business transaction.
Mr.. Gibson OF Brattleboro has intro
| duced an important measure bearing on
| the oversight of railroads by the state.
| 1t creates a board of railroad commits
sioners and defines and regulates its
| powers and duties. This bill provides
for three commissioners holding Office for
| two. four and six years according to APP
pointment by the governor. with advice
and consent Of the Senate: no member of
the board shall have business contract
| connection with any person or persons
opera ting a railroad, and no person con-
nected with railroad shall have position
on the board Commissioners shall APP
point a clerk to serve during the boards
pleasure The bill prescribes the duties
of the clerk In detail. Two members OF
the board shall constitute a quorum.
The board to have powers of a court Of
record, both at law and in equity; render
| judgments, make orders and DEGREES and
enforce the same; hold regular sessions
the first Thursday Of each month; grant
hearings and hold Investigations. Forms,
! procedure and rules of practice of the
OF equity in this state; its findings Of
fact to have the force and effect of re-
ports of special masters. Parties ag-
grieved have right of appeal 10 supreme
court. which may reverse or affirm judg
ments or DEGREES of the board, and may
remand the cause to the board with such
mandates law or equity may require;
such appeal not to vacate any judgment,
order or decree. but the court or the
board may suspend execution. Board to
~fUfn all f1rran s1u
in the state; make examination OF each
road and equipment at least once a year
has power to examine BOOKS or accounts
OF railroad companies as may be neces-
sary; send for witnesses; employ expert
| assistance in conducting Investigations
at the expense of the state. Railroad
= companies are required TO furnish wha
}. information the board demands, undei
:. penalty of fine from $500 to $4,000 Rail
h road arrangements to inform the boarC
of accidents. and board shall inquire int
the cause of every accident involving losi
of life. and at its discretion into causes
of accidents not so resulting. Persons
or corporations claiming to be injured
e by unlawful neglect or action of railroad
: management may petition for proceed
ings before the board. Violations o
n charters by railroads are to be dealt witt
y by the board. Matters coming espec
tally within the jurisdiction Of the board
IS | The crossings of one road by another
= /
1 nails. proper fences and guards, main
=, tenance OF tracks. rolling stock an
,e | equipment, connections. issue of stoc
ar or securities, tolls and rates when un
reasonable. The boaru may establish
= uniform system of railroad accounts con
y forming to systems in use in other Me-
y England states New York and Canads
,e Board to report biennially to the legis
~ lature.
" Among the additional bills may be men
toned these as touching subjects
or which the public have some Interest
On Providing that condemned cattle shippe
IN to Massachusetts from Vermont may /
er disposed of there, under such regulation
.. as that state imposes, the seller TO rt
Ill port promptly to the Vermont cattl
TO commission the details of the transaction
ng Preventing recovery for newspaper
on sent after the time has expired; II
f. arranging commitment fees of officer
to promote Capitalization of schools;
prevent the posting of liquor advertis'
. ments on bill boards; taxing to the owne
.. thereof standing timber sold without Il
en- land. and allowing no deduction for deb
So, owing; imposing a penalty on town
!, village officers for neglect of duty;
ny prohibit the sale to minors OF cane
81 containing intoxicating liquor.
.o' Among the slaughtered measures wo
as thy of mention are: The bill to limit ter
~, of Imprisonment for intoxication und
'oi the act of 1904 and the bill for the di
su' tribution of the two per cent tnsuran
on tax among towns and villages.
rec The House on Wednesday passed I
bill exempting from taxation money
deposit in savings banks up to the $40
for limit-a single depositor to have I'll
Dry amount in each of several banks if
as chooses. Mr.. Fletcher of Cavendi
elr spoke of the bill as one that would Ike
money in Vermont banks, increase I
-, revenue TO the state, and prove genera
'''' beneficial The bill was passed withc
Sc opposition and is now at the tend
& mercies of the Senate.
Edo The Senate has passed the school b
hrm allowing towns to unite for skilled SUPP
tor vision and providing for state aid there
an | The committee on education are mt
: gratifled at the safe journey of this mel
nv ure> through both houses, and exp
d. great things of 1t, even though II
permissible and not compulsory.
c. The bill Incorporating the Home TIE
81 phone company, a million dollar orga
snT. ization, and a bill to prevent fraudul
iree sales by merchants have also passed b.
D. houses. Another important ball that W
through the House without OPPOSITE
n. although opposition was looked for,
the measure providing for the grad
adjustment of grade crossings. 1t G.
for the disappearance OF these crossi
no at the rate of one a year for every
nng miles of road and the towns and st
rine ! come in for a reasonable share of the
80. l nanaa NJ ahOlishment Whether this v