Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-12-12

/ 900 letters. thousands OF pages VI
| testimony had to be taken and tran
scribed. Extensive statistical com
pilations were made and must still be
made The filing of tariffs requires
time and care. Part or the once
force is constantly employed III taking
care Of the work which each days
| mail provides, and consequently there
| frequently exists lack Of adequatf
assistance in prosecuting wha- may
! be termed the constant and investi-
gatiye work Of the commission. The
salaries paid to the clerical force
| should be readjusted tc some extern.
IS. Occasional complaints have
been made at various times by differ
/ ent shippers about the manner in
which carload freight is weighed. 1t
! has been said that the marked
weight Of the car might very mater
| tally differ from the actual weight, ow-
| ing to weather and other conditions.
/ Ii has also been said that a great
deal Of carelessness is exercised in
the manner of weighing cars. and THAI
! the shipper IS ordinarily entirely help
less to protect himself from injustice
in the matter of weights, and it has
been suggested by some shippers that
the entire subject Of weighing cars,
| lncluling the employment of weigh
masters, should be placed under the
! control OF the commission The ship
pe-s are Ill a much better position 10
| determine the necessity for such an
| innovation than this commission is.
| We are not prepared at this time to
make any recommendation on the
subject If there is any reasonable
demand for legislative action along
this line, We doubt not that those in
terested win make their wishes known
to the members of the legislature.
IS. We would recommend that the
law be so amended as to provide that
all actions brought against the com
! mission to set aside its orders should
be brought in Dane county. There
| is some doubt about the provisions Of
chapter 500, laws of 1905, extending
to suits brought against the commits
sion.
81. The commission has had occa-
| sion to order railway companies 70
erect depot buildings. construct side
tracks, and do other acts that might
necessitate considerable delay on the
| part Of the carrier in complying with
| the. order. Except by implication.
| the commission is not authorized TO
| specify the time within which the r
| der must be complied with. We would
recoI lmend that the commission be
expressly authorized to prescribe in
| its order time within which the or
| der must be complied with where it
is not practicable to comply with it
within the time that other orders of
| he commission become effective 10y
force of the statute
/ g. Every corporation doing bust
ness In this state should be required
| to file with the commission a verified
| list Of its stockholders, upon demand
! from the commission.
J 20. II the opinions and decisions of
/ the commission made in formal mat
/ tiers are considered of sufficient pub
/ lie interest To warrant the expense Of
publishing the same in q volume sep
arate and distinct from the biennial
report OF the commission, legislative
sanction for such publication should
be given.
| 'l0. We would recommend that sec
ton 1913, Wisconsin statutes OF 1898,
be amended. The statute in it's pres
ent form is OF doubtful validity, If
valid. the penalty or iquidated dam
ages for which it provides are Excess
sive."
Railroad Accidents.
Soon after the organization Of the
railroad commission set of blanks,
| follow ing closely those issued by the
| Interstate commerce commission was
prepared, and a supply sent to the
railway companies doing business in
! Wisconsin. Each of the companies
| reported monthly to the commission
| the casualties. if any, occurring upon
its line the summary of which is con
/ tanned in q table which will be found
| in another part OF this report.
The commission viii continue 90
require each railway company TO
make monthly reports Of accidents oc-
curing upon its lines, and each sue
ceedimg published report OF the com
mission VII contain a summary such
j as is included in this volume and
from time to time comparative tables
/ Will be mete
AS SHOW Il by the eports, during
the period from June -. 1905 to June
( 80. 1906 the total number OF passen-
/ gers killed in Wisconsin N train &c
cIdents was and the total number
/ injured was 1917; the total number
| killed Oh platforms was /, and the to
/ tai number injured on platforms was
"a; the total number Of trainmen
| killed was 50 and the total number
- 49,