The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-02-26
FREIGHT RATES
To Be REDUCED
House Committee Agrees
ON a Wise Measure.
NO DETERMINATIONS
Bill Will Prevent Unjust Di-criIniIia :
tions In Freight Rates and
Fix Maximum Charges
Therefor.

Therefor.
While the Senate has been discuss
ing the passenger rate bill for the past
-four days, the House Committee on
Public Service Corporations has been
hard at work on a bill to prevent un-
Just determinations in freight rates
and to fix the maximum charges
therefor. They have gone ut this ina
portant matter in the right way and
have obtained the counsel of whole
sale merchants. manufacturers ana
business men. and have mad the adj
vice also Of expert freight men who
understand all the schedules and class
ifications as Well as any general
freight agent in the country. The re-
suit Of their Investigations and expert
advice and their own views as the way
to bring about the relief and educ
tons needed in freight rates and end
unjust determinations is seen in the
following bill which has the undni-
nous approval OF the House Commit
tee on Public Service Corporations,
and which will be introduced in the
House on Monday morning by Chair
man Manning:
a Bill to BE Entitled IAN Act to Pre-
vent Unjust Determinations III
Freight Rates and TO Fix the. Max
imunn Charges Therefor"
The General Assembly of North Caro-
lima do enact
Sec. 1. That he Corporation Com
mission created by the laws Of North
Carolina. shall not. in fixing the maxi
mum rates and charges. or tariff of
rates or charges for any common ar
rier transporting freight in North Caro-
lima, permit or allow any such com
mon carrier to charge, collect or re-
ceive a greater toll. charge or rate
for the r~2nSn0rt9tj0n of 1nN article of
freight or commodity embraced in the
present classification fixed and pre-
Scribcd. or approved by said Corpora
ton Commission where the initial
point of shipment is on the Dad or
line of one common carrier in this
State and the terminal point of said
shipment is on the line OF road of
another common carrier in his State.
than is the sum of the present local
rates now established, prescribed or
approved bv said Corporation Commits
sion, less a reduction of twenty-five
per centum of the said local rates on
all railroads for which there is nov
made or prescribed u reduction for
a joint haul: and on those railroads
for which there is not now prescribed
q reduction On joint haulS a reduction
of fifteen per centum of the local rates
now established, prescribed or APP
proved by said Corporation Commits
sion for said railroads.: Provided, h
the Corporation Commission is hereby
empowered to reduce the said local
rates whenever in its opinion and af-
ter Investigation by it it shall determ-
inc that a lower rate is reasonable;
Provided further, that present local
rates now established, prescribed or
approved by aid Corporation Commits
sion shall not be increased.
Sec. 2. That any railroad company
doing business in the State of North
Carolina. or officer or agent thereof.
who shall give to any person or ship
per any advantage over another person
or shipper under like circumstances
by way of any rebate or reduced rate
not authorized by aW, or by the North
Carolina Corporation Commission. 9
which shall make charges for ship
ments of freight in violation of the
provisions of this act. shall be guilty
of q misdemeanor, and such corpora
ton shall. upon conviction, be fined
not less than one hundred dollars
and such officer or agent shall be fined
or imprisoned. or both, in the diSCrc-
ton of the court and any shipper
or conSignce of any freight in the Stat
of North Carolina who shall knowingly
accep any rebate or other cOnSidera-
ton from any railroad company Whicl
is not allowed or given other shippers
or c~onSigneeS under like or similar
circumstances and which is not allow
ed by law. shall be guilty of a misdc-
1ned1OT anu I1lCu vi IAlDI IoOilSu :.
the discretion of the court.
Sec. 5. That whenever any person
firm or corporation intending to shiI
freight makes a written application Il
any railroad for a car o.
Gals to be loaded in car load lots Will
any kind of freight embraced in tn
tariffs of said company. stating il
said application the character of tn
freight. the number of ears wanted
the station depot sidin
boat landing on the road or line 0
said railroad whence tn
shipment is to be moved and its fna
destination, the railroad company sinai
furnish the said car or cars Withi
four days from seven o'clock a. m. til
day following such application, Whic
said application shall be delivered t
the agent of the railroad company 4
the station at or nearest the point Q
shipment. Any railroad company fail
ing to furnish the car or ears name
in said written Application shall q
subject to a penalty of five dollars pc
car per day for each car not furnish
firm or ~corpoation making said appl
cation: Provided, that the said raj
road before furnishing IN
car or cars upon said application {
the shipper. may require the pcrsnl
firm or corporation applying for til
same. to deposit five dollars for eaC
car 50 demanded at the time the al
plication is made. which said depoS
Of five dollars for each car may !
retained by the said railroad compaI
as a forfeit for t~rackage. in case II
car or cars are not loaded with
forty-eight hours after notice of II
placing of said car or cars in accor'
ance with said demand.
Sec. 4. That section 1852 of the r
NiSal of 1905 be amended, by strikiI
out the words TWENTY-FIVE" in lii
eleven and inserting in lieu thcret
'iiftccn." and by striking out the Wo
five in line eleven thereof and j
sorting III lieu thereof. twelve al
fifty one-hundredth'. and by striki
out the words .1Wclvc and fifty on
hundreJth'' in lines fourteen ana !
teen and inserting in lieu thereof s
and Twenty-Five, one hundredth." a
by striking ont the words two a
fifty onc-hundrcdth,' in line fife
and inserting. in lieu thereof "on
aud nv striking out the word 'thirt