The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-04-10
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TAKES EFFECT MAY % IN This
'2;sTATE-RAlLRoADs SAYING d.
NOTHING.
= The tRo-eeut fare law passed BY
the last legislature, which makes two
cents per mile the maximum compen.
sation for the transportation Of pas.
sengers!by the trunk lines and the lat.
eral lines over fifty miles in length
operated in the State Of West Virginia,
will so into effect on May 22d, ninety
days from the passage OF the act. (,
Since the passage OF the two cent
rate bill in West Virginia other States
have followed suit, the latest being
Pennsylvania, the legislature OF that
State passing the bill and Governor
Stuart afllxlng his signature last week.
= d q 81 b 3
The governor signed the bill after he
had received strong protest from
President McCrea, Of the Pennsylyan.
Ia railroad, protesting on behalf Of
the stockholders Of that road, AZ per
cent. Of whom are women. The rail.
way president stated that the repre-.
sentatIres Of the State had never Civ.
en- the least consideration to the mer.
ifs Of the bill and the injury It would
inilict upon the railroads operated in
that State and had come to the legis,
lature pledged to vote for two cent
fare before they knew what 1t meant
and for this reason he asked the Penn.
sylvania governor to veto the bill.
The Pennsylvania bill lis somewhat
similar to the one passed by the West
Virginia legislature, as II exempts
some OF the lateral railways from the
hover rate. In Pennsylvania 1t is
considered certain mat the railroads
wifi contest the BILL on the ground that
It does not remunerate the stockholJ
ers for the amount they have invest
cd. In this State the railroads have
given out not the least hint that they
would or would not make a test OF the
law and when the law goes into efrect
the outcome will be watched with In
terest.
The West Virginia law reads a.
follows:
Be 1t enacte, by the Legislature o
West Virginia:
Sec. 1. That all railroad corpora
tons organized or doing business II
this State under the laws or authori
ty thereof shall be limited in theil
charges for the transportation OF any
person with ordinary baggage, not ex
ceedlng one hundred pounds in weight
10 the sum Of two cents per mile. o.
fractional part Of a mile, but the far,
shall always be made the multiple O
five nearest reached by multiplyin,
the rate by the distance, and IL fol
any one passenger the rates hereiI
provided shall be less than five cents
the said sum OF five cents may b,
charged MS a minimum: children I'm
der twelve years OF age shall be car
ried for one.half fare above prescrib
ed; provided, that any passenge,
boarding q train ut n station where
tickets are sold, without having pro
cured ticket, may be charged au nd
ditional fare Of ten cents, for which
sum rebate slip, redeemable in mon
ey. upon presentation to any tickle
agent Of the company shall be ISSUED
and delivered 10 such passenger: anl
provided further, that nothing In this
act shall apply 10 amy railroad in this
State under fifty miles in length and
not part Of. or under the control
management or operation Of any 9th
CT railroad. over fifty miles In length
operating wholly or in part in the
State.
Sec. .. Any milroad company
which shall charge, demand or receive
any greater compensation for the
transportation Of any passenger than
Is authorized by this act. shall be M
ed for each Ofr"nsc not less than fifty
dollars nor more than five hundred
dollars; provided, that nothing con
tanned IN. this act shall apply TO cleo
trio lines and street railways owned
or operated in this State.
Sec .. AL acts or part Of acts In
consistent herewith are hereby re
pcaled.