The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-03-21
THE RAILWAY RATE LAW

While railroad officials and railroad
attorneys are not having anything to
say about the probable action of the
transportation companies in regard to
the new IA cent rate adopted by
the General Assembly, the belief is
strong that they will resist it IN the
Federal courts on the ground that it
is sonfscatory. Indeed, it lis said
that the matter will be taken up be-
fore the law becomes affective and
there are many who express the opin-
ion that passegenrs viii not ride on
the cheap rate this year.
The new law, which should go into
effect the LIST of July, follows: THE
General Assembly Of North Carolina
do enact:
Section 1. That no railroad COM
pany doing business as a common car
rier of passengers in the State Of
North Carolina, except - herein
after provided, shall charge, demand
or receive, for transporting any pas
senger, and his or her baggage not
exceeding in weight 200 pounds, from
any station on its railroad In North
Carolina to any other station on its
said road in North Carolina, a rate
In excess of two and one-quarter cents
per mile, and for Transporting. child
rem twelve years of age or under, one-
half of the rate above described: Pro-
vided, that the corporation commits
sion of North Carolina is hereby au-
thorized and empowered to permit
all Independently owned and operated
railroad companies in North Carolina
whose mileage of road is sixty miles
or under, to charge a rate for trans.
porting passengers not In excess of
the present rate fixed and prescribed
for said road; and also to permit all
railroads constructed within the
twelve months preceding the first day
of January, 1907, or at that time In
course of construction, for a term Of
two years from and after July 1,
1907, and also such railroads as may
be constructed within two years from
January 1, 1907, to charge such rate
In excess of the rate above prescrib-
ed as the said commission may de-
termine to be reasonable. A charge
of ten cents may be added to the fare
of any passenger when the same IS
paid upon the cars, if a ticket might
/ loo Loo- --o,,nl xri4I1o ,ooean
able time before the departure of the
train; and no railroad company shall
be required to accept a single fare Of
less than five cents.
"Sec. 2. In the case that any rail-
road company operating as a common
carriers of passengers In the State Of
North Carolina is owned, controlled
or operated by lease Oh other agree
ment by any other railroad company
doing business In said State, the rate
for carrying passengers thereon as
prescribed by this act shall be deter
mined for said railroad by the rate
prescribed by this act for the rail-
road company which owns, controls
or operates the same; and the, North
Carolina corporation commission
! shall publish the rates fixed by this
act for the several railroad companies
operating in this State, ON or before
the first day of June, 1907.
"Section g.. That mileage books OF
1000 miles In each book shall be kept
on sale at such railroad ticket Offices
In North Carolina as shall be named
and designated by the> corporation
commission of North Carolina, and
when such mileage book is purchased
it shall be good In the hands of any
person or persons named therein on
all railroads on which the fare is the
same as or less than the fare on the
road of the company selling such
mileage book; and when the mileage
is detached from said book by any
other railroad company than the one
which sold it, the said mileage shall
be redeemable on demand by the rail-
road company which sold it. ba.
"Sec. 4. That any railroad COM
pany violating any provision of this
act shall be liable to a penalty Of
$500 for each violation, payable to
the person aggrieved by such viola
ton, and recoverable In an action to,
be instituted In the name of said per-
son In any court of this State having
competent jurisdiction thereof. And
any agent, servant or employee Of any
railroad company violating this act
shall be guilty of a misdemanor, and
upon conviction shall be fined or inn
p%risoned, or both, in the discretion. Of
the court.
"Sec. 5. That any person or per-
sons, except those permitted by law,
who accept free transportation shall
be guilty of a midemeanor. and upon
conviction shall be fined or impr1son-
ed, or both, in the discretion of the
court. {
"Sec. g.. That section 261S of the
all laws and clauses of laws in con-
fict with this act are hereby repeal
Il nd