The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-11
GENERAL LAWS
Enacted by the Legislature of Alabama.

eo py sucn railroadS, or otherwise. The term transportation company" as used herein shall also mean, and em- brace, express companies, car compa- mes, and sleeping car companies, over aiI which the commission shall have the power of supervision and control.
 Sec. II. The provisions of this act shall apply to the transportation of points within this Stare, ana to the re- ceivin, switching, delivering. stor- ing and hauling of such property, and to all charges connected herewith. and shall apply to all railroad corpor- ations, express companies, car compa- nies, and to all associations of per sons. whether incorporated or other wise, that shall do business as com- mon carriers upon or over any line Of railroad, in whole or in part, within this State, or partly by rail and partly by water; but nothing in this Act shall be construed as a regulation of or in-
 Sec. 12. This Act shall not apply to street and electric railroads engaged solely in the transportation of passen- gers within the limits of any one city nor to logging or private railroads not doing business as common carriers.
 Sec. 13 Every transportation com pany Is hereby required to furnish reasonably adequate service, and facil- ities and the charges made for any ser VICE FGnuGTGu, pr tO Dt TtHuCTGu HI hhV transportation of passengers, or prop erty, or for any service in connection herewith. or for the receiving, switch ing, delivering, storing or handling of such property shall be reasonable and just, and to that end the Railroad Com mission of Alabama shall have the pow CT and be charged with the duty Of supervising, regulating and controll- ing all transportation companies doing business in this State, in all matters relating to the performance of their public duties, and their charges there for, and of correcting abuses therein by such companies, and the Commis- sioners shall from time to time pre- scribe and enforce against said trans portation companies, in the manner hereinbefore authorized. such rates, charges, classifications of freight. stor- age. demurrage, and car service charges, rules and regulations, and shall require them to establish and main- tain all such public service, facilities and conveniences, as may be reason- able and just, which said rates, charges. classifications, rules, regulations and requirements the Commission may. from time to time alter or amend. Provid- ed, however, that where the rates or charges, for the transportation of any articles, or property, or the classifi- tion of freight, have been fixed or pre- SCTiDeu DY Btdtut6 tnc SOittiiliSSiVh ShoAA not have power to increase such rates or charges, or change such classifca- tion Tn such manner as to increase such rates or charges. All rates, charges, classihcations, rules and reg ulations adopted, or acted upon by any transportation company inconsistent with those prescribed by the Commits sion acting within the scope of it's au- thorlty. or inconsistent with those pre- scribed by any statute, shall be unlaw- full and void.
 Sec. fl. The Railroad Commission shall have the power and authority subject at all times to the control Of the Legislature, of regulating railroad freight and passenger tariffs, the To- eating and building of passenger and freight depots. correction of abuses, preventing unjust discrimination and extortion, and requiring reasonable and just rates of freight and passenger tar- ifs.
 Sec. IS. The Commission shall have the authority to inquire into the man. agement of the business of all trans- portation companies, and shall keep It. self informed as to the condition. man ner and method in which the same are conducted with reference to the secur- ity and accommodation of the public and their compliance with their char ters and the laws of this State. They shall have the right and power to ob- tain from any such company full and complete information necessary to en- able the Commission to perform it's du- ties and carry out the objects Tor which 1t was created. And the Com missioners in the performance of their duties shall have the right to pass free of charge on all the railroads of the State, and to take with them free of charge any person in their of1cial employment. And the Commission shall have the authority and Is hereby re- quired to enforce and require compli- ance with all the provisions of all laws, now in force or hereafter enacted regulating railroads and other trans portation companies or prescribing the duties thereof.
 Sec. 1e. The Railroad Commission is hereby authorized to change any classification of railroads which has been or may hereafter be, established
 by statute. from time to time as chang ed conditions may in It's judgment rem der 1t expedient so to do. by taking railroad from one class and placing 1t in another. and to assign to any class 1t may determine proper any new rail- road that may heareafter be construct ed or operated as a common carrier, in whole or In part in this State, and said Commission Is further authorized and empowered to change any classi- hcation of articles which has been or may hereafter be established by stat
 utes when in Its judgment 1t Is reas-
 enable and just to do so; provided,
 however, that such change shall not increase any rate prescribed or fixed by statute for the transportation of such articles or classes of articles. Sec. IT. Nothing in this act shall be so construed as tO authorize or em- power the Railroad Commission to in- crease any rate or rates which have been or shall be established by stat
 ute for the transportation of freight or
 passengers, and said Commission shall l not have power to increase such rate | or rates.
 Sec 1s Tn all cases in which the
 rate or rates for the transportation of
 freight or passengers has been or shall
 he established by statute the Railroad | Commission is hereby charged with the l enforcement of such rates, and shall | use all the powers granted to it by 1 law to prevent and punish any viola | ton of the statutes establishing such
 rates.
 Sec. 1s. The Commission shall cause
 to be prepared suitable blanks for the l purposes designated In this Act, and | shall. when necessary, furnish such | blanks to each transportation com
 pany. Any such transportation com | pany receiving from the Commission
 any such blanks shall cause the same
 10 be properly filled out. so as to an-
 swer fully and correctly any question
 therein propounded, and in case 1t fails
 to answer any question it shall state
 in said blank a good and sufficient req
 son for such failure. and said answers