The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-31
The RATE BILL IS
PASSED BY SENATE
Most Important Measure Be-
fore Legislature
FULL TEXT OF THE BILL
The Passage Met With Opposition in
the Upper Branch of the Legisla-
tive Body-A Maximum
Rate Is Fixed.

Montgomery, January 3O.-(Speeial)-
The maximum rate bill, including pro-
visions for the legislature making
schedule of rates of more than one hun
bred articles, the classification of rail-
roads and also of commodities regarded
as the most important measure before
the legislature, with regard to the fight
made on the railroad issues, was passed
by the senate today after much talk and
little recorded opposition. BY its pro-
visions the rates established cannot be
changed save by act of the legislature.
In other words, it is a lawmade rate
measure, and no body or officer Is al
lowed to lower a single charge put into
1t. That can be done solely by the legis-
lature, but the railroad commission can
reduce any rate and the railroads will
be at the burden to show 1t too small.
The full text of the bill follows:
To be entitled an act, to fix and establish
the maximum rates to be charged bys
railroads now operating, or which may
hereafter operate, as common carriers
In whole or in part in the state of Ala
bana, for the transportation originat-
lliB anu ltIlilbldllDB "iNiiAi AiiS 9t"tSt u
certain articles, and for this purpose
to classify said articles and said rail
roads.
Section /. Be 1t enacted by the legisla-
ture of Alabama, That for the purpose
of establishing the maximum rates to be
charged by the railroads now opertlng,
or which may hereafter operate, in whole
or in part, as common carriers in this
state for the transportation, originating
and terminating within the state, of GER
tain articles, all such railroads are here
by divided into four classes, to be known
as Class One, Glass Two, Glass Three
and Glass Four.
Railroads Classified.
Glass One shall include the Alabama
Great Southern railroad the Louisville
and Nashville railroad, the Western Rail-
road Of Alabama, the St Louis and San
Frisco railroad and the Atlantic Coast
Line railroad.
Class Two shall include the Southern
railway, the Central of Georgia railroad,
the Seaboard Air Line railway, the Nash
vile, Chattanooga and ST. Louis railway
and the Atlanta and Birmingham Air
Line railway.
Glass Three shall include the Mobile
and Ohio railroad, the Mobile Jackson
and Kansas City railroad. the Chatta-
nooga Southern railroad, the Illinois Cen
trail railroad and the Atlanta, Birming-
ham and Atlantic railroad.
Glass Four shall include the Chatta-'
nooga Valley railroad. the Carrolltoa
Short Line railroad the Birmingham and
Atlantic railroad the Union Springs and
Northern railroad, the Tuskegee railroad,
the Tombigbee Valley railroad, the Tai
lassee and Montgomery railroad, the Br-
mlngham Southern railroad and the Mo-
bile and Bay Shore railroad.
Either OF the aforementioned classes
shall also include such other railroads,
which may hereafter be constructed or
operated in whole or in part as common
carriers in the state, as the railroad COM
mission of Alabama may deem proper to
place in such class.
Sec. 2. When any railroad which is
named in either of the classes designated
in section l of this act, or which may
hereafter be placed in either of said
classes, shall own or operate any other
railroad in whole or in part In this state,
or shall own, directly or indirectly, or
control a majority of the stock of any
other railroad in whole or in part in
this state, such railroad so owned or
operated, and such railroad a majority
of whose stock is so owned or controlled,
SMALL IL 1t be in a lower class, that Is,
allowed to charge higher rate, than the
railroad so owning or operting II or so
owning or controlling a majority of its
stock, be considered and treated for the
purposes of this act as part of. and in
the same class as, the railroad so own
ing or operating 1t or so owning or con-
trolling majority of its stock
Commodity Glasses.
Sec, 3. For the purpose of establishing
the maximum rates to be charged by the
railroads now operating. or which may
hereafter operate, In whole or in part as
common carriers. in this state, for the
transportation, originating and terminat-
ing within the state. of the articles here