The San Francisco call., 1909-03-02
INACTIVITY RECORD
|. OF RAIlROADBOARD
Investigation Made by Senator
Campbell Shows Commits
sioners in Bad Light
Drawing Of Salaries Hardest
Work Done by Members OF
Body in 1907
Especial Dispatch 10 The CALI

OF COMMERCE BUILDING. SACRA-
MBNTO. March data obtained by
Senator Campbell OF San Luis Obispo
by quiet investigation 5of the records
of the railroad commission for the.
year 1907 bear out all that has been
charged In the senate rega riding the
inactivity of that body. The sum of
the work for the year consists OF a
few simple items the principal being
to meet TO approve bills and to ad-
journ. At some meetings answers to
letters complaining of railroad freight
and passenger rates Were prepared, but
there is no record of any attempt to
establish rates or to intervene in any
way allowed by law in the business
of the railroad companies.
The board. consisting of Wilson, Ir-
win and Summerland. was organized
January :, 1907. 1t met again in Feb
ruary. placed on its dusty file few
freight and passenger tariffs, approved
bills and adjourned. At the monthly
meetings for March, April and May no
business outside of the approval of
bills was transacted. There was Moth
ing doing. but of course salaries and
accounts We're carefully attended to-
In June few more freight and pas
senger rates We're filed away and for
gotten.
SOME BUSINESS DONE
In July there was some real business
done, albeit not enough to overbuxden
three husky commissioners drawing
$4,000 a year The South Eureka min
~ lot nf
siye freight rate between lone and
Martell. The board pored over the
dusty files and found that, the. lone
and Eastern railroad had never filed
any tariffs. So the board wrote ask
ing the railroad company to file its
tariffs and in anxious zeal to preserve
the corporation from unjust attack
suggested that statement be sent
with the tariffs, showing cost OF oper-
alton and other facts justifying the
charges made
Sure. enough, at the August meeting
the board received. a reply from the
railroad, and very significant reply
it was, giving vivid insight into the
scant respect which even little 10
mile railroad entertained for the mighty
railroad commission.
GIVES VAGUE STATEMENT
The traffic manager of the line in
lOTineO the COMMISSION Indl ne. ndu
forwarded the request for data to
I the secretary of the road and added
the following Illuminating, IL grandly
vague. statement:
Our rates are not excessive, as the
road was very expensive one to con-
struct and also very expensive to OPP
crate, owing to the short haul, the ex-
pense per mile being considerable more
than it would be if the road were
Tho huGirncc tho rnaH iC
light and to lower our rates would
make the thing losing proposition.
Even as 1t is I can not possibly make
the thing pay.
The secretary OF the road wrote that
he had not sent the required informa-
tion because he was behind in his Of
fee work. That apparently ended the
matter. as there is further record
for 1907 bearing on the rate dispute.
INACTIVITY GLARING
In September some more tariffs were
placed on file, couple of annual re-
ports from railroads were received. one
letter asking for information was an
sWered and the board adjourned. In
October another letter was answered.
Novembers meeting was busy one
for the commission. Three letters We're
answered, a complaint from a shipper
was summarily disposed of and that
took his seat, and it began to look as
though the board might do something
besides draw salary and approve bills.
Repeal Subpoena Law
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call
CALL HEADQUARTERS, CHAMBER
FOF COMMERCE BUILDING, SACRA-
MENTO March 1.-The senate today
passed a bill introduced by Bell of
Pasadena restoring to it's former status
law which was changed at the last
lsession of the legislature. after stand
ing the test of the highest courts for
80 years. This is the law relating to
the subpenaing of witnesses in order
to take their depositions before no
tary public. AS changed two years
ago the law requires that notice must
first be served on the witness whose
testimony is needed and that an order
of court must be obtained, compelling
the witness appearance. The change
fhas proved unsatisfactory, especially in
the. case of INSCRIPTIONS persons, who
do not hesitate upon receiving due no.
tice to prepare their testimony along
lines most favorable to their own in
terests The restoration of the law to
its old status~ meets with the unani-
nous approval of the bar association
of Los Angeles, by which association it
was requested.