The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-16

To amend sections 1, 5 and and 30
 Of an Act entitled "An Act to reg
 ulate railroads and other common
 carriers; to secure reasonable rates
 and adequate service, and to pre-
 vent unjust discrimination in their
 public service, and prescribe pen
 alties for the violation thereof, ap-
 proved February 23, 1907.
 Section l. Be it enacted by the Leg islature of Alabama That Section l of an Act entitled An Act to regulate railroads and other common carriers in this state; to secure reasonable rates and adequate service and to pre- scribe penalties for the violation there of" approved Feb. 23. 1907 be, and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows Sec. l. Be 1t enacted by the legislature of Alabama, That all railroads heretofore constructed or which may hereafter be constructed in this State, are hereby declared public high ways, and all railroad companies, or other companies, corporations, firms or individuals engaged In the trans portation of persons, or freight, over railroads for hire, and all navigation companies or steam boat or steam packet companies or corporations, firms or individuals engaged in the trans portation of persons, or freight by wa
  mon carriers. and are hereby made subject to the provisions of this act.
 Sec. 2. That Section 5 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended so as to read as follows: Sec. 5. It shall be unlawful for any railroad, or oth CT common carrier subject to the provisions of this act, to charge, de- mand, collect or receive a greater or less compensation for the transporta- ton of passengers, property or for any service in connection herewith, than is specified in such printed schedules including schedules of joint rates, as at the time be in force except as pro- vided by law or the Railroad Commits sion, and the rates, fares and charges named herein shall be the lawful rates, fares and charges wh en approved by the Railroad Commission, but Com mission may prescribe such charges in the form in which the schedules shall be issued by the common carrier as may be found expedient.
 Sec. 3. That Section 8 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended so as to read as follows: Sec. 8. If any railroad or other common car rier subject to the provisions of the act, or any agent or officer thereof shall directly, or indirectly. or by spe- cial rate, rebate, \ drawback, or by means of false billing, false classifi- cation, false weigh ing, false reports of weights, or by any device whatsoever, charge, demand, collect or receive from any person, firm, company or corpora tion, greater or less compensation for any service rendered or to be rem dered by it for the transportation of persons or property, or for any service in connection herewith, than that pre- in tar ri ba it charges, demands, collects or re- ceives from any other person., firm, company or corporation for a like ser vice, such railroad or other common carrier so doing shall be deemed guilty of unjust discrimination, which is hereby prohibited and declared unlaw- full, and shall forfeit to the State of Alabama and pay into the State treas ury not less than s100 nor more than $10,000 for each offense.
 Sec A. That Section 30 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended so as to read as follows Sec. 30. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent the carrying, storage or handling by any common carrier sub ject to the provisions of this Act of property free or at reduced rates for the United States, or for the State of Alabama, or for any municipality or for charitable purposes, or to and from fairs and expositions, for exhibition thereat, or property shipped by or to officers or employees for their own ex elusive use or consumption or that of their immediate families; or prevent such common carriers from issuing ex- cursion, mileage or communication tick cts; provided, such excursion, mileage or commutation tickets shall be ob- tainable by all persons applying there for under like circumstances and con ditions. Nor shall anything in this Act be construed to prevent such com mon carriers from giving free trans portation or reduced rates therefor to any person authorized by law to re- ceive such free transportation or re- duced rates therefor. And it shall be lawful for any railroad company to give to or exchange passes or free transportation with the officers and employees of other railroads and of ex- press companies and the immediate members of their families and for any express company to carry free or at re- duced rates the personal packages or property of it's officers and employees and the officers and employees of rail- road companies, for their own exclu- sive use or consumption or that of their immediate families. Upon tn e shipment of live stock or other prop erty requiring the care of an attend ant, the common carrier may furnish free transportation, including the re- turn passage. to the shipper or to some person or persons designated by him as attendant.
 Approved August 26, 1909.
 Official:
 FRANK N. JULIAN,
 Secretary of State.
 No. 20S.) AN ACT (H. 305