The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-05-02
CHAPTER 3O7-S. F. No. 14S. :

CHAPTER SO1-S r. NO. las. .
AN ACT to promote the safety of employees
*. and travellers on railroads by requiring COM
u mon carriers engaged in operating railroads
%e In the State of Minnesota to establish and
t& tween structures located and their
~ roadWays, and cars passing over their lines.
- and for other purposes.
BE 1t enacted by the Legislature OF the State
la@ Of Minnesota:
Section. /. That the provisions of thl, act
Shall apply to any corporation or receiver there
3of or TO any person or persons while engaged
as common carriers In the transportation by
State to which the regulative powers Of this
state extend, except railways operated by the
u Sec. 2. That on and after the passage Of
lths act, 1t shall be unlawful for any common
carrier. or any other person to erect or re-
ard gauge road on its line any standard
gauge side track used in connection Herewith.
of this act. any wa<ehouse, coal chute, stock
pen, pole, mall crane, stand pipe. hog drencher.
struction. or In excavating allow any empank-
ment Of earth natural rock to remain upon
Its line Of railroad or on any side-track used
in connection Herewith at a distance of less
than eight feet measured from the center
line Of the track, which said structure or OBJ
nor shall any overhead wires, bridges, viaduct
or other obstruction passing over above
Its tracks aforesaid be erected recon
structed at less height than twenty-one CD
feet measured ' from the top Of the track ran
thorough investigation. permit any common
carrier to which this act applies to erect any
tance from the track than herein provided for,
when In the Judgment Of said Commission a
in would be impracucable.
Sec. 4. That on and after the passage of
common carrier to construct any track used for
the Of - moving any cars engaged In
power Of this state, where the center line of
such track Is at a distance of less than four
teen feet from the center line OF any other
parallel track which it adjoins.
Sec. 8. Section four of this act shall not be
construed as applying to tracks to be used
wholly for the purpose Of switching or stor-
for such purpose shall not be constructed in
closer proximity to each other than thirteen
u3) feet measured from the center line of any
ouch track to the center line Of any parallel
track which 1t adjoins provided. that the dis
four and five OF this act may be diminished or
closed up necessary distance for track inter-
Sec. 8. That on and after the passage of
this act it shall be unlawful for any such com
mon carrier to permit the space between such
Of Its tracks as are ordinarily used by yard
men and their employees in the discharge of
their duties, to become remain obstructed
by any foreign obstacle that will interfere with
the work of said employees or subject said en-
ployes to unnecessary hazard. Such space be-
tween or beside said tracks as aforesaid, and
between the rails of said tracks must be kept
In such condition as to permit said employees to
pass over or between said tracks to use the
same by day night and under all weather
conditions without unnecessary hazard pro-
vided, however. that wherever any railroad
a portion Of Its tracks, within the corpora te
limits Of any municipality, whether under con
tract with such municipality or otherwise. this
act shall not apply to any. depression Of the
tracks Of such company lying wholly within
ths corporat ~, limits OF such municipality.
70 the provisions of this act violating any Of the
provisions thereof. shall be liable to penalty OF
such violation; and each day that any struc.
ture or obstruction is maintained in violation
tense. such penalty to be recovered In sui,
or suits to be brought in the name of the
Of IT, by the attorney General
diction thereof In the locality where such q
der the direction OF the State Railroad and
Warehouse Commission to bring such suits up
him by any person Of such violation beina
committed, and 1T shall also be the duty Of
sion to lodge With tho Attorney General in.
formation Of any such violation as may come
to its knowledge.
SEQ. 8. 1t shall be the duty Of the Railroad
Inspectors of the Bureau Of Labor, Industries
and Commerce. to report to the Railroad and
General any violation OF the provisions Of this
act Of which they may obtain knowledge.
o. n Tha n, any em b Of said common
duty and while engaged In any commerce men
toned subject to the regulative power of this
by reason Of a violation of Section Six of this
act, or by reason Of any structure or obstruc
ton erected or maintained prior to the passage
of this act, or in violation Of the provisions Of
this act in closer proximity to the rails thar
here:nbefore provided, shall not be deemed tt
have assumed the risk thereby occasioned OF
to have been guilty of contrbutory negligence
although the employe continued In the emplo,
Of such common carrier after the use of suci
permanent overhead side structure or Oh.
struction Of any kind character mentioned il
this act shall have been brought to hi
knn Of he p1tcS1o
provided for in Section Three of this act shall
be at the sole risk Of the carrier.
SEQ. TO- This act shall take effect and be II
force from and after its passage
Approved April 16, 1913,