The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-02-20
FEES FOR THE UTILITY BOARD
Bill Introduced in the House Would
Make the Department Almost
Self Supporting.

Topeka.-A bill to allow the public
utility board to charge fees for its
service that will make the department
almost self-suppOrting has been intro
duced in the legislature by Represent
alive Holbrook Of Wyandotte County.
The bill extends the powers of the
commission and places all privately
owned public utilities in the state I'M
der the jurisdiction of the commission.
1t excludes municipal plants and mu-
tual telephone systems. 1t provides
for physical connection between COM
mon carriers to facilitate service IN
der control of the commission. It
adopts the provisions of the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the laws
of wisconsin, New York and other
states with regard to the changing of
rates for public utilities, but makes
no change in the method Of rate
changing for common carriers. The
bill provides that a schedule may be
filed with the commission and made
known locally which will become eff
fective in sixty days unless objection
is made by some interested city or
the public or suspended by the COM
mission on its own motion.
The commission is given authority
to suspend any proposed schedule
rates for not to exceed eight months
while it is conducting the necessary
investigation to determine the pro
priety OF the proposed rates. The
commission finally may determine the
rate to be charged.
+ + =
Trolley Line Held Liable.
The supreme court recently main
tanned that due diligence requires a
motorman on a street car to avoid col
lision with pedestrians who may be
walking on the track in a condition
of mental alteration, holding that a
street car company is liable for dam
ages for persons injured under such
| circumstances.
r r r
While attempting to cross the Mis-
souri, Pacific track in Paola the other
night, w. H. Frye was struck by
passenger train and killed.
+ + +
Hold Wife's Property Exempt.
In affirming a case appealed from
| Saline county the supreme court ruled
| that the personal property OF the wife
| is exempt from seizure for the joint
| debts of husband and wife. In this
/ case it was claimed by the creditors
of the husband and wife that while
the husband, under the Kansas law as
head of the family, was exempt to the
amount OF $500 worth of personal
property, the fact that the wife was
owner of the property removed this
exemption. The supreme court denied
this contention.
Ruling Prescribes Safety.
Persons who handle nitroglycerin
must take particular pains to protect
the safety Of others, according to a
recent decision Of the Kansas supreme
court The ruling was on an appeal
| from Chautauqua county, where a can
of nitroglycerin was left on the ground
by an agent of the Du Pont Powder
company, after shooting an oil well
Two children OF Steve Clark found the
explosive and in attempting to open
the can caused an explosion that re-
suited in their serious injury. Clark
was given damages.
| + r +
To Protect County Funds.
The senate has passed a bill requir-
| ing that all county and city officials
distribute the public funds equally
among al the banks OF the county or
city which now participates in the
state deposit guaranty fund or buys
guaranty insurance.
Senate Backs Up.
/ The senate backed up on the bill
passed recently to give the cities of
the state the EsEht to vote bonds for