Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-15
|NTERURBAN CHARTER
BILL IS PASSED WITH
HOUSE AMENDMENTS
Charge Is Made That Bill Was
Drawn in Office of ATLANTA
Law Firm Recently Engaged
by [. & N, Railroads.

BY vote of sc to SO, one vote more
than the required number, the house
Monday morning passed the bill au-
thorizing the secretary of state to IS
sue charters to interurban railway lines,
but only after the bill had been so
amended as to prevent any corporation
acquiring a charter under the act from
paralleling the Western and Atlantic
railroad.
1t was charged by Representative
Brown of Emanuel, while explaining his
vote, that the bill was drawn in the
office of the law firm recently engaged
by the L. and N. railroad, which has
been seeking to parallel the w. and A.
The bill passed after four amendments
had been adopted. 1t has already passed
the senate, but must now go back to
the senate for ratification of these
amendments. AS notice Of reconsidera-
tion was given by Representative Shep-
pard of Sumter, the hill will not reach
the senate until Tuesday.
AMENDMENTS ADOPTED.
The four amendments adopted were:
First to make the bill apply only to the
issuance of charters to gas and electric
railways; second, to authorize interurban
lines to sell gas and electricity for heat
and power subject to the regulation of
the state railroad commission; third, TO
give the right of eminent domain to in
terurban lines securing charters; fourth,
to prohibit any interurban line to which
a charter is issued or which acquires
or leases a charter under the act or to
prohibit any line operating under char
ter granted under the act from ever
paralleling the Western and Atlantic
railroad.
The last amendment was introduced by
Representatives Yeomans of Terrell and
Wohlwender of Muscogee.
Mr.. Wohlwender speaking for the bill
as he proposed to amend it, said that
the supreme court has held that the Sec
rotary of state has no authority to issue
charters TO interurban electric lines, that
the purpose of the bill was simply to
establish this authority and the purpose
of the amendment was simply to protect
the state road.
BETTER TO KILL 1T.
Representative Sheppard of Sumter
speaking against the bill, said that if IL
contained one joker. it contained several,
and it was better for the house TO kills
it outright He declared it was dan
gerous BILL imperilling not only the
safety of the state road, but threatening
to absorb local public utilities.
Representative Stark of Jackson,
speaking for the bill, also referred to
the decision of the supreme court re-
garding charters to interurban lines
and said that it had retarded develop
ments in the state. The bill, he said,
was designed simply to promote prog
reSS.
Representative Knight of Berrien was
violently opposed to the bill, characteriz-
ing it as "the most dangerous piece of
legislation introduced at the present ses-
sion" The first thing the people know,
said Mr. Knight, the L. and n. railroad
will be hauling freight to Marietta by
steam and from Marietta to Atlanta by
electricity, thus effectually paralleling
the w. and A. and destroying it's value
to the state. No special urgency has
been shown for the bill, said Mr.. Knight,
and there is no special urgency for it,.
1t should be killed outright, he declared.
Representative Yeomans, of Terrell
said he regarded the bill as dangerous
even if the amendment of which he was
one of the authors, was adopted. Tie
house should certainly adopt that
amendment, he said, and if it did not
adopt it, the bill should certainly be
killed.
IN BILLS BEHALF
Representative Neill, of Muscogee,
speaking for the BILL said he held no
brief for the corporations but he hated
to see the bill killed out of sheer preju-
dice for the corporations when it sim
ply provided for the issuance of char
ters to interurban lines and for nothing
else.
Representative Morris, Of Hart spoke
for the bill. He said that in his section
of the state the construction of an in
terurban line is being prevented simply
because no provision has been made for
the issuance of charters since the SD
preme court handed down it's decision.
Representative Atkinson, of Fulton,
spoke for the bill
At the conclusion of tn debate, the
house passed all four amendments and
then on an aye and nay roll-cau passed
the bill 90 for and So against