Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1874 — Wisconsin Railroad Law. [ARTICLE]

Wisconsin Railroad Law.

At the late session of the'Legislatnre.of Wisconsin a law was enacted relating to railroads, the substance of which may be thus stated: All railroads in Wisconsin are divided into three classes, A, B, and C. Class A includes all railroads or parts of railroads in Wisconsin now owned, operated, managed, or leased by the Milwaukee & Bt. Paul Railway Company, the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, or the Western Union Railway Company. Class B includes all railroads owned, operated, etc., by the Wisconsin Central Railway Company, the Green Bay & Minnesota Company, and the West Wisconsin Railway Company. Class C includes all other railways in the State. Individuals, companies and corporations owning or operating these railways shall be limited in compensation per mile for the transportation of passengers with ordinary! baggage as follows: Class A, 3 cents per mile; Class B, 3 1-2 cents; Class C, 4 cents: children under twelve years of age to be charged one-half these rates. For freight purposes the roads are divided into four general classes, 1,2,3 and 4, and into seven special classes, designated as Classes D, E, F, G, H, I and J. Class.D shall comprise ail grain in car loads; Class E shall comprise flour in lots of fifty barrels, and lime mlcts of twentyfour barrels or more ; Class F shall comprise salt in lots of sixty barrels or more, and cement, water-lime and stucco in lots of twenty-four barrels or more; Class G ■ball comprise lumber, lath and shingles in car loads;'Class H shall comprise live stock in car loads; Class I shall comprise agricultural implements, furniture and wagons; Class J shall comprise coal, brick, sand, stone and heavy fourth-class articles in car loads; and in addition to the several articles in the special classes, shall be added others, specified further on in the law. All other articles not by the law. designated in classes shall be classified into the four general classes by the Board of Railroad Commissioners. The law then fixes as the maximum rates to be charged for the transportation of freight as follows: Class D—Bix cent* per 100 lbs. first 85 miles; 4 cents for second 85 miles; 8 cents for each additional» miles up to 800 miles: and for each 85 mile* over 800 miles, one-halt cent per 100 pounds. Class K—Twelve cents per barrel for first 25 miles; 8 cents for the second 85 miles; 4 cents for the third and snbseqnent 85 miles; bnt for each 85 miles over 800 miles 1 cent per barrel. Class F—Fifteen cents per barrel for the first 85 miles: 6 cents for the second; SVi cents for each additional 25 miles; over 800 miles IK cents per barrel for each 85 miles. , 85 miles; $5 for the second; and 82 for each succeeding 96 miles. Class H—Ten dollars per ear load for the first 85 miles; $7 tor the second; and $4 for each additional 8 • miles. Class I—Eleven dollars per car load for the first 85 miles: fie for the second; and *3 for each additional K miles. Class J—Eight dollars per car load for the first 25 miles: $f tor the second; and *2.50 for each additional 25 mile*. The maximum rates to be charged by the roads belonging to Classes A and B, and for transportation in the four general classes, are fixed at those charged by these companies June 1, 1873. No company is authorized to charge or receive any greater rate of compensation than is provided by the law, under a forfeiture of right to receive any compensation what ever; and any agent or officer who shall refuse to receive freight on account of the compensation being too low,or shall charge • and receive in excess of the legal rates, shall, npon conviction, pay a fine of not over S2OO, and the injured person may recover by suit three times the amount of the excess. The Governor on or before May 1,1874, shall appoint three Railroad Commissioners to serve three years —these Commissioners to have full authority to examine the books of all railroad companies, administer oaths, examine witnesses, Compel their attendance, and the production of papers, etc. The Board shall, in January of each year, make a report, showing the actual cost of each railroad in the State; the gross receipts of each road for the year preceding; the net earnings; the interest bearing debt, and the interest paid; the amonnt of the debt incurred for operating expenses; and a computation of how much of the debt is chargeable to that part of each road now lying within Wisconsin. The Commissioners are also to classify all kinds of freight not specially classified by the law. The decisions of Commissioners are to be binding on the railroad $, with reference to this classification, and every violation of the regulations is to be punished by fine. The salaries of the Commissioners are fixed at $2,500 a year each, with $3 per day for traveling expenses. Nothing in the act, however, is to be construed as abridging or controlling the rates of freight by any railroad company for transportation of freight coming from beyond the boundaries of the State, and to be carried across or through the State—the power of the railroad companies with respect to that freight is to remain as before. The law goes into operation at once. —Chicago Tribune.