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OF THE

BOARD

OF

RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS,

FOR THE

YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1883.

STATE OF KANSAS.

=

TOPEKA, KANSAS:

KANSAS PUBLISHING HOUSE: T. D. THACHER, STATE PRINTER.

1884.

LIBRARY

OF THE

LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR

UNIVERSITY.

Fr.320

REPORT.

HON. GEORGE W. GLICK, Governor of the State of Kansas:

SIR-In conformity to the requirements of the law, we have the honor to submit to you our First Annual Report. By the provisions of section 6 of the act of the Legislature of Kansas, approved March 6, 1883, the Railroad Commissioners are required to make a report to the Governor, on or before the first Monday in December in each year, of their doings for the preceding year. The making of this report has been greatly delayed beyond the appointed time by the failure of several of the railroad companies operating in this State to furnish to the Board the returns mentioned in section 7 of the act cited above, until after the expiration of the time fixed for the submission of the Commissioners' report to the Governor. This delay on the part of the companies referred to was, we were assured and have every reason to believe it to be true, unavoidable, and was occasioned by causes which are not likely to occur again—such, for instance, as the fiscal year prescribed by the law being different from that obtaining in the accounts of the railroad companies, and the difference in the forms prescribed by the Commissioners for the returns to be made in, and the forms'of accounts kept by the railroad companies.

The members of the present Board of Railroad Commissioners entered upon the duties of their offices on the 1st of April, 1883, and elected Mr. E. J. Turner, Secretary of their Board.

The powers of the Commissioners are defined in sections 5, 8, 11, 14, 17 and 18 of the law above referred to. Under section 5, their powers are supervisory and advisory. It commits to them the general supervision of all railroads operated by steam, and all express companies, sleeping-car companies, and all other persous, companies or corporations doing business as common carriers in this State. It also makes it their duty to inquire into any neglect or violation of the laws of this State by any person, company or corporation engaged in the busines of transportation of persons or property therein, or by the officers, agents, or employés thereof. It is further their duty to carefully examine from time to time the condition of each railroad in the State, and its equipment, and the manner of its conduct and management, with reference to the public safety and convenience. It is further made the duty of the Board, whenever in their judgment it may appear that

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