Chap. 351, § 1.

§ 2.

§ 3.

1868.

When postmaster-general, or agent, request,
corporation shall carry U. S. mail,
Corporation may notify by mail of objection
to terms offered, and shall be absolved
from duty after three months, unless U.
S. apply to Supreme Judicial Court for
commissioners. Compensation may be
adjusted by commissioners for past ser-
vice and for two years after award,
Upon expiration of term same proceedings
may be had for other two years,

Chap. 56, Chap. 292, 1864, repealed.

Annual meeting of railroad corporations, when

153

153

164

165

166

Chap. 106, § 1.

§ 3. Chap. 344, § 3.

Chap. 408, § 1.

§ 2.

$ 3.

§ 4.

Provisions not to apply to bonds guaranteed
by the state,.
Common carriers to forward property offered
for transportation by other common car-
riers; not to discriminate between par-
ties offering property for transportation;
Supreme Judicial Court may enforce pro-
visions. (See page 42.)

Penalty, and how recovered,
Bridges over railroads to be not less than
eighteen feet high, except by written con-
sent of county commissioners. Amended
by chap. 276 of acts of 1870,
Bridge guards to be erected where bridges
are less than eighteen feet in height,
Penalty for neglect,

Railroads not to confine animals in cars for
more than 28 consecutive hours. Ani-
mals to be unloaded, fed and watered, pro-
vided, &c. Penalty on railroads for each
offence, Chap. 212 of 1868, repealed,
Three railroad commissioners to be appointed;
term of office,

To have general supervision of all railroads,.
To notify railroads failing to comply with
terms of charter, &c. Notice, how served,
To make examination of railroad upon com-
plaint of city or town authorities. If 20
legal voters request examination and town
authorities refuse to complain, commis-
sioners, after hearing on petition proceed
to examine, &c.,
Powers heretofore conferred on certain spe-

170

88

87

88

89

139

1

2

7

sioners; ap

SECTION 1. There shall be a board of railroad commission- Board of Railers consisting of three persons appointed and commissioned road Commisby the governor with the advice and consent of the council, pointment, &c. and subject to removal in like manner. Before the first day 1869, 408, § 1. of July in each year one member of the board shall be appointed for the term of three years, who shall hold his office until his successor is appointed and qualified; upon the occurrence of a vacancy before the expiration of a term an appointment shall be made for the remainder of the term. The commissioners now in office shall hold their respective offices according to the tenor of their respective commissions, unless removed as aforesaid.

[Section 1 of chap. 408 of acts of 1869, for which the above section is a substitute, was framed to organize a board of commissioners and required revision. The above substitute for it is in exact conformity with G. S., chap. 57, sect. 1, in relation to Bank Commissioners.]

Commissioners

vision of railroads, &c. 1869, 408, § 2.

SECT. 2. Said commissioners shall have the general superto have super- vision of all railroads in the Commonwealth, whether operated by steam, horse or other motive power, and shall examine the same, and keep themselves informed as to their condition and the manner in which they are operated, with reference to the security and accommodation of the public, and the compliance of the several railroad corporations with the provisions of their charters and the laws of the Commonwealth.

To have an

clerk, &c.

1869, 408, § 7.

an

SECT. 3. Said commissioners shall be provided with office in Boston, office in the state house, or in some other suitable place in the city of Boston, in which their records shall be kept. In the discharge of the duties of their office, they shall be transported over the several railroads in the Commonwealth free of charge; they may employ and take with them experts, or other agents, whose services they may deem to be temporarily of importance; they shall have a clerk, to be appointed by the governor, who shall receive a salary of two thousand dollars per annum, payable quarterly out of the treasury of the Commonwealth, and whose duty it shall be to keep a full and faithful record of the proceedings of said board of commissioners, and to serve such notices as may be required of him by the commissioners; and they may draw upon the treasurer of the Commonwealth for a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars annually, to be expended by them in procuring necessary books, maps, statistics and stationery, and in defraying expenses incidental and necessary to the discharge of the duties of their office. A statement of such expenditures shall accompany their annual report.

Salary.
1869, 408, § 8.

Annual ex-
penses to be
borne by rail-
roads.
1869, 408, § 9.

To be sworn. 1869, 408, § 13.

SECT. 4. The annual salary of said commissioners shall be four thousand dollars each, payable quarterly from the treasury of the Commonwealth.

SECT. 5. The annual expenses of said board of commissioners, including salaries, shall be borne by the several corporations owning or operating the railroads in this Commonwealth in proportion to the income and profits of said corporations, for the year next preceding that in which the assessment hereinafter mentioned is made. And the tax commissioner shall, on or before the first day of July in each year, assess upon said corporations their just proportion of such expenses, which shall be collected from said corporations in the same manner as is provided by law for the collection of taxes upon corporations.

SECT. 6. Said commissioners and clerk shall be sworn to the due and faithful performance of the duties of their respective offices before entering upon the discharge of the same; and no person in the employ of any railroad corporation, or owning stock in any railroad corporation, shall hold either of said offices.