RAILWAY LEGISLATION 135 



The " Act regulating the receiving, transportation and delivery 

 of grain by railroad corporations >; forbade discrimination 

 between shippers and warehouses in the handling of grain. 1 



The most important and far-reaching in its effects of any 

 of these acts of the twenty-seventh general assembly was un- 

 doubtedly the " Act to establish a board of railroad and ware- 

 house commissioners, and prescribe their powers and duties." 

 This measure passed the Senate without a dissenting vote, 33 

 being registered in its favor, while in the House the vote was 

 103 to g. 2 It provided for the appointment by the governor 

 of a board of three commissioners, none of whom should be 

 connected with or interested in the stock of any railroad com- 

 pany. 3 The first board was to hold office until the meeting of 

 the next general assembly, and thereafter the term was to be 

 two years from January i. Section 6 of the act required every 

 railroad company doing business in the state to make an annual 

 report to the board and enumerated forty-one particulars to 

 be embraced in this report, including information with regard 

 to capital stock; assets; liabilities; debt; value of property; 

 amount of business; monthly earnings; expenses of operation, 

 repairs, and improvements; rates and tariffs; relations with 

 express, freight, and transportation companies; and arrange- 

 ments with other railroad companies. To this list the board 

 might add such other queries as it should see fit and warehouse- 

 men were also required to make such statements as the board 

 might call for. The information thus gathered was to be com- 

 piled and presented to the governor in the annual report of the 

 board. 



The provisions for the enforcement of these various acts 

 differed considerably and were, on the whole, inadequate. 4 

 The act to prevent unjust discrimination and extortions in 

 freight rates provided for the recovery of a penalty for violation, 



1 Public Laws, 1871-72, pp. 636-641; Gordon, Illinois Railway Legislation, 27. 



2 Senate Journal, 1871, i. 184, 187-194, 204 (passed), 545, 561; House Journal, 

 1871, i. 102, 133, 324, 420, 544, 548, 655, 693, 698, 782 (passed), 792, 823. 



3 Public Laws, 1871-72, pp. 618-625. The act is analyzed in Gordon, Illinois 

 Railway Legislation, 29. 



4 Railroad Commission, Reports, 1871, pp. 5, 8, 13-15, 65-69. 



