420 



GEORGIA. 



a crust of denser materials than the elevated 

 continental areas. The difference in elevation 

 between the Central Asian plateau and the bot- 

 tom of the Pacific Ocean amounts to 12,000 

 metres, representing a difference of pressure on 

 the viscous magma of about 1,000 atmospheres, 

 which could not be maintained unless there are 

 adhering to the crust partially solidified masses 

 of sufficient thickness and density to compen- 

 sate for the difference. The theory of Siemens 

 of a difference in the specific gravity of the 

 rocks which form the continental elevations 

 and those in the depressed portions of the sur- 

 face of the globe is borne out by some observa- 

 tions made during the measurement of the 

 great arc of a meridian in the Indian Trigono- 

 metric Survey. The deviation of the plumb- 

 line in the neighborhood of the Himalayas was 

 found to be greatly less than the computations 

 of Archdeacon Pratt, showing that the density 

 of the rocky mass of the mountains was infe- 

 rior to that of the plains. It has been ascer- 

 tained also in geodetical surveys that gravity at 

 the coast is generally greater than at the corre- 

 sponding stations in the interior of continents. 

 The general tendency among men of science in 

 England, as well as on the Continent, is to re- 

 tarn to the old doctrine that the earth consists 

 of a spheroid of molten, viscous matter, sup- 

 porting a thin solid crust. 



GEORGIA. The recess of the Legislature 

 of this State, which commenced on December 

 14, 1878, came to an end on July 1, 1879, when 

 that body resumed its labors. The session was 

 then continued until the final adjournment on 

 October 15th. More than 1,000 'bills were in- 

 troduced and read the first time. Of these 

 nearly 600 were discussed. Of those discussed, 

 320 were passed. Of those passed, the whole 

 320 received the Governor's signature and thus 

 became laws. Of these there are over 40 that 

 change sections of the Code, and over 100 that 

 are public bills, or bills of general application. 



The largest bill that passed was the military 

 bill, and the most important was the railroad 

 bill. The title of this measure, which expresses 

 its object very fully, is "An act to provide for 

 the regulation of railroad freight and passenger 

 tariffs in this State ; to prevent unjust discrimi- 

 nation and extortion in the rates charged for 

 transportation of passengers and freight ; and 

 to prohibit railroad companies, corporations, 

 and lessees in this State from charging other 

 than just and reasonable rates, and to punish 

 the same, and prescribe a mode of procedure 

 and rules of evidence in relation thereto ; and 

 to appoint commissioners, and to prescribe 

 their powers and duties in relation to the 

 same." The State Constitution makes it the 

 duty of the Legislature " to pass laws from 

 time to time to regulate freight and passenger 

 tariffs, to prohibit unjust discriminations on 

 the various railroads of this State, and to pro- 

 hibit railroads from charging other than just 

 and reasonable rates, and enforce the same by 

 adequate penalties." The act provides for the 



appointment of three Commissioners, one of 

 experience in the law and one of experience in 

 railway business, whose terms will ultimately 

 continue six years. Neither of them shall have 

 any interest in any way in any railroad, and 

 shall so continue during the term of office. 

 Any railroad company doing business in the 

 State that shall charge, collect, demand, or re- 

 ceive more than a fair and reasonable rate of 

 toll or compensation for transportation of pas- 

 sengers or freight of any description, or for the 

 use and transportation of any railroad-car upon 

 its track, or any of the branches thereof, or 

 upon any railroad within this State which it 

 has the right, license, or permission to use, 

 operate, or control, the same shall be guilty of 

 extortion, and upon conviction thereof shall be 

 dealt with as hereafter stated. If any railroad 

 corporation shall make any unjust discrimina- 

 tion in its rates or charges of toll or compen- 

 sation for the transportation of passengers or 

 freights of any description, or for the use and 

 transportation of any railroad-car upon its said 

 road, or upon any of the branches thereof, or 

 upon any railroads connected therewith, which 

 it has the right, license, or permission to oper- 

 ate, control, or use, within the State, the same 

 shall be deemed guilty of having violated the 

 provisions of the act, and upon conviction 

 thereof shall be dealt with as hereafter stated. 

 The fifth section requires that the Commis- 

 sioners shall make reasonable and just rates of 

 freight and passenger tariffs, to be observed by 

 all railroad companies doing business in the 

 State on the railroads thereof; shall make 

 reasonable and just rules and regulations, to 

 be observed by all railroad companies doing 

 business in the State, as to charges at any and 

 all points for necessary hauling and delivering 

 freights ; shall make such just and reasonable 

 rules and regulations as may be necessary for 

 preventing unjust discriminations in the trans- 

 portation of freight and passengers on the rail- 

 roads in the State ; shall make reasonable and 

 just rates of charges for use of railroad-cars 

 carrying any and all kinds of freight and pas- 

 sengers on said railroads, no matter by whom 

 owned or carried; and shall make just and 

 reasonable rules and regulations, to be observed 

 by said railroad companies, to prevent the giv- 

 ing or paying any rebate or bonus, directly or 

 indirectly, and from misleading or deceiving 

 the public in any manner as to the real rates 

 charged for freight and passengers. Nothing 

 in the act shall be taken as in any manner 

 abridging or controlling the rates for freight 

 charged by any railroad company in the State 

 for carrying freight which comes from or goes 

 beyond the boundaries of the State, and on 

 which freight less than local rates on any rail- 

 road carrying the same are charged by such 

 railroad ; but said railroad companies shall 

 possess the same power and right to charge 

 such rates for carrying such freights as they 

 possessed before the passage of the act, and 

 the Commissioners shall have full power by 



