REPORT. To His Excellency, HENRY D. MCDANIEL, Governor: SIR: We have the honor to submit to your Excellency the following report of the operations of this Commission since the date of our last report: Circulars Nos. 27 and 28, mentioned in our last report, were intended to go into effect on the first day of November, 1882. By these Circulars the Commissioners intended to enforce Rule No. 1 of this Commission. In reference to this rule we say in our last report: "Properly enforced, Rule No. 1 will prevent cumulative rates, or, what in railroad parlance are known as the sums of the locals, from being charged on shipments between stations on different portions of connecting roads, in cases where such connecting roads are virtually owned, operated or controlled by one and the same carrier. Experience has shown that this rule is not only correct in principle but also beneficial to the public as well as reasonable and just to the railroads." There had been some doubt in the minds of the Commissioners whether they possessed sufficient power under the law creating the Commission to make joint rates for connecting roads in the State. For this reason, after the publication of the two orders mentioned commenced, the Commissioners thought it prudent to postpone their enforcement for a limited time. With this view Circular No. 30 was issued, which is in the following language: CIRCULAR No. 30. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, The enforcement of all of Circular No. 27, except paragraph (7) seven, and all of Circular No. 28, except paragraph (3) three, is hereby postponed until January 1, 1883. CAMPBELL WALLACE, Chairman pro tem. R. A. BACON, Secretary. By this order the enforcement of Circular No. 27, except the 7th paragraph thereof, and all of Circular No. 28, except the 3d paragraph thereof, was postponed until January 1, 1883. On December 19, 1882, another Circular order was passed, postponing the operation of said two Circulars until September 1, 1883. The last order of postponement is Circular No. 32 in our series of Circulars. The purpose of the Commission in issuing these orders of postponement was to give the Legislature of the State, which, it was known, would be in session, an opportunity to settle by appropriate legislation all existing doubts as to the powers of this Commission to make joint rates for connecting roads in this State. No such action having been taken by the Legislature, thereby leaving this power to be exercised in each particular in such way as might in the judgment of the Commission conduce most to the welfare of the railroads and their patrons. Said Circulars Nos. 27 and 28 were finally disposed of by the terms of Circulars Nos. 34, 35 and 40. CIRCULAR No. 31. The Commissioners issued Circular No. 31 on October 27, 1882, as follows: OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, ATLANTA, GA., October 27, 1882. 1. Column J, (Cotton) of the Commissioners' Standard Freight Tariff, now in use, viz: 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 28 30 31 32 33 2. The following is adopted as the column for Class J, (Cotton) in the Commissioners' Standard Freight Tariff: 3. The percentages now allowed certain railroads on cotton are continued in force, and are applicable to the Standard column J, as adopted by this Circular. In estimating cotton rates, where additional percentages are allowed, in cases where fractions of cents occur, the nearest half cent may be used. CAMPBELL WALLACE, Chairman pro tem. R. A. BACON, Secretary. |