this Commission on August 27th, 1908, ordered that the Special Attorney of the Commission, Judge Jas. K. Hines, prepare and present such appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commission as provided by the laws of this State, and as is set forth in the act of December 18th, 1890. The Attorney-general, Judge John C. Hart, was requested to act with Judge Hines in presenting and prosecuting said appeal. This duty was promptly and ably discharged. Elaborate hearings have been had thereon, in Atlanta before members of the Interstate Commerce Commission, and later, in Washington, D. C., before that body itself. No decision has yet been rendered, but the Counsel managing the case have a good hope of success. There were certain other cases involving similar or cognate questions heard at the same time, or during the same period; and the decisions when rendered are expected to be far reaching in their effect upon the rate situation in southern territory, and they are looked for with deep interest by shippers and carriers, as well as the public. RECOMMENDATIONS STOCK AND BOND ISSUES. In our last annual report, we suggested that the Legislature define the basis of capitalization of Corporations, Stock and Bond issues of which the Commission is called upon to approve. The Legislature thus far has not seen fit to du so, and hence the Commission is left to exercise its own discretion in such matters, until such time as the Legislature may lay down a rule for its guidance, which we deem important. The Legislatures of some of the States have provided by statute the maximum amount of stock and bonds to be issued above which the Commission may not go in allowing what is known as a "bonus" or "promoters risk." When a railroad is to be built, for instance, and the estimate actual cost of construction and equipment is $1,000,000, and the promoters ask the Commission for an issue of $1,500,000 of stocks and bonds to cover the cost of construction and equipment, as well as the risk to be assumed by them, how much of the above amount shall the Commission allow? Undoubtedly few, if any, promoters of railroads would undertake the construction and equipment of same without some margin for profit and the various risks assumed. But how much "bonus," if any, should the Commission allow for this purpose? This is the question the Commission would like for the Legislature to answer, by appropriate legislation for its guidance and direction. The Commission would, as far as it justly and equitably can, encourage the building of new railroads within the State, but on the other hand feels that it must safeguard against overcapitalization and watered stocks and bonds. In the absence of legislative direction, the Commission will be compelled to exercise its best judgment and discretion in such matters, as in the past, keeping in view the great responsibility and vast interests involved. SALE OF UNCLAIMED SHIPMENTS. The law authorizing sales of lost and unclaimed freights and regulating such sales, as found in Section 2303 of the Code of 1895, provides for notice, intended of course, for the benefit of the owner, by advertisement in some appropriate newspaper, but for no other notice. Such advertisements often include a very long and confused list of articles and are rarely read or scanned by the general public. In this way the owner of property to be sold often fails to get notice of such sale. It happens not infrequently that some knowledge exists that, with proper diligence, could be made use of to reach the actual owner of the goods or party at interest by sending special notice through the mails. For want of such notice, serious damage sometimes happens to the owner, as often there is nothing to indicate the nature or value of the contents of boxes or packages thus sold, and they are oftentimes sold for a trifle. We recommend that this law be amended so as to require that in cases of of all such sales, wherever there be shown on the box or package in question any tag, or label or mark indicating the owner and his residence, or where such owner and residence is in any manner known, it shall be the duty of the carrier to mail notice of the time and place of such sale to such owner at least two weeks before the sale occurs. CAMPBELL WALLACE, Secretary. Respectfully submitted, S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman, H. WARNER HILL, O. B. STEVENS, GEORGE HILLYER, CHAS. MURPHEY CANDLER, Commissioners. CIRCULARS RAILROAD COMMISSION OF GEORGIA. S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman; H. W. HILL, O. B. STEVENS, FULLER E. CALLAWAY, GEORGE HILLYER, Commissioners. GEORGE F. MONTGOMERY, Secretary. ATLANTA, GA., July 15, 1908. CIRCULAR NO. 339. Freight and Passenger Tariffis of Savannah, Augusta and Northern Railway Company. The Savannah, Augusta & Northern Railway is hereby placed in Freight and Passenger Classes "D," or the Commissioners' Classified Lists of Railroads, and is allowed to charge for the transportation of freight and passengers no more than the rates prescribed for said classes. Freight Tariff of Ocilla, Pinebloom and Valdosta Railway Company. The Ocilla, Pinebloom and Valdosta Railway is hereby placed in Freight Class "D," of the Commissioners' Classified List of Railroads, and is allowed to charge for the transportation of freight no more than the rates prescribed for said Class. CLASSIFICATION. The following changes in and additions to the Commissioners' Classification of Freight are hereby made: Cooking Oil. See Lard. Lard, viz.: C. R. O. R. Cooking Oil, (products of cotton-seed oil or cocoanut oil), 1 In tin cans, packed, or in iron or steel barrels or drums, or B Fullers Earth. Same as Clay. Grease, N. O. S., in buckets, tubs, kits or kegs, L. C. L. Oil Tank Wagons. See vehicles. Vehicles, viz.: 3 6 Oil Tank Wagons, S. U., L. C. L., min. wt. 4,000 lbs.. .D1 2 5 Sieves, Tin, nested, packed in boxes 2 2 Sieves, Wire, boxed or crated Vinegar, in glass. Same as Beer, Ale and Porter in glass. This Circular shall be effective on and after July 25, 1908, and repeals everything in conflict. By Order of the Board: GEO. F. MONTGOMERY, Secretary. S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman. RAILROAD COMMISSION OF GEORGIA. S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman; H. W. HILL, O. B. STEVENS, FULLER E. CALLAWAY, GEORGE HILLYER, Commissioners. GEO. F. MONTGOMERY, Secretary. ATLANTA, GA., July 29, 1908. CIRCULAR NO. 340. RATES FOR COMPRESSING COTTON. On and after August 30, 1908, the rates for compressing cotton by compress corporations or associations and persons or companies owning, leasing or operating the same, subject to the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of Georgia, shall be as follows: 6 band cotton, 7 cents per 100 lbs. 8 band cotton, 8% cents per 100 lbs. By Order of the Board: GEO. F. MONTGOMERY, Secretary. S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman. RAILROAD COMMISSION OF GEORGIA. S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman; H. W. HILL, O. B. STEVENS, FULLER E. CALLAWAY, GEORGE HILLYER, Commissioners. GEO. F. MONTGOMERY, Secretary. ATLANTA, GA., November 23, 1908. CIRCULAR NO. 341. PASSENGER RULES. Passenger Rule No. 5, is hereby amended to read as follows: If such baggage is not checked within twenty-four hours after being so received, such companies are authorized to charge twenty-five cents for storage of same for each separate twenty-four hours, or fraction thereof, after the expiration of said twenty-four hours, Sundays and legal holidays excepted. The following rule is hereby adopted as Passenger Rule No. 13: RULE 13. All passenger trains operated in this State shall, at all stations where such trains stop, either upon flag or regular schedule, be brought to a standstill with such relation to the waiting-room of the station building, or other passenger facilities at said station, as will render egress from and ingress to said trains most practicable and convenient for the passengers, without reference to the convenient handling of baggage or other freight. The following rule is hereby adopted as Passenger rule No. 14: RULE 14. No person shall be permitted to board a train, or enter a car in which passengers ride, in this State, with a loaded gun, and all breech loading guns shall be unbreached on boarding such train or entering such car. Conductors of railway trains are authorized to see to the enforcement of this rule, and failure on the part of any passenger to comply with the terms hereof shall be cause for ejecting such passenger from the train. CLASSIFICATION. The following changes in and additions to the Commissioners' Classification of Freight are hereby made: Omit under Food Preparations, in rating reading “In bags or boxes Flour, in sacks other than paper, 10 lbs. per sack and over Same, less than 10 lbs. per sack Flour, in paper, not packed, not taken. This Circular shall become effective on and after December 3rd, 1908, and repeals everything in conflict. By order of the Board: GEO. F. MONTGOMERY, Secretary. S. G. MCLENDON, Chairman. INLAND WATER TRANSPORTATION IN GEORGIA. The navigable rivers in Georgia are an important factor in our transportation progress. The South Carolina Railroad, at the time of its completion in 1833, the longest railroad in the world, was originally constructed to attract business from the Savannah River to Charleston in competition with the City of Savannah. From Augusta to Charleston, by water, via Savannah, was 610 miles. There were numbers of steamboats plying between Charleston and Augusta and by the construction of the South Carolina Railroad the distance was reduced to 136 miles. The Railroad, therefore, had to compete with the River and its first tariffs were framed in the language of river transportations. Water competition has had always an influence in all rate constructions east of the Mississippi. Our inland water ways under a comprehensive system of flood storage and other methods of improvement ought to become more valuable to the State in the future than they have ever been. There are now plying on the Savannah River ten steamboats, on the Chattahoochee six, on the Altamaha and its tributaries five, on the Ocmulgee and Oconee two, and on the Flint four steamboats. For the purpose of inviting the attention of the people to this important subject the following is quoted from the report of the United States Geological Survey for the year 1908: |