NIVERSITY. L. N. TRAMMELL, CHAIRMAN, G. GUNBY JORDAN, COMMISSIONERS. A. C. BRISCOE, SECRETARY. REPORT. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION OF GEORGIA. To his Excellency, W. J. Northen, Governor of Georgia : We have the honor to submit the following report of the transactions of the Railroad Commission, for the year ending October 15th, 1894. Appended to this report are the various circulars issued from time to time during the past year, and they are referred to as a part of this report: RAILROADS. The complaints made to this office from time to time cover a wide field. A very large number of them relate to subjects over which we have no jurisdiction. Many of them are complaints relating to interstate traffic. These complaints are promptly answered, and where we are powerless to give relief, the parties are referred to the proper tribunal for redress; and we furnish such information and advice as will enable them to secure relief, where their claims are apparently well-founded. If the complaint arises out of discrimination in interstate business, we call the attention of the railroad authorities to the matter, and if the relief is not given, we refer the cases to the Interstate Commerce Commission, who promptly respond. During the movement of watermelons, complaints reached us relating to the routing of interstate shipments, delays in movement of melons, etc. The railroads, upon our advice, nsually gave relief; but in a few instances they attempted to justify their action, and we referred the matter to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and presume that they were there satisfactorily adjusted, as we have not heard further from the parties. We have always maintained that the shipper or owner of the freights had the right to select his own route, and that the railroads were bound to respect his wishes in the matter where they were expressed, the road having the option of routing the shipment where no directions were given. In interstate business, we have found it impracticable to enforce this rule, mainly because the initial road had made no arrangements for continuous haul with some of the lines selected, and because the sharp competition of purchasing agents |