missioners of the city of Boston granting relocation of tracks of the West End street railway in E street, East Sixth and P streets and East Fourth street in South Boston, said orders being dated March 26, 1918, and known as the 511th, 512th and 513th locations, respectively. A hearing was held on this petition on May 17, 1918, following which an examination of the proposed relocation was made by an inspector of the Commission. While the company realizes that this relocation work should be done, there is no immediate necessity for it. In view of this fact, the petition, with the consent of the petitioner, is placed on file. For the Commission, ANDREW A. HIGHLANDS, OCTOBER 3, 1918. [P.S. C. 2111] Secretary. MOTOR VEHICLES. MOTOR VEHICLES SERVING AS COMMON CARRIERS. To Mayors of Cities and Boards of Selectmen of Towns in Massachusetts. Your attention is hereby called to the provisions of chapter 226 of the General Acts of the year 1918, and chapter 293 of the General Acts of the year 1916, respectively, which read as follows: GENERAL ACTS OF 1918, CHAPTER 226. AN ACT TO PERMIT STREET RAILWAY COMPANIES TO USE MOTOR VEHICLES NOT RUNNING ON RAILS OR TRACKS, AND TO MAKE OPERATORS OF SUCH VEHICLES COMMON CARRIERS SUBJECT TO THE SUPERVISION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. Any street railway company, with the approval of the public service commission, may acquire, own and operate for the transportation of passengers or freight motor vehicles not running upon rails or tracks. SECTION 2. Every person, firm or corporation, including street railway companies, operating any such motor vehicle upon any public street or way for the carriage of passengers for hire in such a manner as to afford a means of transportation similar to that afforded by a street railway, by indiscriminately receiving and discharging passengers along the route on which the vehicle is operated or may be running, is hereby declared to be a common carrier, and shall in respect to the operation of such vehicle be subject to such orders, rules and regulations as have been or may from time to time be prescribed or adopted by the licensing authorities of any city or town which has accepted the provisions of chapter two hundred and ninety-three of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and sixteen. Any petitioner, or any street railway company aggrieved by such orders, rules or regulations, may appeal to the public service commission, whose decision, after notice to said licensing authorities and a hearing thereon if requested by such authorities, shall be final. Such appeal may be taken within thirty days from the time such orders, rules or regulations become effective, or in case the same have already become effective, within thirty days after the passage of this act. All orders, rules or regulations made, established or prescribed hereunder shall be enforced in the manner pro vided in section twenty-eight of chapter seven hundred and eighty-four of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen. SECTION 3. In cities or towns that have not accepted the provisions of said chapter two hundred and ninety-three wherein a street railway exists, and wherein a line of motor vehicles has been established under the provisions of section one of this act, the public service commission shall have original jurisdiction over persons, firms or corporations mentioned in section two, and may prescribe rules and regulations until the city or town accepts the provisions of said chapter two hundred and ninety-three, whereupon original jurisdiction shall vest in the city or town, subject to appeal to the public service commission as provided in section two. SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 24, 1918. GENERAL ACTS OF 1916, CHAPTER 293. AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE LICENSING BY CITIES AND TOWNS OF MOTOR VEHICLES CARRYING PASSENGERS FOR HIRE. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: SECTION 1. Cities and towns shall have authority to license and regulate the transportation of passengers for hire as a business between fixed and regular termini by means of any motor vehicle, except the trackless trolley vehicle, so-called, not running on tracks or rails and may impose reasonable license fees, make regulations for the operations of such vehicles within their own limits, and impose suitable penalties for the violation of such regulations: provided, however, that no such motor vehicle shall be operated as aforesaid until the licensee of the vehicle, in addition to complying with all regulations of the city or town in which the vehicle is to be operated, shall have deposited with the treasurer of any city or town in which a license has been taken out, security or bond or otherwise, approved by the city or town treasurer, in such sum as the city or town may reasonably require, conditioned to pay any final judgment obtained against the principal named in the bond for any injury to person or property, or damage for causing the death of any person, by reason of any negligent or unlawful act on the part of the principal named in said bond, his or its agents, employees or drivers, in the use or operation of any such vehicle. Any person so injured or damaged may sue on the bond in the name of the city or town treasurer, and damages so recovered shall go to the person injured or damaged. SECTION 2. Nothing in this act shall be construed as requiring the licensee to file more than one bond, which shall be filed in any city or town in which a license has been taken out. SECTION 3. This act shall take full effect in cities upon its acceptance by the city council, and in towns upon its acceptance by the voters of the town at any duly called town meeting. For the purpose of submitting this act to cities and to towns, it shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved June 1, 1916. In order that it may be in possession of information necessary for action under the provisions of said chapter 226 of the General Acts of the year 1918, the Commission desires to know: 1. Whether your municipality has accepted the provisions of chapter 293 of the General Acts of the year 1916, as provided in section 3 of said chapter. 2. If such action has not been taken, whether motor vehicles are acting as common carriers of passengers for hire in such a manner as to afford a means of transportation similar to that afforded by a street railway in your municipality, with the names and addresses of the persons operating such vehicles, so far as they may be obtained. An early response to this communication will be appreciated. Petition of the Connecticut Valley Street Railway Company for approval of the operation of motor vehicles for the transportation of freight between Montague and Orange. After notice and hearing and full consideration, Ordered, That the Connecticut Valley Street Railway Company be hereby authorized to acquire and own and to operate for the transportation of freight, motor vehicles, not running upon rails or tracks, over and along the highway from Millers Falls to Orange, between the eastern terminus of the tracks of the Connecticut Valley Street Railway Company at Millers Falls in the town of Montague and the car barn of the Northern Massachusetts Street Railway Company in the town of Orange, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 226 of the General Acts of 1918, upon the understanding that the transportation of explosives shall be prohibited and that the facilities by which and the manner in which, the business is conducted shall be subject to supervision and regulation by the Commission from time to time as the public interest may require. SEPTEMBER 21, 1918. Attest: ALLAN BROOKS, Assistant Secretary. Petition of the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway Company for permission to acquire, own and operate for the transportation of passengers, motor vehicles not running upon rails or tracks, in accordance with chapter 226 of the General Acts of 1918. This petition is brought under the provisions of chapter 226 of the General Acts of 1918, which reads as follows: SECTION 1. Any street railway company, with the approval of the public service commission, may acquire, own and operate for the transportation of passengers or freight motor vehicles not running upon rails or tracks. SECTION 2. Every person, firm or corporation, including street railway companies, operating any such motor vehicle upon any public street or way for the carriage of passengers for hire in such a manner as to afford a means of transportation similar to that afforded by a street railway, by indiscriminately receiving and discharging passengers along the route on which the vehicle is operated or may be running, is hereby declared to be a common carrier, and shall in respect to the operation of such vehicle be subject to such orders, rules and regulations as have been or may from time to time be prescribed or adopted by the licensing authorities of any city or town which has accepted the provisions of chapter two hundred and ninety-three of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and sixteen. Any petitioner, or any street railway company aggrieved by such orders, rules or regulations, may appeal to the public service commission, whose decision, after notice to said licensing authorities and a hearing thereon if requested by such authorities, shall be final. Such appeal may be taken within thirty days from the time such orders, rules or regulations become effective, or in case the same have already become effective, within thirty days after the passage of this act. All orders, rules or regulations made, established or prescribed hereunder shall be enforced in the manner provided in section twenty-eight of chapter seven hundred and eighty-four of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen. SECTION 3. In cities or towns that have not accepted the provisions of said chapter two hundred and ninety-three wherein a street railway exists, and wherein a line of motor vehicles has been established under the provisions of section one of this act, the public service commission shall have original jurisdiction over persons, firms or corporations mentioned in section two, and may prescribe rules and regulations until the city or town accepts the provisions of said chapter two hundred and ninety-three, whereupon original jurisdiction shall vest in the city or town, subject to appeal to the public service commission as provided in section two. SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 24, 1918. |