during the recent legislative session in bringing about the passage of this beneficent law.

MAPS.

It has been the custom for many years for the Railroad Commissioner to have published and distributed a nice State map, and the same were furnished free to whoever asked for them. This supply became exhausted during the summer of 1907, and I at once began arranging for a new supply. By inviting competitive bids, I soon learned that notwithstanding the advance in both labor and material, these maps could be secured for much less than previously, and I believed the State justly entitled to whatever saving in this expense could be effected. I was also unable to understand why this department, which enjoys no revenue, should distribute thousands of dollars worth of maps at State expense. I therefore petitioned the Board of State Auditors for and secured permission to hereafter charge for each flat or unmounted map ten cents, and for each mounted map twenty-five cents, delivered, the charge made being barely sufficient to cover the cost of printing and delivering the maps. These maps are the finest the department has ever had and the mounted ones are the equal of those usually sold through other channels for one dollar each.

STATION FACILITIES.

Section No. 5228 of the Compiled Laws of 1897, contained all the authority which the Commissioner could heretofore exercise in the matter of constructing new stations, and while it plainly provided for a course of procedure, outlined the duty of the Commissioner and authorized him to issue such orders as his judgment directed, yet it clothed him with no authority to enforce such order. Many complaints came to the department for a number of years past from the residents of the smaller towns, relative to their need of better station facilities, but, the department has heretofore been powerless to make adequate order.

It is therefore with great satisfaction that I can report to you that suggestions made by me for relief in this subject were favorably received by the legislature in its recent regular session and fairly adequate authority is conferred on the Commission in the Railroad Commission Act.

BULLETIN BOARDS.

By an Act passed in 1895, every railroad company was required to put in a conspicuous place in each passenger station where there is a telegraph office, a blackboard on which was to be written, at least twenty minutes before the scheduled time for the arrival of each passenger train stopping at such station, the fact whether such train is on time or not, and if late, how much, and the station at which such train was when so reported. Notwithstanding the fact that there is a penalty attached for the violation of this statute, I found the statute almost entirely ignored. I began at once to call the attention of the several companies to the laxity on the part of their employes in regard thereto, and to insist that this law be complied with for the benefit of

the traveling public. It appears to have been considered a dead letter so long, it is difficult to impress railroad agents with its importance, but by continuing to request their compliance with the law, I am pleased to be able to report that conditions in regard to bulletin boards have greatly improved.

AIDS TO TRAIN MEN.

The railroad companies of the State spend large sums annually for the installation of safety devices for the protection of their own men and the public generally. There is, however, one aid to train men, and especially engine men, which does not receive the attention it should, and that is, making the location of highway and street crossings and all overhead bridges more easily seen. It has been the custom of some of the roads in the State to make these points more prominent by keeping them whitewashed, and I am convinced, and my conviction is strengthened by statements of railroad employes, that this inexpensive means of showing to the engine men of approaching trains the location of such crossings and overhead structures would prove an additional safeguard against accidents. The following formula has been found to give good results, and I suggest its use:

To a tub full of slacked lime, containing about twenty-five gallons, add five pounds of common salt and two ounces of tallow. Stir thoroughly while the lime is slacking. Let stand twenty-four hours before using.

The legislature of 1907 being in session when I was appointed, whatever suggestions my experience would enable me to make to the legis lature of 1909, will be embodied in the report of the Commission previously referred to and hereafter to be made.

Respectfully submitted,

CASSIUS L. GLASGOW,

Commissioner of Railroads.

REPORT OF MICHIGAN RAILROAD COMMISSION.

STATE OF MICHIGAN,

OFFICE OF THE MICHIGAN RAILROAD COMMISSION,

Lansing, Michigan, December 31, 1907.

To His Excellency, Fred M. Warner, Governor of Michigan: Sir-In accordance with the statutory requirement, the Michigan Railroad Commission has the honor to herewith submit its first report.

In view of the fact that this Commission was created by an act of the legislature of 1907, at its regular session, and that the appointment of the several members thereof was made by you under and by virtue of said Public Act No. 312 of the Public Acts of 1907, and approved by you June 28, 1907, taking effect September 28, 1907, it will necessitate that so much of the report of the work of the Commission as is contained in this volume will be for three months only, and in view of the interference with the work of the department through the abolishing of the office of Railroad Commissioner, and the creation of the Railroad Commission, it was by us deemed advisable to include in this one volume the reports of the department while under the official direction and control of the Railroad Commissioner and the Railroad Commission, respectively.

The appointments of the following named gentlemen: Cassius L. Glasgow, Geo. W. Dickinson and Jas. Scully, as members of the Commission were made by you on the date the Act took effect, the members of the Commission meeting on September 30th for organization, which same was effected by the selection of Cassius L. Glasgow as Chairman and Louis C. Cramton as Secretary, other clerks and employes being appointed later.

NEED FOR A COMMISSION.

The history of the creation of this Commission is one with which nearly all to whom this report is of interest are familiar. The Act is known as Act 312 of the Public Acts of 1907, and its full text is as follows:

MICHIGAN RAILROAD COMMISSION ACT.

AN ACT to regulate railroads and the transportation of persons and property in this State, prevent the imposition of unreasonable rates, prevent unjust discrimination, insure adequate service, create the Michigan Railroad Commission, define the powers and duties thereof, and to prescribe penalties for violations hereof.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

SECTION 1. A railroad commission is hereby created to be composed of three commissioners, not more than two of whom shall belong to any

one political party. Within thirty days from the time this act shall take effect, the Governor shall, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint such commissioners, but no commissioners so appointed shall be qualified to act until confirmed by the Senate, unless appointed during adjournment of said Senate. The term of all of said commissioners so appointed and confirmed shall expire and terminate on the fifteenth day of January, 1909, and within the month of January, 1909, the Governor shall appoint and nominate to the Senate three commissioners of the qualifications aforesaid, one of whom shall serve for the term of two years from and after the said fifteenth day of January, 1909; one for the term of four years after said date, and one for the term of six years after said date; it being provided herein that no such commissioner so appointed and nominated by the Governor shall be qualified to act until confirmed by the Senate. In the event of the death, removal or resignation of any of the said commissioners, the Governor shall have the power to appoint a successor to fill such vacancy, who shall hold office until the next session of the legislature, when an appointment shall be made to fill such vacancy, to be confirmed by the Senate.

SEC. 2.

(a) The said commissioners shall have the following qualifications in addition to the provision that not more than two of them shall belong to any one political party: One shall be an attorney having knowledge of and experience in railroad and transportation law; and the others shall have knowledge of traffic and transportation matters. Each of such commissioners shall devote to the duties of his office all the time necessary to insure the prompt and complete performance of all official duties, and said commission shall, so far as possible, arrange so that at all times during business hours at least some one member shall be in attendance at the principal office of the commission every business day in the year.

(b) The Governor may at any time remove any commissioner for any neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Before such removal he shall give such commissioner a copy of the charges against him and shall fix a time when he can be heard in his own defense, which shall not be less than ten days thereafter, and said hearing shall be open to the public. If he shall be removed the Governor shall file in the office of the Secretary of State a complete statement of the charges made against such commissioner, and his findings thereon with a record of the proceedings, it being herein provided and declared that such discretionary power in the Governor to make such removal is a sound and reasonable discretion to be exercised for the good of the State and not arbitrarily.

(c) No person so appointed shall be pecuniarily interested in any railroad or in the business of transporting persons or property in this State or elsewhere, and if any such commissioner shall voluntarily become so interested, his office shall ipso facto become vacant; and if he shall become so interested otherwise than voluntarily, he shall within a reasonable time divest himself of such interests; failing so to do, his office shall become vacant, and the Governor shall proceed as provided for in section 2-b of this act.

(d) Before entering upon the duties of his office, each of said commissioners shall take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office.

(e) Each of said commissioners shall receive an annual salary of three thousand dollars, payable in the same manner as salaries of other State officers are paid.

(f) The commissioners appointed under this act shall within twenty days after their appointment and qualification meet at the State capitol and organize by electing one of their members chairman, who shall serve until the 15th day of January, 1909. On the 15th day of January in each odd-numbered year the commissioners shall meet at the office of the commission and elect a chairman, who shall serve for two years and until his successor is elected. A majority of said commissioners shall constitute a quorum to transact business, and any vacancy shall not impair the right of the remaining commissioners to exercise all the powers of the commission so long as the majority remains.

(g)

Said commission may appoint a secretary at a salary of not more than $2,000 per annum, and may appoint a chief clerk who shall be the statistician of the commission at a salary of $1,500 a year, not more than three other clerks who shall receive a compensation to be fixed by the commission, and one of whom shall be an expert stenographer, and may employ such other experts as may be necessary to perform any service it may require of them, and shall fix their compensation. To carry out the provisions of this act they may appoint inspectors, at least one of whom shall be an electrical engineer. It shall be the duties of such inspector on the order of the commission, and they shall have the right to inspect all equipment, cars, power houses, trolley lines, tracks, and property of every kind of transportation companies. They shall likewise bave the right to inspect freight in cars or warehouses of transportation companies and all way bills, bills of lading and shipping receipts of such transportation companies, so that they may determine whether the classification and rating of such freight is in conformity with the published tariffs and classification of such transportation companies. Said inspectors shall be employed at a

fixed compensation.

(h) The secretary shall take and subscribe to an oath similar to that of the commissioners, and shall keep full and correct records of all transactions and proceedings of the commission, and shall perform such other duties as may be required by the commission. Any person ineligible to the office of a commissioner shall be ineligible to the office of secretary. He shall devote his entire time to his office.

(i) The said commission may appoint a mechanical engineer at a salary of not to exceed $2,500 per year, whose duty it shall be, under the instructions of the commission, to make technical inspections and reports of the condition and working of all air and power brakes and fixtures, automatic and safety couplers, heating apparatus, train signals and other appliances connected with the construction and running of locomotive engines, and steam and electric cars, also of the condition, character and workings of yard and switch lamps, semaphores, safety signals, switches, common and interlocking frogs and guard rails, whether the same are blocked or otherwise treated, as required by law; also of the condition and sufficiency of bridges and other structures connected with the permanent way and of the condition and sufficiency of all equipments, electric dynamos, power houses, trolley lines, socalled third rails, freight and passenger houses, as regards the public