1868.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 927

A bill entitled an Act to authorize the County Commis-
sioners of Baltimore and Harford counties, and the Mayor
and City Council of Baltimore city, to subscribe to the capi-
tal stock or mortgage bonds of the Philadelphia and Balti-
more Central Rail Road, or the Maryland Central Rail Road.

Which was read a first time.
Also, submitted the following report:

REPORT

Of Special Committee appointed to investigate certain alleged
irregularities practiced by the Philadelphia, Wilmington &
Baltimore Mail Road Company.

To the Honorable, the Speaker and

Members of the Legislature of Maryland :

GENTLEMEN:—The undersigned committee, appointed by
the authority of this House, in pursuance of an order passed
by this House on the 16th of January, 1868, of which the
accompanying paper, marked "A," is a copy, beg leave to
report the following :

We visited Havre-de-Grace, in Harford county, on the
20th of February, 1868, having previously summoned, as
witnesses, the principal officers of the road, and other parties
who were not connected therewith. We at once proceeded
to take the testimony, a copy of which is herewith presented
in manuscript, marked "B."

We may say that the reasons for offering the order marked
" A " were not founded upon any positive knowledge in
the possession of the mover of any actual abuse of power on
the part of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Rail
Road Company, but rather upon the general report of such
abuse. The facts could only be ascertained by an investiga-
tion, and this was the object of the order.

Upon the summing up of the evidence, we are unable to
detect any design on the part of the Company to inflict un-
necessary discrimination on way passengers traveling on
their line within the limits of this State. That they do dis-
criminate, to some extent, against such passengers, their chief
officers freely admit; but they claim that this is the custom
of all railroad companies, and they assert that they could not
run their line successfully without making such discrimina-
tion. They say that, where they have "competing points"
to contend with, they are obliged to fall below the rates of
fare allowed by their charter in order to secure the patronage
of the public to their line ; that is to say, over such portions
of it as are brought into competition with other routes ; and