928 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. [Mar. 19

in consequence of this, they say, they are obliged to put
their rates above what their charter allows on sections of
their road where they have no such "competing points," in
order to make a fair average over their whole line. This is
the principle upon which they explain such discriminations,
both of passengers and freight.

We do not deem it within the province of our duty to de-
cide the points of law, if there be any, involved in this prac-
tice, hut rather to report the facts as they were presented to
us by the witnesses examined. From the testimony, we are
fully convinced that many irregularities, and sometimes ag-
gravated cases of abuse, are practiced on the public by rail
road conductors and other agents of rail road companies ;
but whether or not we should condemn such companies in
all cases of such a character, is another thing. The chief
officers of such companies are not omnipresent, and of course
cannot personally superintend the working of their lines in
every detail. They employ many agents, and it is not
strange that some such agents should occasionally abuse, not
only the rights of the public, but also the interest of their
employers.

In the course of our investigation, Eliah McClure was ex-
amined. This gentleman is a resident of Baltimore. He
had been on a visit to New York, and was on his return
home. In New York he purchased a through ticket for Bal-
timore, but stopped off at Perryville, in Cecil county, for a
day or two, to see relatives. At Perryville he inquired of
the railroad agent if his check through would be good on
another day. The agent said "Certainly, it will be good
until taken up." In a few days he resumed his journey
homewards, having in charge a sick lady relative. At
Aberdeen, in Harford county, the conductor, a Mr. Slater,
came round, and Mr. McClure presented his through check.
Said conductor refused to take it, stopped the train and put
him off. Mr. McClure was thus ejected from the train, hav-
ing already paid his fare—had to walk back six miles to wait
for another train, and in the meantime his sick lady relative
was left to travel alone ! Such cases as this often occur, as
we are informed, on various roads in this State, and we
would respectfully recommend the passage of a law which
would enable the parties thus aggrieved through the me-
dium of such law, to take immediate hold on the person of the
party so offending. Such offenses, we think, should be con-
sidered criminal, and parties who are guilty should he held
responsible.

There was another order passed by this House on the same
day as the one marked "A," a copy of which is herewith
presented and marked "C." This order provides that the