362 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Every railroad corporation or other common carrier engaged
in the transportation of freight shall, upon reasonable notice,
furnish to all persons and corporations who may apply there-
for and offer freight for transportation, sufficient and suitable
cars for the transportation of such freight in- carload lots.
Every railroad corporation and street railroad corporation
shall have sufficient cars and motive power to meet all require-
ments for the transportation of passengers and property which
may reasonably be anticipated, unless relieved therefrom by
order of the Commission. In case, at any particular time, a
common carrier has not sufficient cars to meet all requirements
for the transportation of property in carload lots, all cars
available to it for such purposes shall be distributed among
the several applicants therefor, without discrimination between
shippers, localities or competitive or non-competitive points,
but preference may always be given in the supply of cars for
shipment of live stock or perishable property. The Commission
shall have power to make, and by order shall make, reasonable
regulations for the furnishing and distribution of freight cars
to shippers, for the switching of the same, for the loading and
unloading thereof, for demurrage charges in respect thereto,
and for the weighing of cars and freights offered for shipment
or transported by any common carrier.

GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION IN RESPECT TO

COMMON CARRIERS, RAILROADS AND OTHER

STREET RAILROADS.

SEC. 20. And be it further enacted, That the Commission
and each Commissioner shall have power and authority to
administer oaths in all parts of the State to witnesses sum-
moned to testify in any inquiry, investigation, hearing or pro-
ceeding ; and also to administer oaths in all parts of the State
whenever the exercise of such power is incidentally necessary
or proper to enable the Commission or a Commissioner to per-
form a duty or to exercise a power.

The Commission shall have the, general supervision of all
common carriers, railroads, street railroads, railroad corpora-
tions and street railroad corporations, and all other corpora-
tions and persons subject to the provisions of this Act as
hereinbefore defined, and shall have the power to and shall
examine the same and keep informed as to their general condi-
tion, their capitalization, their franchises and the manner
in which their lines, owned, leased, controlled or oper-
ated, are managed, conducted and operated, not only with
respect to the adequacy, security and accommodation afforded
by their service, but also with respect to their compliance with