Power of com- Sec. 15. The commission shall have the authority to inquire into the management of the business of all transportation companies, and shall keep itself informed as to the condition, manner and method in which the same are conducted with reference to the security and accommodation of the public, and their compliance Iwith their charters and the laws of this State. They shall have the right and power to obtain from any such company full and complete information necessary to enable the commission to perform its duties and carry out the objects for which it was created. And the commissioners in the performance of their duties shall have the right to pass free of charge on all the railroads of the State, and to take with them free of charge any person in their official employment. And the commission shall have the authority and is ance of duty. hereby required to enforce and require compliance with all the provisions of all laws, now in force or hereafter enacted, regulating railroads and other transportation companies or prescrib ing the duties thereof. Pass free of charge in perform Authorized to fication of railroads. Sec. 16. The Railroad Commission is hereby change classi- authorized to change any classification of railroads which has been, or may hereafter be, established by statute, from time to time as changed conditions may, in its judgment, render it expedient so to do, by taking a railroad from one class and placing it in another, and to assign to any class it may determine proper any new railroad that may hereafter be constructed or operated as a common carrier in whole or in part in this State. And said commission is fur classification crease those ther authorized and empowered to change any Can change classification of articles which has been or may of articles hereafter be established by statute when in its except to injudgment it is reasonable and just so to do; pro- fixed by vided, however, that such change shall not increase any rate prescribed or fixed by statute for the transportation of such articles or classes of articles. statute. fixed by statute. Sec. 17. Nothing in this act shall be so conNo power to strued as to authorize or empower the Railroad increase rates Commission to increase any rate or rates which have been or shall be established by statute for the transportation of freight or passengers, and said commission shall not have power to increase such rate or rates. Sec. 19. The commission shall cause to be pre- Blanks to be pared suitable blanks for the purposes designa furnished. prepared and ted in this act, and shall when necessary furnish such blanks to each transportation company. Any such transportation company receiving Transportafrom the commission any such blanks shall cause tion company required to fill the same to be properly filled out, so as to an-out. swer fully and correctly any question therein propounded, and in case it fails to answer any question, it shall state in said blank a good and sufficient reason for such failure, and said answers shall be verified under oath, by the proper officer of said transportation company, and returned to the commission at its office within the time fixed by the commission. amine books Sec. 20. The commission or any commissioner, Power to exor any person, or persons employed by the com- and papers and employes mission for that purpose shall upon demand have of transporthe right to inspect the books and papers of any tation comtransportation company, and to examine under pany. Transportation Company required to returns of its business. Penalty for failure. oath any officer, agent or employee of such transportation company in relation to its business and affairs; provided that any person other than one of the commissioners who shall make such demand shall produce his authority to make such inspection under the hand of the commissioner, or the secretary, and under the seal of said commission. Sec. 201. Every transportation company doing business in this State must, on or before the first day of September of each year, make to the make annually commission in duplicate in the manner prescribed, and upon blanks to be furnished by said commission, annual returns of the business of such transportation company, up to the close of its business on the thirtieth day of June next preceding, and any such transportation company failing to make such returns shall forfeit to the State fifty dollars for each day of such failure. Sec. 21. The commission may require by orTransportation company der or subpoena, to be served on any transportarequired to produce tion company in the same manner that a sumbooks, papers, mons is served in a civil action in the circuit etc., when required. court, the production within this State, at such time and place as it may designate, of any books, papers, or accounts kept by such transportation ompany in any office, or place without or within the State of Alabama, or verified copies in lieu thereof, if the commission shall so order, in order that an examination thereof may be made by the commission, or under its direction. Any transportation company failing or refusing to comply with any such order or subpoena shall, for each day it shall so fail, or refuse, forfeit and Penalty. pay into the State Treasury, a sum of not less than one hundred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars. report acci Sec. 22. Every person, corporations, company Transportaor association operating a railroad shall give no- tion company tice to the commission of every accident happen- required to ing on any portion of its line in this State, which dents. is attended with death or maiming or other serious injury to the person of any one, within five days thereafter, giving facts and circumstances of such accident, which any one or more of the commissioners may investigate, and the result of such injury, with such details as they may deem necessary, shall be entered upon the record of the proceedings of the commission. as to unrea etc. Sec. 23. Upon complaint of any person, firm, corporation, or association, or of any mercantile, when comProceedings agricultural, or manufacturing society, or of any plaint is made body politic, or municipal organization, that any sonable rates, of the rates, fares, charges or classifications or any joint rate or rates are in any respect unreasonable, or unjustly discriminatory, or that any regulation or practice whatsoever, affecting the transportation of persons or property, or any service in connection therewith, are in any re spect unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory, or that any service is inadequate, the commission may notify the transportation company com plained of that complaint has been made, and ten days after such notice has been given the commission may proceed to investigate the same Notice of time as hereinafter provided. Before proceeding to and place to make such investigation, the commission shall termine complaints. give the transportation company and the com hear and de plainant ten days' notice of the time and place when and where such matters will be considered and determined, and said parties shall be entitled to be heard, through themselves or their counsel, and shall have process to enforce the attendance of witnesses. If upon such investigation, the rate or rates, fares, charges, or classification, or any joint rate or rates, or any regulation, practice or service complained of shall be found to be unreasonable, or unjustly discriminatory, or the service shall be found to be inademission to fix quate, the commission shall have power to fix and order substituted therefor, such rate, or rates, fares, charges or classifications as it shall have determined to be just and reasonable, and which shall be charged, imposed and followed in the future, and shall also have power to make such orders respecting such regulation, practice, or service as it shall determine to be reasonable, and which shall be observed and followed in the future. Power of com rates, etc. arate hear ings. Sec. 24. The commission may, when comMay order sep-plaint is made of more than one rate or charge order separate hearings thereon, and may consider and determine the several matters complained of separately, and at such time as it may prescribe. No complaint shall at any time be dismissed because of the absence of direct dam age to the complainant. May investi gate unreason Sec. 25. Whenever the commission may be able rates, etc. lieve that any rate or charge may be unreasonable, or unjustly discriminatory, or that any service is inadequate, and that an investigation relating thereto should be made, it may on its own |