STOCK KILLED BY RAILROADS.
Mr. Craven's bill 48-see page 69 of these Reports-being read the third time-
Mr. HULL moved to recommit, with instructions that the Committee on Corporations so amend the bill as to provide for reciprocal responsibility in maintaining the fences along railroads where the same may run through farms, to be built by the railroads ; railroads shall not be held responsible for the killing of stock at the crossings of public highways, nor except in cases of negligence on their part; but if by the carelessness of farmers, the road is to pay one-half the assessed value of the page: 239[View Page 239] stock so killed-and if payment be delayed beyond thirty days, then the full value.
[A message from the House announced the passage of the bill [H. R. 5], limiting the power of County Commissioners in the assessment and collection of taxes.]
Mr. HULL. I hope the bill will be recommitted, that both parties may be made reciprocally responsible. If a railroad company should build good fences, they would not remain so unless the farmers were partly ressponsible for keeping them up. It is my desire that justice should be done to both parties. A portion of these instructions are substantially such as are proposed by the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad Co.
Mr. SHIELDS. The amendment is wholly inoperative, I think, in every particular; and the bill is insufficient to make the regulations the people demand.
Mr. CONNER moved to amend the amendment (though opposed to the instructions even after being so amended), by striking out all that part that requires owners of lands adjoining railroads to aid in fencing the road or maintaining the fence.
Mr. HULL accepted the amendment.
Mr. RAY. The bill as reported ought to pass. It is desired to remedy what is supposed to be a weakness in the present law.
Mr. MURRAY. I am in favor of striking from the bill all that relates to the liability of railroad companies for stock killed at the crossings of public highways. I think it is unjust lo impose upon them liabilities, when it is impossible to protect themselves.
Mr. CRAVEN obtained the floor, but the hour for adjournment cut off his remarks.
And then the Senate adjourned.
