The Act to Regulate Commerce and Supplemental Acts (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

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Excerpt from The Act to Regulate Commerce and Supplemental Acts

It may be stated that almost from the time there was a railroad in the United States regulation has been necessary. The first railroad in the United States was the Quincy Railroad, built in 1826; then in 1827 the Mauch Chunk, 9 miles long and costing $27,000, was constructed in 63 days. The Baltimore & Ohio, 15 miles long and using horse power, was built in 1830. The Mohawk & Hudson was built in 1831 and was the first to use the locomotive. In 1835 there were in the whole United States 918 miles of railroad.

Now it is a curious thing that on June 14, 1839, the first state board of railroad commissioners was appointed by an act passed by the general assembly of Rhode Island. Section 2 provided that it should be the duty of the board of commissioners upon complaint or otherwise, whenever a majority of them should deem it expedient, personally to examine into any or all of the transactions or proceedings of any railroad that might be established in the state. Two objects were to be gained from such investigations: (1) to secure full and equal privileges for the transportation of persons and property in proportion to the distances any such persons or property might be transported on any railroad; (2) to inquire into any contract or agreement by which any railroad company should attempt to transfer or give to any steamboat company favors or preferences over any such company or boat, whether as to freight or passengers, contrary to the intent and meaning of the Act.

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