156. Suicide by asphyxia..

157. Suicide by hanging or

168. Absorption of deleterious gases (conflagration excepted).

169. Accidental drowning

170. Traumatism by fire

REPORT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

REORGANIZATION

The Public Service Commission of Indiana was reorganized on May 1, 1917, with the appointments of E. I. Lewis of Indianapolis, John W. McCardle of Indianapolis, and William J. Wood of Evansville, succeeding Thomas Duncan of Princeton, Edwin M. Lee of Indianapolis, and James L. Clark of Danville. The terms of Charles A. Edwards of Huntington and Edwin Corr of Bloomington, the other two members of the Commission, expire May 1, 1919. Mr. Wood died October 3, 1917. His successor, Paul P. Haynes of Anderson, began work January 1, 1918.

Immediately after these appointments were made, the Commission organized by the election of E. I. Lewis as chairman. Carl H. Mote of Indianapolis was appointed secretary of the Commission. H. O. Garman of Indianapolis was retained in the position of chief engineer, and O. C. Herdrich of Lebanon was retained as accountant and appointed to the position of chief accountant. Wallace Kemp of Washington was retained as chief tariff clerk for the Commission. Mr. Kemp subsequently resigned to enter the United States Army and his place has since been filled by the appointment of O. P. Gothlin, former chairman of the Ohio Railroad Commission, who was originally employed to assist the Commission in the preparation of a large number of important railroad rate cases which were pending on May 1. Mr. David E. Matthews was appointed chief inspector.

In the organization of its staff, the Commission departed altogether from partisanship as a basis of selection. This policy was adopted in the interests of creating an efficient organization. At the present time, it so happens, that approximately an equal number of the staff belong to each of the two leading political parties.

The Commission has been handicapped on account of the serious illness of Commissioner John W. McCardle and by the untimely death of Commissioner William J. Wood. Mr. McCardle was absent for about three months, and Mr. Wood's death occurring during the serious illness of Governor Goodrich, his place remained unfilled until January 1, 1918. Nevertheless, the Commission has been able to perform its work with no great delay. In addition to routine work performed by the Commission since May 1, 1917, several weeks were taken up with an investigation of the coal prices and coal car shortage. During the winter of 1916-1917, the State had suffered from a serious shortage of coal due partially to insufficient production and partially to inadequate railroad equipment with which to move coal. This condition still existed on May 1 and promised to become more and more acute. At the suggestion of Governor Goodrich, the Commission entered into an investigation of conditions respecting the shortage of coal and rising prices. An effort was made, following a conference

with the operators called by the Governor, to agree with them upon a maximum price, but this effort was unsuccessful. The operators insisted upon their right to reap the benefits of an inadequate supply of coal and the natural results of the law. of supply and demand. They refused finally to concede anything which might amount to a reduction in their profits. The operators maintained that the car shortage was altogether responsible for high prices. While the Governor was pursuing his efforts to reach an agreement with the coal operators upon a maximum price for coal, the Commission and railroad executives evolved a plan of checking up the daily car supply furnished to each coal mine in the State. This information brought the Commission and the railroads face to face with actual conditions. In a spirit of friendly co-operation, the Commission and the railroad executives devised many plans for increasing car supply. The Commission was able to obtain the services of an expert car repairer from the Interstate Commerce Commission, who made an examination of all "bad order" cars to be found in the State. Following his recommendations to the Commission, every car that could be repaired was restored to service. Many of these cars, however, found their way into interstate trade, and the state lost the benefit of a considerable measure of its effort in this direction. Box cars were brought into the coal carrying service at the suggestion of the Commission and these increased facilities somewhat. The Commission endeavored to maintain maximum production by friendly co-operation with the organized mine workers of the State and many satisfactory settlements were made affecting especially complaints against miners' service cars and transportation facilities to and from the various mines of the State. All of the coal carrying railroads of the State pro-rated their available “open top" cars on the basis of the actual capacity of each mine. Within a few months the Commission was able to show an increase of coal car supply of approximately twenty per cent. Investigations made by the Public Service Commission disclosed, nevertheless, that the control of fuel prices and the transportation of coal are both Federal problems with which the State cannot deal successfully. As a consequence of these disclosures, Governor Goodrich appeared before a joint committee of the United States Congress to urge the adoption of what later became the Pomerene amendment to the Federal Food Control bill. This amendment, which in its outlines followed the suggestions of the Governor, was designed to meet the situation, not only in Indiana, but throughout the country. Notwithstanding all that has been done to obtain for the people of Indiana a supply of fuel, conditions have continued critical. Fundamentally, railroad equipment, which is probably somewhat inadequate for normal traffic, has been overwhelmed by the enormous increase in business, due to the world war.

The Public Service Commission's intervention in the behalf of an adequate supply of fuel has required a great deal of its time. The Commission feels, however, that its efforts have been justified by the results obtained.

JURISDICTION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

The Public Service Commission of Indiana, created by an act of the General Assembly of 1913 (Chapter 76, page 167), had as a forerunner the Railroad Commission of Indiana, created first by an act of the General Assembly of 1905 (Chapter 53, page 83). In 1907 the original Railroad Commission act was amended in several particulars and further amendments were adopted by the General Assemblies of 1909 and 1911.

The jurisdiction of the old Railroad Commission was limited to the regulation of common carriers, including steam and electric railroads and express companies, but this jurisdiction was materially extended by acts supplementing the original Railroad Commission Act.

The General Assembly of 1907 enacted a law giving the Railroad Commission authority over the installation of block signals (Chapter 205, page 353). This law, by the way, was amended in important respects by an act of 1911 (Chapter 188, page 466). The same Legislature also provided for conventions of railroad employees, looking to the prevention of accidents, and extended the power of the Commission to some extent in this particular. Another act of the General Assembly of 1907 (Chapter 118, page 186), gave to the Railroad Commission certain control over clearances and made certain provisions covering the use of safety appliances. This last act was amended in 1911 (Chapter 123, page 306, and also Chapter 169, page 432). The General Assembly of 1907 likewise enacted the so-called "shippers' bill" (Chapter 231, page 434), under the authority of which the Public Service Commission of Indiana has proceeded in the distribution of coal cars during the present coal car shortage.

The General Assembly of 1909 passed a so-called ashpan law (Chapter 106, page 278), the law to regulate the character of locomotive headlights (Chapter 128, page 323), the law requiring certain safety devices on switch engines (Chapter 62, page 159), the law requiring medical emergency cases on trains (Chapter 90, page 233), the full train crew law (Chapter 25, page 68), and the law requiring automatic bell ringers (Chapter 178, page 441). The last named act was amended by an act of 1911 (Chapter 78, page 132). The General Assembly also provided in 1909 for physical connection between steam and interurban railroads (Chapter 53, page 133).

The General Assembly of 1911 (Chapter 183, page 454), made more certain the liability of railroads for damaged freight, passed the boiler inspection law (Chapter 56, page 85), the law regulating extensions and ownership of stock by non-competing railroads (Chapter 59, page 90), the standard caboose law (Chapter 60, page 92), and the law regulating crossing signs (Chapter 224, page 543). The last named act was amended by the Acts of 1913 (Chapter 242, page 676). Included in the work of the General Assembly of 1911 were also the law requiring railroad companies to erect suitable depot buildings (Chapter 238, page 603), the law resuiring railroads to furnish service letters to their employees (Chapter 178, page 446), a law establishing flagging rules (Chapter 233, page 591), the so-called Ft. Wayne track elevation law (Chapter 143, page 353), the law to regulate freight rates (Chapter 184, page 458, the so-called Indianapolis track elevation law (Chapter 165, page 426), the so-called South Bend elevation law (Chapter 128, page 314). the law requiring the un