Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 44 Part 1.djvu/1282

§ 534 in the car-mile rate. The allowance for full railway post- office cars, apartment railway post-office cars, and storage cars may be varied in accordance with the approximate difference in their respective cost of construction and maintenance. (July 28, 1916, c. 261. § 5, subd. 8 (g), 39 Stat. 426.)

534. Computation of car-miles; railway post-office cars and apartment railway post-office cars. In computing the car- miles of the full railway post-office cars and apartment rail- way post-office cars, the maximum space authorized in either direction of a round-trip car, run shall be regarded as the space to be computed in both directions, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon. (July 28, 1916, c. 261, § 5, subd. 8 (h), 39 Stat. 427.)

535. Same; storage cars.-In computing the car-miles of storage cars, the maximum space authorized in either direction of a round-trip car run shall be regarded as the space to be computed in both directions, unless the car be used by the company in the return movement, or otherwise mutually agreed upon. (July 28, 1916, c. 261, § 5, subd. 8 (1), 39 Stat. 427.)

536. Land-grant roads.--Railroad companies whose railroads were constructed in whole or in part by a land grant made by Congress, on the condition that the malls should be transported over their roads at such price as Congress should by law direct, shall receive only 80 per centum of the compensation otherwise authorized by this chapter. (July 28, 1916, c: 261, § 5, subd. 8 (f), 39 Stat. 42.)

537. Style, construction, and maintenance of post-office cars; pay for unsound cars; steel cars.-All cars or parts of cars used for the Railway Mail Service shall be of such construction, style, length, and character, and furnished in such manner as shall be required by the Postmaster General, and shall be constructed, fitted up, maintained, heated, lighted, and cleaned by and at the expense of the railroad companies. No pay shall be allowed for service by any railway post-office car which is not sound In material and construction and, which is not equipped with sanitary drinking-water containers and tollet facilities, nor unless such car is regularly and thoroughly cleaned. The Postmaster General shall not approve or allow to be used, or pay for service by, any full railway post-office car not constructed of steel or steel underframe or equally indestructible material; and all full railway post-office. cars accepted for this service and contracted for by the railroad companies shall be constructed of steel. (July 28, 1916, c. 261. § 5, subd. 11, 89 Stat. 427.)

538. Facilities for carrying and handling mails; cars at station; station room; offices for employees.-Railroad companies carrying the malls shall furnish all necessary facilities for caring for and handling them while in their custody. They shall furnish all cars or parts of cars used in the transportation and distribution of the mails, except as herein otherwise provided, and place them in stations before the departure of trains at such times and when required to do so. They shall provide station space and rooms for handling, storing, and transfer of mails in transit, including the separation thereof, by packages for connecting. lines, and such distribution of registered mail in transit as may be necessary, and for offices for the employees of the Railway Mall Service engaged in such station work when required by the Postmaster General, in which mat from station boxes may be distributed if it does not require additional space. (July 28, 1916, c. 261, § 5, subd. 13, 39 Stat. 427.)

539. Selection of trains; carrying on any train.-The Postmaster General shall-in all cases decide upon what trains and in what manner the mails shall be conveyed. Every railroad company carrying the malls shall carry on any train it operates, and with due speed, all mailable matter, equipment, and supplies directed to be carried thereon. If any such railroad company shall fall or refuse to transport the mails, equipment, and supplies when required by the Postmaster General on any train or trains it operates, such company shall be fined such reasonable amount as may, in the discretion of the Postmaster General, be deemed proper. (July 28, 1916, c. 261, § 5, subd. 15, 89 Stat. 425.)

540. Service operated by railroad and steamboats.-The provisions of sections 524 to 568, 576 and 579 of this title shall apply to service operated by railroad companies partly by rail-. road and partly by steamboats. (July 28, 1916, c. 261, § 5, subd. 17, 39 Stat. 428.)

541. Transportation required in manner, under conditions, and with service prescribed by Postmaster General; compen- sation therefor.-All railway common carriers are hereby required to transport such mail matter as may be offered for ransportation by the United States in the manner, under the conditions, and with the service prescribed by the Postmaster General and shall be entitled to receive fair and reasonable compensation for such transportation and for the service connected therewith. (July 28, 1916, c. 281, § 5, subd. 27, 39 Stat. 20.)

542. Interstate Commerce Commission to fix and determine rates and compensation.-The Interstate Commerce Commission is hereby empowered and directed to fix and determine from time to time the fair and reasonable rates and compensation for the transportation of such mail matter by railway common carriers and the service connected therewith, prescribing the method or methods by weight, or space, or both, or otherwise, for ascertaining such rate or compensation, and to publish the same, and orders so made and published shall continue in force until changed by the commission after due notice and hearing. (July 28, 1016, c. 281, § 5, subd. 28, 397 Stat. 429.)

543. Relation between the railroads as public-service corporations and the Government to be considered.-In fixing and determining the fair and reasonable rates for such service the commission shall consider the relation existing between the railroads as public-service corporations and the Government, and the nature of such service as distinguished, if there be a distinction, from the ordinary transportation business of the railroads. (July 28, 1916, c. 281, § 5, subd. 29, 39 Stat. 429.)

544. Procedure for ascertaining rates.-The procedure for the ascertainment of said rates and compensation shall be as provided in sections 545 to 554 of this title. (July 28, 1916, c.261, § 5, subd. 80, 89 Stat. 429.)

545. Filing of statement by Postmaster General with Interstate Commerce Commission showing transportation required.-The Postmaster General shall file with the commission a statement showing the transportation required of all railway common carriers, including the number, equipment, size, and construction of the cars necessary for the trans- action of the business; the character and speed of the trains which are to carry the various kinds of mail; the service, both terminal and en route, which the carriers are to render; and all other information which may be material to the inquiry, but such other information may be filed at any time in the, discretion of the commission. (July 28, 1916, c. 261, § 5, subd. 80 (a), 89 Stat. 429.)

546. Employment of clerical assistance; plan for transportation filed with Interstate Commerce Commission. The Postmaster General may, employ such clerical and other assistance as shall be necessary to carry out the provisions of sections 524 to 568, 576 and 579 of this title, and may rent quarters in Washington, District of Columbia, if necessary, for the clerical force engaged thereon, and pay for the same out of the appropriation for inland transportation by railroad. The Postmaster General shall file with the commission a comprehensive plan for the transportation of the mails on said railways and shall embody therein what he believes to be the