[Document AA.]
BY THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES,
February 28th, 1860.
Read and ordered to be printed.
MINORITY REPORT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON CORPORATIONS
TO THE'HOUSE OF DELEGATES,
RELATIVE TO THE
BALTIMORE CITY PASSENGER RAILWAY.








REPOR.  T.
The Committee having investigated the icharges of fraud
and corruption in the obtention of the Ordinance of the Mayor
and City Council of Baitimore, passed and approved March
28th, 1859, in relation to the Baltimore City Passenger Railway, beg leave to report, that they have examined a great
number of witnesses and taken a large mass of evidence,
which they herewith submit to the consideration of the House.
After the most diligent investigation, the committee have
failed to obtain evidence of fraud and corruption, either on
the part of the city council or assignees.  The utmost efforts
have failed to show that any bribe was offered or consideration
received on the part of the city council, or that the grantees
used any undue influence on the same.
In regard to the allegations that the assignees and their associates belong to the Republican party, which is justly obnoxious to the people of Maryland, the committee have been
satisfied of the utter groundlessness of the charge, by letters
and certificates from  gentlemen of the highest character.
The seventh section does not provide for the amount of the
capital stock to be subscribed, nor the value of the shares, nor
the payment of the subscription money, nor for the election
of directors or managers, nor does it define the relative power
or influence which the several stockholders shall have in the
conduct of the business of the partnership.  There exists no
where any power to exclude any one offering to subscribe on
the ground of pecuniary inability to pay, or any moral considerations.
In regard to the opening of books for subscription, Messrs.
Brock & Co. have acted under the advice of counsel, who were
very decidedly in their conviction, that the observance of the




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section was not binding and obligatory on the assignees. In
relation to tlie fare charged or allowed to be charged under
the ordinance, the amount of four cents for each passenger
goes to the company, and the other cent for the purchase of
Parks in the city of Baltimore. There has been no evidence
before the committee to satisfy it that a rate of fare of less
than four cents would remunerate parties working such roads,
and the experience of other cities seem to prove, the contrary.
As to the "Park cent," the committee, viewing this subject
as a local matter, leave to the City Council of Baltimore hereafter to be elected, and who have the power, under said ordinance, todispense with this tax, if in their judgment the
people of Baltimore so desire, it; then the railways can be
operated upon the,charge of four cents only, for the transportation of each passenger from any part of the cityto another,
upon the line of said road.
G. W. GOLDSBOROUGH, Chairman,
JAMES W. MAXWELL,
A. MEDDERS,
W. HENRY LEGG,
A. K. STAKE,
CHAS. A. HARDING,