87. Mails. Any railroad corporation shall, when applied to by the postmaster-general, convey the mails of the United States on its road, and in case such corporation and the postmaster-general shall not agree as to the rate of transportation therefor, and as to the time, rate of speed, manner and condition of carrying the same, the commissioner of transportation shall fix the prices, terms and conditions therefor, after giving the corporation reasonable opportunity to be heard. Such price shall not be less for carrying such mails in the regular passenger trains than the amount which such corporation would receive as freight on a like weight of merchandise transported in their merchandise trains, and a fair compensation for the post-office car. If the postmaster-general shall require the mail to be carried at other hours, or at higher speed than the passenger trains are run, the corporation shall furnish an extra train for the mail, and be allowed an extra compensation for the expenses and wear and tear thereof, and for the service to be fixed as herein provided.
Every railroad corporation refusing or neglecting to comply with any provision of this section shall forfeit to the people of the state one hundred dollars for every day such neglect or refusal continues.
Last modified: February 3, 2019