A common carrier must, if able to do so, accept and carry whatever is offered to him, at a reasonable time and place, of a kind that he undertakes or is accustomed to carry.

A common carrier must not give preference in time, price, or otherwise, to one person over another. Every common carrier of passengers by railroad, or by vessel plying upon waters lying wholly within this State, shall establish a schedule time for the starting of trains or vessel from their respective stations or wharves, of which public notice shall be given, and shall, weather permitting, except in case of accident or detention caused by connecting lines, start their said trains or vessel at or within ten minutes after the scheduled time so established and notice given, under a penalty of two hundred and fifty dollars for each neglect so to do, to be recovered by

action before any Court of competent jurisdiction, upon complaint filed by the District Attorney of the county in the name of the people, and paid into the Common School Fund of the said county.

A common carrier must always give a preference in time, and may give a preference in price, to the United States and to this State.

A common carrier is entitled to a reasonable compensation and no more, which he may require to be paid in advance. If payment thereof is refused, he may refuse to carry.

A common carrier cannot be exonerated, by any agreement made in anticipation thereof, from liability for the gross negligence, fraud, or willful wrong of himself or his servants.

A common carrier of property by steam or electric railroad which accepts for transportation, storage, handling or safe-keeping, as a part of or in connection with passenger transportation, property carried in trunks, valises, suit cases, traveling bags, boxes, bundles or packages, shall not be liable, in the event of loss of or injury to the same, for more than one hundred dollars for each trunk and contents, nor more than fifty dollars for each valise and contents, or suit case and contents, or traveling bag and contents, nor more than ten dollars for each box, bundle or package and contents, unless the carrier shall have consented in writing to assume a greater

liability. The term “common carrier” as used in this section shall include sleeping car companies.