New-York tribune., 1885-01-15
DIVERSION OF FREIGHT
WHY THE MERCHANTS OBJECT TO IT.
A HEARING BEFORE THE STATE coMMIssroN-rr
PLY OF THE ROADS.

PLY OF THE ROADS.
A mass Of bills of ladirg and shipping ~
cepts tumbed upon the table I'm the rooms az ~
Chamber Of Commerce yesterday morning to be us.d -
evidence In the Of the merchants who comnla,-
against the trunk line system Of dyerting ves,ou.s
freight from the road which receives originally Ran
road Commissioners Kernan Rogers and ODonnell satin
state the platform back OF 1t and seated IN grim,
together were Commissioner Fink, Vice President Ha
den and Chauncey NJ Depew, representing the New-Yol
Central and Traffic Manager Villas. of the New-Yort
Lake Erie and Western Railroad The Traiers ana
Travellers Union, which brings the complaints was
represented by Henry F. King, Of Calhonn Robbins A
Co.. Abel Crook. counsel for the Union Robert r. Austin
vice-presdent, and other prominent merchants.
Mr. King stated that the diversion of freight by the
trunk lines was operating not only in loss to tho
merchants of NewYork but in loss of trade to the city
The evil had grown beyond endurance and
in sefproGectiou the aid Of the State Railroad Commits
sion must be invoked He then read from documents
before him to show how, by the transfer Of goods from
the NewYork Centras fast freight lines to the West
Shore, the Lackawanna and other roads, freight had
been delayed in delivery from five to ten days beyond
the usual time In one instance diverted freight had
been burned the Baltimore and Ohio and the ship.
per- when he approached the Blue Line agent who had
issued tho bill Of alng told he must seek redress
from the Baltimore road In instance 1t took twenty
wodays for diverted shipment to go from NewYork
Pttsburg In another four lots of goods, shipped
different days. reached their destination the same
day, showing that they had been held back make up
carload. Mr. King then reed statement from thirteen
large retail OF Chicago approving action
OF the New-York merchants in seeking TO reform the
present practice.
THE RAILROADS HEARD IN REPLY.
In explaining how the fast freight lines paid
commission forwarders by the NewYork Central, Mr..
Hayden declared that agent any decent road
followed instructions In turning away man
as In the instaneed by Mr.. King Mr. Depew said
that the railroads would show that the transfer system
necessarily did delay. The law definitely
settled that road could not be made liable for ship
ments beyond its ne while the Merchants Dispatch
and similar forwarding lines, in exchange for the pivi.
lege transfer assumed responsibility for shipments to
any point I'm the entire country. long wrange then
took place. resulting In Mr.. Depew admitting that the
bills of ladng worded, gave legal right Of redress
to merchants. while he emphatcaly contended that in
every damages by loss delay paid by the
freight lines. "As a matter OF fact" he said they
would have out Of business If they did otherwise
Commissioner Fink then questioned as to the
relative time made by the different lines. II you ask
them he replied. they VIII all say they make the
little faster lime than his rival" [Iaughtsr.l
Mr. King said that the New York Central and Pennsy
cried Mr. Villas, we haven't heard much this morningof
against the Erie" nterjected Lawyer Crook. Mr.. Fink
then explained that the complaints were based chiefly
to May l. 1884. lie stated that the pools road sus-
pended these transfers from May to October when
The shore claimed TO be- able to handle freight salts
factOriy. I've have many complaints Subsequent 70
October" said Mr.. King.
Merchant Austin next argued that the responsibility
which the freight lines assumed for damages sct
grace The merchants demanded that it be secured TO
line turned to inferior one, and yet the
shipper was compelled = 70 n pay & sss c o Ta1e ISs
that their goods liable TO all kinds Of delay New
York would have hard time tore to retain 3 Us trade Ils
camille soliciting agent testified TO the feeling IN the
West over the delays re,u4s i IRON ad s rs h% oe
This poolcomms ssio4er,this Mr. Fink-is up;ettng
the whole business" In the laughter which followed
this sally Mr.. Fink Joined heartily.
RATES UNSETTLED ALL THE TIME.
To Commissioner Herman. Mr. King said in reply to
query whether n Of rates not injurious 10 the
merchants: "There is no time In the year when We
cannot get rates per better than the tariff
tariff OF IS cents aud yet freight is being diverted
to it." A b. Penfod, Of the Merchants Dispatch
said that his lines average time OF delivery 10 chicago
Mr. KSrnsn~What does the Erie averagei
Mr.. Penfod-I cannot say.
Mr. Villas (promutly)-Three to four days. tIaughterl
granted tha the recording angel follows in his footsteps
dropping tear to blot out his statements TO shippes
Alter a recess. Mr Depew spoke for the trunk lines
He denied the nris fiction OF the State Commission In
e II The on road they could reach was the Cen
tra National Commission could regulate the railroad
problem better than any irouclad legislation. The
POOL secured stable and uniform rates. and pre-.
vented determinations and to t out the system or
transfers was the best that could be devised money
pool was mpracticabe because the roads wanted the
tonnage to preserve their and keep their
equipments order by The extent OF the EVIL OF
transfers was exaggerated Out Of 100000 tons ham
died last year only 2 per cent diverted and q per
cent would fully all cases Of delay and damage
the fast freight lines abolished the merchant
would have to be his forwarder between connecting
routes Under the system freight charges had fallen
from pig to $1,000 cents per ton per mile The de-
cree in the drygoOds business OF NewYork bad oc
Cured through ond the control OF either rail-
road or shipper. Not the least OF these the action
ii I,.va I'm m
Louis and Kansas City ports OF entry enabling Western
importers ship their goods through before reachnga
custom house II free competition 20 replace the
poo the road. ought be as free private compe
ING housessO that the Central might where tue
West shore petitor make its rate nothing ana
make up losses where the Central had the monopoly
Of business.
The rest OF the afternoon spent in desutory dis
csson of the objects and the principles of the trunk line
pool Mr.. Fink arguing that the advantages to tho
merchants from the present system far out weighed the
evils suffered through delays by transfer. Lawyer Crook
said that the merchants did not about the pool but
insisted that where worked injury the cause should DO
removed The Board naly announced that written
would be received the question for
two weeks longer, and then adjourned