Wichita eagle., 1888-07-05
HANDLING FREIGHT.
HOW 1T is CARED FOR AT THE "IN"
AND "OuTn DEPOTS


RehandIing-The Value of System in
Making Up Train.
Many people imagine that freight from
one after another of hundred wagons is
simply dumped on a platform and from
there showed into q car, and that incoming
and outgoing freight is handled on the
same platform. In a country town, or
even in city ambitious to metropolitan
honors, one platform does suffice, and on
that all freight is received and from that
all freight is shipped. But in large city
the railroad of any prominence making
half a living must have two depots, one
an ''in" and the other an out house.
Through the latter all of the receipts go
except in heavy and bulk goods, in large
lots, when track receiving and unloading
is the most convenient and cheapest. In
receiving freight all such cars are cut out
or off Of the train and switched to what
ever points may be desired. The bills OF
lading always come ahead of the train,
long enough generally to get through the
Office and out to the yard men before the
train arrives, or at least on it's arrival
This is done so that no time may be lost
Receiving the bills. the yard force know
exactly what each car contains and where
it must be placed. Some of these cars are
to go to certain parts of the yards, others
to private ware houses, and some are to
be left where they are These are all cut
out. taken away, and the balance of the
train switched into the freight house,
where the broken Cess than car load) and
valuable or perishable freight is stored to
await the call of the owners, the latter
being notified by postal of the arrival In
receiving freight in this way there is
great deal of handling and rehandling
that cannot be helped; but so far as possi-
BILE it is avoided by storing as loosely as
possible. SO that one consignment may
be moved without touching another. If
the housemen only knew whether John
Smith would be more prompt than Samuel
Brown in answering his notice and taking
away his goods, much rehandling could be
obviated and the goods could be stored
closely without loss of space by putting
in Browns property first.
But this is knowledge that cannot be
had. There may be a dozen Samuel
Browns and two dozen John Smiths, and
every one of the Browns may come for his
goods at the same time, while the Smiths
may never come, and may leave their
goods to be finally sold as unclaimed.
This, however, is only the case with small
merchants and plain every day citizens,
who do not receive pound of freight as
often as they celebrate Christmas. The
merchant who receives with any regular
ity authorizes his drayman, or. in st.
Louis, the Transfer company to receive
his freight whenever it comes, and the
drayman or transfer agent is always on
hand to receive it, and it does not have to
be stored away. Still there are enough
men of the Smith variety, and entering
large receiving ware house after a few
trains have been unloaded the floor has
the appearance of a succession of mounds,
made out of boxes, furniture, baby carri-
ages. implements, etc.
The most interesting of the platforms.
however, is that where goods are received
for shipment. This is where there Is sys-
tenn. There is no dumping together Of
anything that simply comes to hand first.
On one side are strings of empty freight
cars, pulled up so evenly that the doors
from the one next to the platform open
into the one on the next track, and the
cars on the outer track can be loaded by
pushing the truck through the ones next
to the platform and over connecting
bridges. The shipping platform can in
this way be widened TO as many tracks as
there are on which to stand the cars On
the opposite side, the receiving side, where
the wagons pull up and unload. are nailed
signs to pillars representing divisions
The first is marked "Jonesville," while
the board on the second pillar NAV be
marked Brownsville" and half dozen
other villes. while the one next to it may
have double that number, or only one.
This is an indication that on this line
Jonesville is a heavy shipping point, and
that Brownsville, and the othervilles with
It, are of small Importance and have to be
numerous to count.
At the merchants ware house the goods
are loaded into the wagon by towns. and
the driver knows just what towns he has
If he has lot for Jonesville he backs into
that pillar and unloads. He may hare a
few pieces for Brownsville or some of its
Ester villes. in which case he can unload
ut JonesvHle and roll them over to tho
Brownsville division. If he has lot foi
Smithvilie. further on, however. he must
swing around with his wagon again ard
back in there. Here the freight accumu.
lates, in these divisions. until time for
loading, by which time quite respectable
amount Is gathered. Jonesville is situated
100 miles away. Brownsville eighty, Jack.
sonville City and Yellowville forty miles
out There's not enough of Jonesville to fill
\ car, and just enough of the others to sup
ply the deficiency. Jonesville is then
loaded in first, Brownsville next, and so
on until YeIlowville is reached The
leaders go through the house loading in
this way. filling each car. taking interne-
diate stations to the extent required to
make up the required weight. that from
the station nearest the shipping point
first
Then the train is made up in the same
way. generally SO that cars can be dropped
OFF from the end if desired without losing
time to cut it out, switch around and con-
meet again with the rear portion and
cabooee- Arrived at Yellowville the
freight for that town Is piled on the plat
fo1n. the door is resealed, and the train
pulls out for the next station. There
again the car is relieved of portion of