, 1888-09-12
HANDLING OF FREIGHT.
SOME POINTS WHICH ARE OF IN
TEREST TO fHE PEOPLE.

How Merchandise Is Handled by the Rail-
roads-Their Methods of Raising Rates
and Settling Claims Described in Brief.
Sending n Tracer"
The manner of making up through
rates, that is, rates between points neces-
stating transportation over two or more
roads, is now comparatively simple. Prior
to the passage of the interstate commerce
act, certain agreed rates prevailed at all
junction or common points prevailed
until some one road felt inclined to cnt),
and points local to one road were fixed at
as high rates as were considered necessary
by the road reaching them. Now, how
ever, the majority of the roads have
thrown their local territory open by tax
ing common points as basing points, and
making the rates to intermediate local
territory the same as those in effect at the
next farthest basing point. In other
words, dividing the road into groups, each
group taking certain fixed rates. The
through rates are divided between the
roads forming the line, on a mileage basis
that is, each road receives a percentage
of the through rate as great as the dis
lance traversed over its rails bears to the
entire distance from point of shipment to
destination.
The numerous cases of delays and loss
of property in transit are in a large meas
ure due to careless or improper marking
of merchandise by the consignor. If all
packages were properly M plainly
marked these annoying occurrences would
be reduced to a minimum. AS it is, how
ever, the systematic methods of handling
freight in practice by all roads render it
almost impossible for anything to be car
ried to a wrong destination, although
some errors in routing occur which, in
the case of p~erishable freight, are equiva-
lent to actual loss.
When a shipment fails to arrive on
time a tracer is sent after it. These
''tracers" are in the shape of a request
upon forwarding agent to follow up
the shipment by means of his way bill,
car number, train number, date and seals,
all of which are kept in his station rec
ords. The tracer" is. sent along the line
~traversed by the shipment, and each agent
in turn notes thereon date of arrival and
departure, whether transferred into an
other car, and seal record, and forwards
to next junction point. In this manner
freight is always ultimately discovered,
though sometimes it takes considerable
time. In urgent cases this is lone by
telegraph.
The great bone of contention between
shippers and railroads is the time con-
ouhACN " ooJhobLhS SldlLlo- nhtn u
claim is paid the mass of correspondence
that has accumulated is usually detached
from the claimants original papers, and
he cannot, therefore, understand Iwhy it
could not have been paid ooner. Claims
are never purposely delayed, and if
shippers but knew the amount of labor
involved, even in the simplest cases, COM
plants on this score would be less fire.
quent. The larger business houses are
gifted with more patience in this respect
than the country merchants. 1t is also
true, as claimed by these smaller dealers,
that the large shipper has his claim put
through" in much less time. There are
several reasons for this; the constant
shipper, in presenting a claim, accompa-
MES it with all necessary documents, and
gives a clear and concise statement of the
case, whereas the country merchant writes
a rambling sort of letter, threatening to
give all his shipments to the A, B. and
G. road, and to do various other terrible
things In the event of non-payment of his
claim, and ~studious1y avoids giving par
ticplars, thus, in some cases, forcing the
railroad to make out a case against itself.
A mistake the country merchant fire.
quently makes is to send his claim to the
shippers, asking them to push it through
for him. This course of procedure always
causes delay. A claim presented by the
owner of the property-if bill of lading
or receipt, and paid freight bill, together
with q letter of explanation, is submitted
to the delivering road-will be handled
with dispatch, be the claimant a large or
small shipper.
AS a general rule overcharge claims are
the most quickly disposed of. If occa-
stoned by an error of one road in q line
such road usually stands the amount, and
If the claim be based on a rate in forcs
by a competing route all roads interested
willingly reduce to that figure upon pre-
sentation of proof.
The loss and damage claims are more
difficult to handle. In the investigation
of these matters, particularly damage
claims, each road attempts to disprove
any liability, and e~ndeavors to shift the
responsibility upon another, and it Is this
discussion between the roads which
causes the delays complained of most
frequently. The method of investigating
claims of this nature is simple enough.
The shipment is traced through from
point of shipment, and the road on whose
line shipment checks damaged or short
pays the damage. 1t often happens,
however, that the loss or damage cannot
be located. 1t is then that correspond
ence accumulates, and the claimants hair
turns gray while waiting for his voucher.
In cases where it Is utterly impossible to
locate the damage or loss it is the custom
for all roads participating In the haul to
join In payment of the damages. Several
roads have recently adopted the plan of
paying just claims as soon as presented,
looking to their connections to "chip In"