Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-06
TUMBLERS TO 60 UP.
A New Classification Issued by the
Railroads Yesterday.
WILL GET EVEN WITH SHIPPERS
How the Latter Have Been Misrepresent'
ing Their Goods.
GREAT LOSSES TO THE COMPANIES

the railroads running west of Pittsburg
yesterday Issued new official freight classifi-
cation which will 60 into effect ION the 18th inst
By the new classification number of petty
practices by which the railroad companies
have been cheated out of thousands of dol
lars annually will be stopped, and another
step taken to prevent false representation in
shipping goods.
The most important change in the new
classification is the one pertaining to glass
ware. The minimum on carload of glass
ware has been raised from $1,000 to "a, 900
pounds, thus increasing the rate.
In the past there has been a great amount
of trouble caused by shippers of glassware
such as table ware. lamp chimneys, bottles,
etc., representing them to be tumblers,
which are shipped at lower rates. Tum-
blers are heavier and less liable to break
while in transit, and on this account they
have been taken at rate much less than
that given for ordinary glassware. Under
THE NEW CLASSIFICATION,
glassware is made second class in less than
carloads and third in carload lots. The
minimum weight has been made $1,000
pounds. Bottles have been made second
class in less than carloads, and fourth class
in carloads. When shipped in 3O-foot cars,
which is very seldom, the minimum weight
will be 10000, and in cars over 30 feet in
length, "a, 900 pounds. Tumblers will be
taken as second and fourth, the same as
bottles. Lamp chimneys nave been made
second and third, minimum $1,000.
On October % of last year special CLASH
fication was issued, making glassware and
chimneys in car load lots take the same
class rates as tumblers. Up until that time
the rates on tumblers were lower on account
of lower classification. Table ware men
and lamp chimney manufacturers shipped
hundreds of car loads of chimneys, ETC., at
the lower rate. The practice got SO general
that the railroads had men inspect the ship
ments before the cars were sealed and
locked.
CHARGES AND DENIALS.
According to the classification Of the
lines west of Chicago, chimneys, bottles,
tumblers, etc., were placed in the same
class. The officials of the initial lines here
charged the representatives of the Western
lines who have offices in the city that they
encouraged the practice to misrepresent the
shipments. The Western agents denied the
charge and the practice was continued, not
withstanding the efforts of the Pittsburg
roads to stop it. Heretofore the rate on
tumblers to Chicago was fifth class, or 17H
cents. Glassware was third class, or 27H
cents per hundred. This made difference
of 10 cents per 100 pounds, or $40 per car.
This made a great difference to shippers,
and the majority of them continued the
practice.
Under the new classification which will
60 into effect on the 18th, it will be no OBJ
ject to shippers to misrepresent their goods.
If they make out shipping bill for car
load of tumblers they will have to pay the
same as they would on carload OF bottles.
They will have to pay for 2, 400 pounds in
stead of 1.600 as at present.
The new classification takes wire out Of
the sixth class and puts it in the fifth class
Notwithstanding this it can be shipped
under the special classification on iron arti-
cles, which is enforced by the Eastern lines.