The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-03
BOTH SIDES OBJECT.
Railroads and Shinglemen OPP
pose State Weighers.
A NEEDLESS TAX is CAUSED.
Law Creating state wetgherS and Ex.
acting Fees Meets With Gem
eraI Fxecration.


OF much adverse talk among ra3iroad
men, wh0 decI IRE the law governing their
| duties Is void. while a good many snip
pers and manufacturers also declared II
unnecessary. The appointments were
made ia accordance with the bill recently
passed by the legislature. which provides
| that Il shall De the dagy Of the governor
TO appoint state weighers, 10 weigh all
| cars Of shingles and lumber shipped from
the state, one weigher 10 be. appointed
for each tTanscontinsntai line. and each
10 have power TO appoint deputies The
bill provides that the wskgheFS shall ne
| paid 20 cents per car by the railroads. the
latter being authorized TO add this sum
TO the freight charges. which really means
that the manufacturer will have TO pay
the additional cost. Failure 10 comply
shall be aGjudged a misdemeanor, and on
conviction for eaeh offense railroad COM
panIes TO be fined not less than $50 nor
more than s2.eo.
In compliance with the law Gov. Nc
Graw appointed W. r. Forrest weigher
for the Great Northern and V. j. Knapp
for the Northern Pacific railroad. The
Great Northern railroad has taken firm
stand that the law Is void because II is
unconstitutional and the matter will
very probably have 10 be settled in the
courts Some interesting correspondence
concerning the bill has already passed be-
Mr. Forrest. on April "a. shortly after
his appointment. Mr.. Forrest sent the fol-
Lowing letter TO +. +. Shelby, assistant
general traffic manager Of the Great
Northern railroad:
Il have been notified by Gov. McGraw
that he has appointed me state weigher
OF shingles and lumber for the Great
Northern railway. under the provisions or
an act passed by the legislature OF this
state last month. ! assume that you are
familiar with the act In question (hcuse
bin No 5n5l and. as am about 20 qualify
for the position by fling my official bond
and oath OF offi se 7 viii be greatly obliged
10 you II you will let me know IL the off,
ciaIs OF your road viii assist me in my
duties 7 am not informed as 10 the atti-
tuie taken By the transcontinental roads
in this matter. and have assumed in the
absence OF such Information. that they
stand ready TO assist in carrying out the
provisions OF the law"
On May , Mr. Shelby sent the follow
ing reply TO Mr.. Forrest:
~ am In receipt OF your letter OF April
% I'm which you make an inquiry concern
| ing the attitude 10 be taken by the Great
| Northern Railway Company in relation
| 10 a recent act by the legislature entitled:
An act providing for the appointment by
| the governor OF state lumber and shingle
| weighers.
I'm answer beg leave 10 say that We
are advised nv our counsel here that the
| act in question Is contrary 10 the const-
| tuition of the United states, and Is there
| fore not a valid law: and If the law were
! a valid one its effect would he to impose
an additionat charge OF 81 cents per car
upon the manufacturers Of lumber and
shingles without a corresponding benefit.
| number OF the manufacturers OF this
| state have already notified US that they
do not want 20 pay this charge. ana were
satisfied with the present plan OF obtain
| ing weights Of their shipments or lumber
and shingles.
'sIn this come .tion. I wish 10 state 10
Won as a shipper. that we are perfectly
| willing 10 have our scales, records ana
methods Of weighing lumber and SHIN
gles inspected ~ any and all times ny
shippers. and are willing to give each
consignor or consignee certificates OF
wights OF their shipments without any
charge whatever
Mr.. shelby said yesterday that several
shippers had spoken 10 him concerning
the hin and all had declared thar they
were opposed 20 y because It would SIM
nlv have the effect Of increasing their
EXPENSES. without adding to, their conven-
fence or benefit IN any way. Andrew F.
Rurleish attorney for the Northern Pa
clfc railroad said that the traffic and the
legal departuenfs OF tho Northern Pacific
railroad are now considering the question
Of the legality of the act J. a. Nadeau-
general agent Of the Northern Pacific.
saws that the law Is wrong and he does
not think that n VIII he Of any effect,
| because nlolEai He declares that the
Northern Pacific railroad viii undouht
| edlv oppose + on the ground that II is
| Illegal said he:
s''rhe effect ~ the law VIII IN no wise
/ benefit the shippers. as all the lumber
| and single shipments are now weighed
sssfHf
| checrfu1v furnish certificates Of weight
OF each car 70 either tire Consignee or
shipper or 20 both n desired. Its effect
/ Is ~ place a tax OF ~ cents per car on
all shipments delivered out or the state.
a we'll % impose on railroads the ad-
fifional expense caused by switching AMI
breaking 81 trains Incident To tho weigh
/ ting NJ 'he point 20 be- designated by the
! state wclghe-. as the railroads already
would have gone 20 whatever trouble ana
/ expense was necessary 70 the weighing
| - would subject the railroads 70 some
! expense n providing scales % accomno-
date POINTS not needed for their own
business IN other words. II places q
/ burden roon Interstate husiness-intcr-
state cornmerc0-that So unnecessary. as
I seea y. and - no benefit whatever 70
either shippers manufacturers, dealers
/ or Other parties Interested
The humber AMI shingles would 10 ie-
/ upon weights determined ~ tho delivery
/ lire. 81 shat ne certificate 81 the state
veiEhcr would rNt 30 binding or have
any Influence whatever upon 'he railroad
: making 'Ne final delivery There r. ~
: Claim made hv any ore tha- re rafiroa Is
( are NOT carefully and accurately weighing
these shipments. but as understand the
( object ~ the law IS - enable tho mann
( faetucar - obtain his certificate o.
I weight a. - - eVpnffte hfe settlement
J with tha shirEle dealer 90 broker through
whom he makes the sale. This could no
: accomplished equally well hv the manu-
f fsr,urer getting the certificate ~ weight
+ fr9nr tha railroad agents wherever shin
giles are wsiehet
There ara several fhlrRs - - taken
f fato couslfarafi0u With reference - the
+ expense which ths rev Law entails These
4 exHen5{.u~a% may ~ clsssef s= follows
- detention - cars. . switching
/ charges g purchase ~ new scales. T. 20
cent Tee provided hv law per ear
TEe - ceHt 700 NAV he The small
+ Ne- ita-n ~ she rrf % ro1elfe-. FER when
/ the f~af~ ls broke oe' AM each car
wat1Ne8 Ny ths stale WttEher theirs Will
f - q lass hz fefrrffor rot - ala ttc ex-
ia coet - switching which might
Amount - g or e~r0 - rrr car To illas-
f~a.e ere ra:1t- A. ~rezeut! RE Northern
pa-fae railroad Nas scsles fo~ Weighing
+ lguNs~ ana shlegteS az Seattle Tacoma
{ y>l}eness..r ans CsftraHa %av south q
Ce~f~aia tNe~s are many shtrEle ara
laune- ~H'S Nhi-h ship thefr pr-du-t
5 cast oNe~ fhe n r & - or Tntcr pa~iTc
VIA Fo~t3sus where ere -ars ar weighed
Portland beirx outside tha state. this
tears. N0Hl3 ~ broken NJ for the mills
vee'f have - ship thet- -~afu-t 'hfr-y
~ f0rrV cr sixty miles to CeutrR5ta 90 he