The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-12
Freight Agents convention.

The eighth annual convention of the Ma
tional Association of Local Freight Agents
met in New York yesterday. President h.
b. Zeigler. agent Of the Pennsylvania Com
pany at Pittsburg, delivered an address of
welcome. Two hundred and fifty delegates
are attending the convention and the topics
suggested for discussion cover very wide
change of business of liens by railway
companies Tor transportation charges When
delivery Is made TO United state bonded
warehouses and whether the filing of such
liens afforded sufficient protection for the
transportation companies charges; OF the
desirability OF adopting a standard form
for use in tracing freight; OF storage and
elevator charges of excess c0nSignments; OF
checking freight; of advance charges; OF
the distribution of work in freight sta
tons, and Of wrong deliveries will re-
ceive serious consideration.
The afternoon session was devoted TO con-
sideration of the best methods of storage
and the hearing OF reports of Pie commit
tee on manifest appointed at Pittsburg in
June, 1894. President Zeigler said they had
allowed the pendulum to swing too far in
the direction of varying methods of storage.
and that they had come for a radical
change. He advocated a uniform method
which would permit goods arriving in cars
10 remain therein for forty-eight hours and
then to have such goods sent to storage
warehouses. BY doing so the car service
motion to draw the attention of superin-
tendents and divisional freight agents TO
the convention stand on this question was
adopted.
James V. Braden. secretary and treasurer
OF the local Freight Agents Association of
Wheeling, w. Va, read the report of the
committee on manifeSts. The report was
designed to arrive at some practicable and
feasible method of dealing with the present
intricate system of manifesting freight. The
report, based on the ideas of every member
of the national association. pointed out that
there are ia different forms OF manifest in
use in the United States, and in many sta
NH no pnrr1v1l tno 4
vocated uniform blank that would answer
for all stations. 1t would simplify work, as
at the present time there are 10000 different
classifications of goods passing over the
railroads in this country, while in England
there are only $500. The report, in part.
was as follows: 1T is urged against ciassi-
fcation for American railroads that business
conditions of different territories so d.
versitied as to many articles that to put
them in the same class In different sections
would be injurious to carriers. as well as TO
business. but in order to obviate this diff
Guilty, exception sheets might be used in
territories so affected. Ii is reasonably
urged that tariffs and such division sheets
might be necessary under through bill
ing arrangements should be uniform as 10
modities being indicated by the color for
convenience in filing and read in reference.
As to through billing, it is generally con-
coded. however. that such is not at this
time practicable. The most serious objec
ton arises in case OF financially weak lines
making delivery and collecting entire
through billing only to the functional point
of the weak line or otherwise providing for
a functional settlement. The adoption of
uniform manifest blank would save much
time and many errors on the part of check
clerks, bill clerks and others whose business
1t is 10 trace and make other uses OF out
bound impression booms. The Cincinnati
association seems to have given the matter
some study, and recommends the adoption
of standard form l0l as used on the Ohio
railroads, as most nearly meeting require
mentS."
The report summed up the reforms de-
sired under the following heads: First.
marginal uniform classification; second, tar
ifs for each line uniform as 10 size and
color; third. through billing when possible.
system: fourth, the adoption of a uniform
manifest TO be known as local agents form
l. The report. which met with the unani-
nous approval of the delegates, was ac-
cepted. An adjournment was taken until 3
o'clock this morning