The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-10

Il do not know said a railroad official
yesterday, "of any association that, with
its cost Of operation, has been as beneficial
to the railways as the weighing and inspec-
ton bureaus. Men no longer ship silver
ware, and on the billing call it bolts and
nuts, which are carried on lower rate
being lower-classed freights. The goods
shipped are now as represented, and
shipped in a class to which they belong
But in weight the roads have been most
benefited. 1t had become the custom to
guess at weights too much for the interest
of the roads; the shipper would Invariably
guess it at less than it's actual weight and
While In many cases the weight given was
not intended to defraud the roads out of
their rights it did so. j. 3. Eckman, dis
trict chief inspector, says that often the
fault of giving wrong weights laid with the
shipping clerk, who would guess what a
box weighed and so mark it, but the extent
TO winch goods have been shipped on wrong
classification or on light weights, had it not
been Tor the weighing and inspection bu-
Teau, Is shown in the annual report of Mr.
Eckman- In 1897 through its operations at
Indianapolis, the seven roads revenue was
increased SOB S41. "a. and in the eleven wears
the bureau mas been in operation at Indian
apolis the revenue of the roads centering
here has been increased 81, 1856, 075.13" He
Sald he did not mean to convey the idea
by his remarks that the business men of
TINS city, as rule were dishonest, as he
thought that majority of them were will
ing to deal justly in small matters connect
ed with the railways but there had been
cases where 1T was evidently the intention
of the shipper to defraud the railways BY
an improper classification of the freight or
cases when traced it would be found to be
the fault of a careless shipping clerk the
proprietor of the establishment not know
ing anything about the matter.
Threats from the Canadian Pacific.
Three days ago the executive officers of
the transcontinental roads sent a rnessa ge
to Vice President Shaughnessey, Of the Ca
madam Pacific, reciting the efforts made by
the passenger agents of their respective
lines to get General Passenger Agent Nc
Nlcoll, of the Canadian Pacific, to Join in
a conference regarding the Alaska business
They requested Mr.. Shaughnessy to name a
date when it would be convenient for him to
meet them and to discuss the same matter
yesterday they received a reply from Mr.
Shaughenessy which is on the same line as
those sent by General Passenger Agent Nc
N1coll TO the general passenger agents of
the American roads. Mr.. Shaughnessey in
his telegraphic declination to the REQUEST
for meeting, went into the matter at
great length and wound up by declaring
that unless the American roads within three
Gays withdrew all the cut rates which he
ueclared are IN existence to north coast
points the Canadian Pacific will proceed to
protect its interests in the manner which
seems to 1t best. No action was taken by
the American roads to-day al comics of the
message of Mr.. Shaughnessey were not
made and sent to them until late in the aft
ernoon. II IS likely that a meeting of all
the interested roads will be held within a
few days to determine the future policy of
the American roads. 1t is practically GER
tam that an EFFORT will be made to get all
roads having relations with the Canadian
Pacific to declare them suspended until such
time as the Canadian Pacific is willing TO
confer with the other roads in the matter Of
Alaska rates Several of the transconti-
mental roads are very strong in declaring
that there is no reason why the Canadian
Pacific should have a differential on the
Alaska business, and they will they saw
refuse in the granting of concessions.