The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-12
RAILROAD news.
Santa Fe Soon to Put Per Diem
System in Operation.
Means Work For Superintend.
ent C. w. KOuns.
WORKING ON A plan.
Some of the Important Rules to
Be Enforced.
Santa Fe VIII Be Especially
Benefited by the Change.

superintendent G. W. Kouns of the
transportation department of the Santa
Fe, is now engaged in solving the pro
blem of per diem in practice.
Per diem IN theory has been talked of
for years, and written about for months
in the newspapers. Finally, at the meet
ing of the American Railway assoeia-
ton at New York on April "A, the plan
was officially adopted and win go into
actual operation on July 1. An elaborate
code Of rules was drawn up, and q. COM
mittee was appointed to sit in arbitra-
ton on disputed points of interpreta-
ton.
Since then, the superintendent Of
transportation have been busy explain
ing to the minor officials and the minor
officials to the clerks. how to use the
per diem system of collecting for the
use Of freight cars by other lines.
When asked. today as to the effect
which the change in system would have
on the work in his department. Mr.
Kouns said.
'Of course the per diem system will
have the effect of changing to some ex-
tent our methods of keeping books, but
do not expect that any very material
difference viii be made. The object ot
the rules is to secure the prompt return
Of freight cars At present the amount
received from freight cars while in use
on other lines is only, on an average of
from Is TO IS cents a day Under the
per diem rules, the amount IS 20 cents
per 0dy- NOW the TOdQS charge py the
mileage made by the car, and 1t is easy
to have q great deal of equipment tied
up with grain waiting for transfer. and
the road owning the cars gets nothing
for the cars while so in use. The
amount we receive from mileage on
p freight cars does not pay the cost OF
repairs. It would be impossible to en-
ter into a detailed explanation of the
per diem system. 1t requires study to
master it in its details
There are some Qf the new rules nf Tar
diem charge which are of especial inn
pOrtance. One is on the list as No. 5.
1t is as follows
An arbitrary amount for each car in
switching service may be reclaimed by
the switching line from the road for
which the service was performed. This
amount shall be based upon the average
number of days actually required, and de-
termined BY the roads directly interest
ed for each local territory.
This rule will prove Of benefit to the
Kansas City Belt. which is a switching
Fe. '
There is another important rule to pre-
vent a road from stealing equipment dur
ing the rush Of the season, and using
some other roads cars for its own freight
The rule Is as follows:
In case a road delivers empty
freight car without the consent of the
owner to a road which does not pay per
diem, or if a road permits the loading or
reconsigning Of a foreign car without the
consent of the owner to such road, 1t
shall be responsible to the owner Tor the
payment of an amount equal to the per
diem accruing on the car while on such
road.
'fWhen a road refuses or fails to prompt
~ receive from a connection cars upon
which it has laid no embargo. it shall be
responsible to the connection for the per
diem on ears so held for delivery, includ-
ing the per diem on the home ear of
such connection. If such refusal or fail
ure receive shall continue for more
tharis three days, the delinquent line shall
thereafter in addition be responsible for
the per diem all cars in transit which
ar thus. held back for delivery. It shall
be the duty of road intending to reclaim
such per diem allowed to notify the de-
nnquent line daily of the number OF cars
so held by it
The rule provides for a system Of reports
by which the location of cars can be as
certained, and the amount per diem can
be figured out
The new rules will be of especial ben
eft to the Santa Fe because the Santa
Fe is rather short on freight car equip
ment. The Santa Fe now has about
35. 600 freight cars in service
There are about 100000 freight cars
owned by members of the American Rail-
way Association. and the gross amount of
exchange rate under the new per diem
plan would be 100000 day If all were
affected It is estimated that about 30
per cent of the freight cars remain on
their home roads