The Topeka state journal., 1902-07-10
RAILROAD NEWS.
Per Diem Seems to Be Proving
Satisfactory.
C. w. Kouns Says No Serious
Faults Have Arisen.
MEETING AT Ell PASO.
Santa Fe Demands Certain Mod
ificatl0nS in Rules.
Claimed That More Clerks Will
Be Necessary.
AT Ell PASO.

per diem is working all right SO far.
said c. w. Kouns, superintendent of
transportation for the Santa Fe today.
I'VE have no fault to find. although 1t
is, oa course, rather early to make any
definite statements. The system has
not been operated long enough for
fair test.
Mr.. Kouns said he had not heard OF
any serious difficulty with per diem be-
cause of the methods used in handling
coal and cotton shipments. s3The ques-
tion of cotton shipments was up before
the meeting which agreed to use the
per diem plan," said Mr.. Kouns, "and
was thoroughly discussed there
Mr.. Kouns has just received through
used on the Southern Pacific for car
accounting. They want all the roads
to adopt this same FORM" said Mr..
Kouns. of course, we each have our
own form now. very similar to this in
general style, but varying from 1t in
size and arrangement I could not say
what will be done about it,
A meeting of freight agents of the
roads entering Ell Paso was held yester-
day at the Texas & Pacific offices at
Ell Paso, and much business of impor-
tance to the Santa F'e was transacted.
Those present were E H. Maggard
of the Rock Island, H. A. Carpenter of
the Joint S. r. Comfort of the Mexi-
can Central, r. j. Woodward of the
Santa Fe, E. F.. ]. Mccarthy of the
G. H. and A. w Montague of the T.
& P.
The object of the meeting was to ar
rive at definite and mutual under
standing upon several questions relative
to the per diem settlement for foreign
cars that had occasioned some contro-
versy. The meeting resulted in an
agreement upon all the questions ex-
cepting the one that applied to the San
ia Fe when that road acted as an in
termediary receiver for the Mexican
business. The Santa Fe objected to be-
ing held liable for per diem on cars
turned over to it for Mexico. as many
| times the customs officials of the other
| side might occasion delay of days or
| even months before passing the car and
| the Santa Fe wanted the per diem
| charged against the road from whom
| the car had been received.
| 1t was finally agreed that each road
should submit the question to the head
| of it's car depar tment to arrange a set
| tlement.
| One of the mooted questions was what
| constitutes delivery and also charge to
| be made where cars are sent back or
refused. It was agreed in the latter case
| transaction, a debit and a credit to off,
set each other. On deliveries for joint
warehouse no definite settlement could
| be arrived at as the Santa Fe would
not agree to liability for business turn
| ed over for switching to the joint.
1t is expected that a prompt arrange
ment will be perfected by head of car
departments of the various roads ON a
| basis satisfactory to the Santa Fe.
| The Chicago lines appear to be en-
countering difficulties in the manage
ment of the per diem plan. The follow
ing is from one of the Chicago papers:
Some of the expected difficulties of
the per diem system have already
arisen, though it has only been in op"
Grafton since the first of the month. 1t
was the general expectation of the lines
adopting this per diem system that it
would make the keeping of car ac-
counts much simpler and require fewer
employees 1t requires more employees.
From Complaints that have begun to
be made this does not seem to be true
| in some cases, at least. From one OF
the western cities the claim is made
that, instead of being able to reduce the
number of clerks employed in the car
service offices, it is necessary to in
crease the number by a very consider
able proportion. Though there is no
saving in the small item of clerk hire
the friends of the new system are satis-
fled that the larger saving in the pre-
vention of delays in returning the cars
will more than compensate for this"