The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-07-01
INJUSTICE TO SHIPPERS.
M. Sanders Points Out Difficulties Of Collect.
in tsmall Claims

part Of the railroads? 1t seems that no
notice has been taken of my pleadings
for justice. An article in the paper. so
far as l know, is far from a settlement.
Soon after this shipment reached desti-
nation l presented. freight bill to divis-
ion freight office of Southern Railroad
here and asked them kindly TO take the
matter up and have this over-charge
refunded to me. This agent refused TO
take the freight bill, but said he would
Write to another agent of the Southern.
Mr.. Lamb, at Primers Point, and nave
him refund to me this amount at once.
Thirty days or more elapsed before l
heard anything from this claim. Then
| was asked on what date this shipment
was made from Wilkeboro, and here |
desire to ask this agent Why he did not
get ali the necessary information from
me when ] tried to put in this claim.
Now it seems that the whole object of the
Southern Railroad Company or its agents
is to delay the payment of small claims
and make unreasonable excuses until the
shipper becomes SO worried and dis
gusted that they drop the matter and
give up the amount to the railroad com
lany. After all this worry and patient
waiting for sixty days, hoping that the
claim would be paid before now, the
Southern Railroad Company comes at
me again asking me to present an en-
tirely different case by which | might
collect this small amount. The follow
ing is a letter received by me, signed
Geo. G.. Thompson, Jr., d. f. A: Re
ferring to the overcharge on shipment
dried fruit from Wilkesboro to Elizabeth
City, n. c., | am advised by our agent
at WilkesborO that he has written you
requesting expense bill SO that he can
make you the necessary refund. He
states that I'D to the present time he
has heard nothing from you. Will you
please mail him the expense bill in order
that he may make you this refund as
early as possible?
have received nothing-not a line
from this Wilkesboro ~agent-and have
no idea that he has written me on this
subject. Just think for a moment how
unbusinoss-like and how unjust it is for
Mr.. Thompson or his clerk to refuse this
| freight bill when l presented it to him,
almost sixty days ago, and now writes
me such q letter as the above. In my
Judgment it is simply nothing more or
| less than to keep from paying a just
claim.
Is there no law by which we can col
~ bLd "ihNAA - 49, 49, 80 - W.
railroads? Or must we wait until they
see fit to pay or until the worry becomes
so unpleasant that we give up small
claims which are Justly due US?
Some months ago | received a crate of
eggs from Princeton, N. c., six dozen
broken.
| tried to put in a claim with the
Southern agent here for the amount,
99c., which he accepted, but a day or two
later he wrote and requested me to send
him original freight bill with proof that
the eggs were broken on their line? Just
think for a moment, can any good bust
ness man see any reason why this agent
should ask me for that which originated
in his office, a copy of which he must
have. and all the necessary papers in
this case? What was the result of this
claim? | wrote this agent saying: Life
is too short to be worried and put to so
much trouble for 99c., and if | could not
| collect the amount without all this red
tape l would give it up. Consequently
| have heard nothing more from the
lain which was put in about six months
ago. This is the way we are compelled
to give up to the transportation com
panies small claims. from the simple
fact that the worry and annoyance Of
u IhS " SOllN0l y ~ icti CAS
mount.
have a letter before me, dated Dunn,
n. c., June 18th, which reads as follows:
will you please trace two half barrels
fish shipped US from Edcnton, N. c., May
29th. Our agent here has way bill, but
the fish check short"
/ | desire to ask this agent if he has
made any effort to get these fish through.
Has he done his duty in this matter?
This is a sample of how almost every
shipper has to suffer.
What are the Corporation Commits
sioncrs doing? Looking after taxes,
believe, is about all. In a previous
article l asked the Corporation Com
missioners several questions, which arc
legitimate business questions, and as a
taxpayer and voter, l think l am en-
titled to answers, and again | ask them
Why is it that the same article from
Edenton. n. c., to Wilson's Mills, n. c..
is 49c. and to Raleigh, \. c., Soc?
; l have no i'll feeling towards any one
personally, but simply wish to know j
it is the duty of the Corporation Com
mission to adjust freight rates and sec
that small, just claims are paid tt
shipper by transportation companies, OIL
must we continue to suffer on account
Of shipments which are on the roads
weeks and sometimes months, when they
should go through to destination in from
two to three days.
The time has come when patience ha;
ceased to be a virtue, and let me assure
you we Will look to our next LegiSla.
ture for some protection in these mat
tcrs. 1t is the small things that arr
giving US trouble now, such as tn
transportation companies think We vii
give up rather than be worried and an.
noyed over for months trying to collcc
thom.
| ask our Corporation Commission. j!
it law Or Justice for the Southern Rail
road to pay claims for one shipper wheI
presented and refuse others of same
nature indefinitely? We will Investigate
these matters before our next Legisla
ture meets.
JAS. A. SANDERS.
Yesterday Mr.. Saunders warranted tn,
Southern Railway before Justice Maroon
nnJ tho +r;o x,- - 80 So - l.