Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-01-22
SHIPPERS WANT MORE CARS.
The Federal Congress to be Petitioned
For Relief.


For Relief.
The Southwestern Lumber Associa
ton is preparing to petition Congress
to enact law regulating the move
ment and supply of railway freight
cars. IF such law should be enact
ed by Congress it would compel the
railway companies to furnish an ade-
quate number of cars to shippers,
both lumber shippers and others; and
it is contemplated that the railway
companies shall also be compelled to
supply sufficient equipment so that
freight may be shipped without ma
terial delays. For several years ship
pers have complained of the lack of
freight cars. 1t is said shippers have
also lost hundreds of thousands of
dollars because of delays of the rail
way companies in handling freight
after it was on the tracks.
This year conditions have been
worse than ever before. The South
western Lumber association hopes to
interest all the lumber interests of the
United States in the proposed law.
Grain, stock and other large shippers
allege the same grievance that the
lumber interests complain of, Efforts
will be made forthwith to endeavor
to interest the grain and stock ship
pers. 1t is believed that if these
three great shipping interests COM
bine on the question that Congress
cannot we'll refuse to take some de-
cisive action.
Copies of the proposed law will be
sent to United States senators and
repi esentatives. An active campaign
will be made among all the great ship
ping interests throughout the country.
At present there are state laws to con-
troll freight traffic, but there is no fed
eral enactment that properly can con-
troll interstate traffic. 1t is requested
of all shippers that they give the pro-
posed law careful study. The full
text of the bill is as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives of the United States of America, in
Congress assembled:
Section 1. 1t shall be the duty of every rail-
road company en- gagged in carrying, in giving
bills of lading for carrying PERSONAL property and
livestock, between points in different states or
territories, upon written application by any per-
son for the carriage of any such property or live
stock over the railroad of any such company or
over such railroad and any connecting line or
lines of railroad any point in another state or
territory, to receive and commence the carrying
thereof within five days alter the offer of delivery
e.
or commence the carriage of such property or live
stock by any such company in any such case
shall entt1e the person making such applicat at ion
to recover from such company, for each neceS-
sary for such carriag ge, for each day after said
five Us during which such failure shall continue.
a penalty of ten dollars, recoverable by such per-
son as plaintiff against said company as defend
ant by civil action in circuit court of the
United States for any district in which such
company may have office gent for the
transaction of any business, upon whom summons
therein may be served.
Sec. ?. The provisions OF the next preceding
section shall apply only the initial railroad
carrier to which such application shall be made,
but also any connecting railroad carrier engag-
ed in such carrying of personal property and live
stock, on any railroad line part of a line be-
tween the point of terminus of such initial carrier
| and the ultimate point of shipment to which con-
Meeting carrier said person shall make tie
application for the continued carriage of his prop
| erty or live stock by such connecting carrier.
| Sec. ), It shall be the duty of every railroad
company engaged in carrying personal property
live stock between points in different states OF
territories, whenever so ensa ged sole carrier
initial or connecting carrier in such carri
age, to transport and haul all cars furnished to
any shipper for such carriage its line Of rail
road from the starting point to the point of desti
nation thereon of such shipment, in such number
of days OF twenty-four hours each win equal
| the number resulting from the division by tht
number fifty. Of the total number Of miles of car.
riase Of said shipment its line Of railroad by
such company with without any remainder by
such division, and for each additiona1 day oocu
l pied in such carriage over and above such mum
/ ber In conpletina such shipment, said compan.
| shah forfeit and pay to the consignee Of suel
shipper for each car 30 furnished and transported
the and penalty Of ten dollars, to be recover
ed by hin in the manner provided in the frat sec-
| tion Of this act.
under the provisions q thin act that tie oenpan,
| sued did not have the cars necessary for AM
shipuasnt .ppnsd ior. or eid not have @ sne rsaai %
| of from the point Il starting to the destination
| Thereof, On its line Of = ailroad.
act may be sued for in one single oount or state
nent in the petition or complaint without h2vini
each day sor % which M saea peaai,s = siS.s va S7 thi I
act.
Harmony with the railroads is to
be desired" said leading shippe,
yesterday, "but it no longer seems
possible. One of the principal rea-
sous for the shortage of cars and i'm.
proper handling of freight lies in the
fact that the money interests of the
East are calling upon the railroads fol
money. They want the cash. The
money is not being put back into