The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-01-25
SHIPPERS WANT MORE Cars.
The Federal Congress to Be Petitioned
for Relief.

Kansas City Star. December 27. 1903. |
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 a law should be enacted
by congress it will COMPEL the rail
way companies to furnish an adequate
number of cars to shippers, both lum-
Der shippers and Others; and it is con
templated that the railway companies
shall also be compelled to supply suf-
ficient equipment so that freight may
be shipped without material delays
For several years shippers have com
planned of the lack of freight cars Itl
is said shippers have also lost humid
reds Of thousands of dollars because
Of deiays OF the railway 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 Of 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 endeayor to
interest the stock and grain shippers.
It is believed that if these three great
shipping interests combine on the
question that congress cannot wen re-
fuse to take some decisive action.
The proposed law had its inception
at the last annual meeting of the
Southwestern Lumber association,
months ago. For severai years the
advisability of calling upon congress
to enact such a law had been discussed
by the lumbermen Of the southwest
AT the annual meeting a committee
was appointed to draft bill to pre-
sent to congress. JOHN II. Leidigh;
president of the Leidigh & Havens
Lumber company of Kansas City was
made chairman Of the committee The
appointment of Mr. Lehigh as chair
man of the committee showed the
straits 10 which the lumbermen con
sidered they had come, for Mr.. Leidigh
for years was leader in seeking for
harmony with the railroads. He al
ways opposed any attempt to force the
roads by the enactment of laws The
proposed law provides for a heavy
penalty against the roads.
Bill Drafted BY Law Firm.
"We have gone at the matter slow
ly. but very carefully" said one OF the
committee yesterday Conditions OF
freight shipments have become such
that it is considered necessary that
congress be called upon for relief A
bill drafted for us by a firm of law
yers. The bill has also been read by
eminent jurists. We shall present the
bill to congress and ask that it be
made law"
The Commercial club and Manu-
facturers' association of Kansas City
and other commercial organizations
will be asked to cooperate in the
movement Copies of the proposed
law viii be sent TO United States sen
ators and representatives An active
campaign win be made among all the
great shipping interests thfoughou
the country. At present there arc
state laws to control freight traffic
but there is no federal enactment tha
properly can control interstate traffic
1t is requested of all shippers tha
they give the proposed law careful
study. The full text of the bill is al
follows
Be it enacted by the senate an
house of representatives Of the Unite,
States Of America, in congress as
sembled:
Section l. Il shall be the duty 0
every railroad company engaged il
carrying, or in giving bills Of ladinl
for carrying, personal property an
live stock, between points in differen
states or territories, upon written al
plication by any person for the car
riage Of any such property OF liv
stock over the railroad Of any sue
company or over such railroad an
any connecting line OF lines Of raj
road, to any point in another state o
territory. TO receive and commence tn
carrying thereof within five days afte
the offer Of delivery thereof for sue
carriage, and any failure to receiv
or commence the carriage Of sue
property or live stock by any sue
company in any such case shall entiu
the person making such application
recover from such company, for eac
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