The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-12-30
BILL TO PROTECT
RIGHTS or SHIPPERS,
kesn Of Jasper 10 Introduce . Measure
In the Next Legislature.

Representative Horace M. Mean
OF this place, who will represent
the counties of Dubois and Pike IN
the coming Legislature is contem-
plating introducing bill which Will
fix the liability Of common carriers.
The bill is intended to meet the de-
mand that is being made by ship
pers in all parts of the state for re-
lief. The bill is non-partissn
measure, the demand for such a
measure coming from shippers re-
CARELESS OF party.
Among other things the bill will
provide that whenever any proper
" is received by common carrier
TO be transported from one place to
another, within or without this state
or when a railroad or other tranpor-
tation company issues receipts or
bills of lading in this state, the COM
mon carrier, railroad or transporta.
ton company issuing such bill OF
lading shall be liable for any loss,
damage or injury to such property
caused by its negligence, or the ne
gligence of any other common car
rier, railroad or transportation COM
pany to which such property may
be delivered or over whose lines such
property may pass, and the common
carrier, railroad or transportation Is
suing any such receipt, or bill OF
lading, shall be entitled TO recover
in a proper action the amount OF
any loss damage or injury it may
be required to pay to the owner OF
such property from the common
carrier, railroad or transportation
company through whose negligence
the loss. damage or injury may be
sustained.
Indiana at this time has no law
bearing directly upon this subject.
As the law now stands the railroad
companies have right to make any
such contract with shippers as the
shipper will agree TO. And upon
the other hand, where there are no
competing lines, or where all the
companies have the same contract
as to their liabilities, the shipper is
practically compelled to accept any
contract offered by the companies.
Many Of the roads in Indiana,
and perhaps all, or most OF them,
at this time, issue to the shipper q
duplicate receipt or bill OF lsding
which stipulates that the company
will not be liable for the negligence
for any other road which may han
die the car for delay or breakage or
any damage whatever, but only for
damage delay or breakage occurring
on the road OF the company issuing
the bill OF lading.
This contract is very detrimental
to all shippers where the breakage
damage or loss by delay occurs on
different road in distant state in
New York or California, and in the
case OF small shipper where the
loss is $50 OF 800, the shipper is
practically compelled to bear the
loss, because to bring an action il
a distant state would cost more thar
be could expect to recover by the
suit.
Under the proposed bill OF Mr.
Kean the shipper will have his re
course on the company issuing th'
bill Of lading, while the company
issuing the bill Of lading will have
recourse on the company that cause
the breaksge damage or loss by de
: lay.
Mr.. Kean says that other state
have a similar law and that he be
, Iieves the shippers Of Indiana ar
| entitled to the protection set out j
0 his bill Evansville Courier.