The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-11
TO HELP SHIPPERS
Railroad Board Proposes to Reg
ulate Movement of Freight.
VIII Do This by Adopting
Switching Regulations.
ALSO TO SAVE TIME.
Would Prevent Roundabout
Routing Of Freight.
Commercial Club to Be Heard
on May IL.
ALSO TO SAVE TIME.

Replies are beginning to come in
from western states IN reply to the re-
quests sent out by the Kansas board
Of railroad commissioners for in
formation about switching rules
adopted in these states.
So far replies have been received
from Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois
and Arkansas. Texas. Illinois and Ar
kansas are the only states which have
adopted state rules regulating switch
ing charges.
On May II, the Kansas board will
meet in Topeka for the purpose of
drawing up switching rules for this
state. Invitations have been sent out
to all the Commercial clubs of the
state, asking them to send delegates
TO thus meeting to make any COM
plants or suggestions they desire to
make concerning switching charges in
their towns.
So far as known, there is no par
ucular complaint about the rules
which have been promulgated bv the
various railroads of the state concern
ing switching charges. The rules of
each road are similar to all the 9TH
ers, and the average is about So per
car for switching.
The principal object in adopting a.
state regulation on the subject is to
insure uniformity, so that shippers will
know what they are to pay, and so
that railroads cannot take advantage
of the situation by putting the ship
pers to needless expense. In some
cases, a railroad by consigning a ship
ment via a roundabout route can col
lect for itself the charges for the
through haul, when by making a
switching transfer. it could send the
destination, thus saving a large
amount of time. The board will prob
ably arrange the proposed rules so
that freight will be shipped by the
direct route, and specifying when
switching charges can be collected and
P. NJ. Bradbury, secretary of the
Missouri board of railroad commits
sioners, says that the board of that
state has never issued any switching
charges with the board for approval.
This is about the same method which
has been followed by the Kansas
board.
dwight Harris, secretary of the
Iowa board. says: Each case is con-
trolled by the peculiar conditions sur
! rounding it, and the board has re-
ceived very few complaints of the
rules and charges established by the
companies"
William fitzpatrick, of the Illinois
board, says: 1.-THE rule on this subject
adopted by our board is as follows:
The reasonable maximum rate for
switching loaded cars for distances not
exceeding three miles shall be 50 per
car. Switching includes the hauling
OF loaded cars from the station yards
side tracks, elevators or warehouses to
the junction of other railroads when
not billed from stations over its own
road to said functions"
Switching Rules.
The Texas rules for switching are
rather more strict than in other
! The fnIlnvUfTlcr a 0f In
/ provisions
The charges in dollars and cents per
car within existing switching limits
shall be as follows:
"One mile and less.................$1 80
1 Two miles and over one mile. 49,. 200
4 over two miles .-...-.....-..-.-. ESQ
4. The service of switching shall in
clude the movement OF car loaded in
! one direction and empty in the opposite
direction. When 9, car is loaded when
( being switched in both directions a
+ switching charge shall be made for both
! movements.
% Railroad companies shall main
/ tain at all switching points an ade-
quate force and equipment to perform
the work"
The Texas commission has ruled that
roads must absorb switching charges
on competitive business. That is the
switching charges must be included in
the freight charge.
charge high rates for switching. Ev-
erything under three miles is So. The
rules of the board say:
THE reasonabl maximum charge for
( switching loaded cars to warehouses,
I elevators and industries between con-
Meeting lines at all points within the
state of Arkansas shall not exceed:
Three miles and under, SO.
Five miles and over three miles,
/ $780,
seven miles and over five miles, 81
THE above are maximum charges for
/ switching and cannot be exceeded, but
4 railroads are at liberty to charge less
than said maximum, provided that If
they charge one shipper less they shall
charge ali shippers under substantially
| similar conditions the same, and no dis
elimination shall be made between
shippers or industries at the same juno
/ ton point.
Railroad companies are at liberty tc
4 absorb all or any part of switching
charges. but if they absorb the charges
for switching or any part thereof OF
any commodity for any shipper they
/ shall likewise absorb for all other ship
! pers of the same commodity under sub
/ stantially similar circumstances"
State House Notes.
The state charter board has revoked
the license of the Burial League OF
the United States, a New Jersey con.