The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-18
RAILROADS CANT
HELP CAR DELAYS.
AGAINST RECIPRO.
4 & CAL DEMURRAGE BILL.
Hearing Before Railroad Committee OF
the House Is Liyely-Railroad Men
Say Bill Would Not Prevent Delays
and Would Only Penalize the Com
wi D. .
panies.

W. "A. Nolan's "reciprocal demur-
rage'' bill was discussed yesterday by
| railway officials and members Of the
house committee on railroads. The
principal feature Of this measure,
which covers the general subject OF
freight shipment by carload lots, is
that it imposes a penalty on the rail
to Shippers within forty eight or seven
ty-two hours after notice, depending
on whether the car was wanted at a
! terminal or intermediate point.
The railways are greatly disturbed
over this provision, J. D. Sewell, as
| sistant general superintendent of the
| Milwaukee system, argued that it was
an unreasonable bill, as the railways
were only too willing to supply cars:
compel his road to increase its car
equipment fully 20 per cent without
increasing the earning capacity. Some
times it was impossible to furnish cars
on account of the weather conditions.
The railways went to. great expense
to get cars. At the present time they
were hauling empty cars from Kansas
City to. Duluth in order to supply coal
to towns in southern Minnesota.
W. A. Nolan said that delays caused
by unforeseen conditions were exempted
l.
was unreasonable delays that the ship
pers should have. compensation in the
same manner as when the company
charged him for delay in unloading his
car. Mr.. -Sewell declared that there
were no unreasonable delays. -..- --. ,-
Would you call delay of thirty
days unreasonables ~ asked Mr.. Nolan.
Eyes, I should,'' admitted Mr.. Sew
such delay.' ..~'.
= Indeed, T can,'' responded Mr.. No
Ian. :"Five weeks apo two cars were
ordered at my town and they have not
been supplied yet. They were wanted
tor shipment Of hay which has been
lying out in these snow billiards.. Have
the owners suffered any loss9''
Mr.. Sewall had no explanation unless
the. hay was destined to Chicago, in
which case the cars would be out of
service SO long, because the warehouses
were full, that it would injure the COM
pany and it's patrons.
Demurrage Not for Revenue.
A. E. Clarke, general solicitor for the
Minneapolis & St. Louis railway argued
that demurrage was not revenue charge
as the car would earn more in service
| than when standing on sidetrack, sub
yect, to demurrage. The sole purpose
- VAooO oAoA R0o 10 W prevent shippers
from using railway cars for storage pur
poses for any length of time. 49,
a car in motion was earning money
| and, in fact, the only way railroads
| were allowed to obtain revenue was by
moving cars. It was for the interest
| Of the companies to furnish cars and it
was unjust to impose penalty for what
was it's own interests. The only rea
+ son that railway companies fail to sup
| ply cars is because they are unable te
| do 50.
''''Isn It it a fact that railroads dis
! criminate in favor Of high class traf
| ic?' interrupted G. s. LOTUS Of the
shippers association. ".
| "No, sir!'' declared Mr.. Clarke.
| HWell, claim you do
| s. know that you claim great many
things, and / would like to have youl
relations with railway companies inves
| tigated.'
"All right,' answered Mr.. LOTUS.
Mr.. Clarke insisted that even if the
occasion for the bill, as the railroad ant
warehouse commission had ample au
thority under existing laws to punish
roads which made such discrimination
A. H. Bright, attorney for the Soc
road, explained that the bill would MOI
benefit any one but would punish the
railways for something which they
could not possibly help. The bill would
| interfere largely with thru train serv
ice, and interchange of foreign cars.
Mr.. Nolan cited many specific in
stances of unreasonable delays in sup
| plying cars.
Another hearing will be held mex
Thursday afternoon.