The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-09-29
BY Commissioner Burr.

the balance of the order brought forward from the
mills by the railroads to complete the cargo. The
consignee may also have the cars In the yards
which go to complete certain orders, and has given
orders for placing such cars and the railroads, IN
stead OF delivering these particular cars Will az.
liver him other cars that have arrived later and
do not belong to the cargo he 10 trying TO com
plete
And this practice OF the railroads falling to
furnish cars and bring lumber from the mills
promptly to complete the tail end OF cargo has
made the lumber shippers extremely afraid OF
chartering vessel to arrive as early she should
because any number of days OF demurrage would
be almost runous to the profits on the cargo that
she was to carry.
It Is charged by the railroads that the lumber
shippers do not provide themselves with SUFFICIENT
tonnage to promptly move the lumber from the
docks. The facts set forth above are, In the main,
the cause of insufficient tonnage being provided.
The testimony reveals the fact that these differ
ent railroads have held cars OF lumber In the yards
after consignees had ordered them placed any .
where from one week to forty days and upwards
when they were endeavoring 10 get deliveries
every day, and were ready to discharge and release
cars. These lumber shippers are also injured
very greatly at times by reason ct the failure OF
the railroads to bring their orders forward from
the mills, because they have sold for certain deiv
cries and not being able to make them, the firms
to which the orders were sold 60 out In the open
market and buy cargo for the account OF the
shipper charging him with the difference between
the prices sold and the prices paid ON the open
market. This these dealers have to stand or lose
the business of that firm.
You will note that one witness testified that he
had private docks to which he had given orders
that the railroads holding his cars in the yards
should make deliveries and that they have failed
to make his deliveries the same as they have de-
liveries for others handling lumber from the rail-
road docks. tEtH 1 Iioi5Mi l f
The testimony also shows that the railroads
failed to make deliveries, in certain instances to
direct from the cars to lighters number of
these consignees after ordering cars placed for
discharging, and after waiting reasonable time
without getting the cars, have sought for infOrma.
ton from the railroad that they had placed the or
der with as to why cars were not delivered, and
would be told that cars had been delivered to
their connection and upon going to that connec-
ton would be informed that the cars had not been
delivered to them. And this see-saw would be
kept up Indefinitely without receiving the cars.
One very fragrant case that desire to make par
tcuar mention Of Is that of the r. D. Drysdale
Lumber Company, who are local lumber dealers
In the city of Jacksonville, having their own yards
with track leading into them, and who were COM
PEELED to wait for the delivery of certain cars Ger
twenty-nine days after the freight was paid and
free time had elapsed. and did not get them until
this Commission took the matter up for them. In
addition to this, the r. ID. Drysdale Lumber Com
pany had ten or eleven other cars that remained
In the yards OF the railroads for q considerable
length OF time. The failure OF the railroads In
counted for because OF the crowded condition OF
the lumber docks.
You will note the testimony Of Mr.. w. e. Gull
lette that, In all, he had one hundred and nine cars
under load In Jacksonville nineteen OF which were
with the Seab0ard, and three Of these had been or
dered to Fernandina for some time; and In this
connection also, the testimony of Mr. J. M. Shea
Superintendent OF the Seaboard, who seeks to
create the impression In giving his testimony that
this witness had these one hundred and nine cara
all with the Seaboard Air Line, which was not
the case. And, right at this time, Mr. Gullette had
schooner at the Seaboard dock and was trying
to get certain cars placed In there containing lam
Der for that vessel Mr.. Shea lays the blame on
tne consignees for not providing themselves soon
enough with vessels, and for not promptly dis
charging cars, and admits that the Seaboard Air
Line has not sufficient facilities for handling the
business. and yet says they could handle the bust
ness II 1t was moved currently He stated on the
day this testimony was taken that the Geaboard
AIR Line mad IN the yards under load two hundred
and thirty-nine cars OF lumber and shingles.
submit that two hundred cars of lumber, shingles