The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-02-15
Shippers Association Sup
ports NOlan's Measure.
FIGHT FOR A SQUARE DEAL
Reciprocal Demurrage Demanded BY
the Organization; Special Order
Wednesday Afternoon.

st. Paul. Feb. 1.-THE Minnesota
Shippers and Receivers association is
bending every energy to further the
procedure toward enactment of the w.
\. Nolan reciprocal demurrage bill, now
pending in the Minnesota legislature.
Because of the general demand for Il re-
ciprocal law between railroads and ship
pers and receivers, which has had its
effect on members of the legislature the
members of the association believe that
the Nolan measure, which failed two
years ago, will this time become II law,
though bitterly opposed by railroad in
terests. The secretary, the president,
the commissioner, and the attorney of
the association are working to get votes
for the measure.
To create further sentiment in favor
of the bill, the association has prepared
for general distribution, Il letter on the
Nolan bill, which is to> be II special or
der in the house Wednesday afternoon.
The letter explains that what has
been attempted in the bill is to make
the demurrage reciprocal Fully two
thirds of the provisions are in the lang
uage used by the railroads in instruc-
tions to employees. An effort is made
in a.. 70 hnr Ia. Ia
others what they make Others do to
them.
Ii is first provided that roads must
furnish freight cars at terminal points,
such as st. Paul. Minneapolis, and Du
mth, within fortyeight hours of the
application by shippers, or at other
points within seventy-twO hours. On
failure to do so a road must pay 81 n
day TO the shipper rs long as delay
exists. Roads must start loaded ears
toward destination within twenty four
hours. subject to a similar penalty.
Connecting roads must start ears with
in the same period under the same pen
atty, that have been placed on their
transfer or offered ut ''Y."
Another provision is for a minimum
speed toward destination of sixty miles
every twenty-for hours under penalty
of 81 for every day or fraction of
twenty four hours. After reaching des
tination the car must be delivered to
the consignee within two days, or the
road must pay the consignee 81 Il day.
Gu the other hand, a reciprocal pro-
vision affects the shipper who is in
clined TO, make delay. Cars must be
loaded within forty eight hours after
they are placed empty on side-track;
otherwise 81 a day will have to be paid
by the shipper for every day of delay.
Cars containing soft coal, bulk lime,
fruit, vegetables, or lumber, must be
unloaded in seventy-twO hours, and ears
containing other freight in forty.eight
hours, under the dollar penalty.
Another provision is expected to work
to the advantage of both road and ship
per. Because it would be obviously i'm.
possible for n dealer who on his way to
a terminal point picked up twenty cars
of hay to unload them within the time
limit he is to have credit of 81 a day
for ears unloaded, to apply on the rest
of the shipment. To make this recipro-
cal it is provided that the railroad fur
nishing empty ears in the prescribed
time gets 81 a day credit to apply on
future cars ordered. Penalties will not
aec,re when railroads cannot furnish
ears because of storms or unavoidable
accident. The railroad commission may
suspend operation of the act for not
more than sixty days when justice so
demands. The act leaves both shipper
and eonsignee any present remedy for
failure of common carrier to perform
its duty to the public.