The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-30
REFUSES ID ARBITRATE
 DENURRAGE QUESTION New York, New Haven and Hartford vs. American
 Railway Association.
A COUNTER PROPOSITION
Important Matter of Demur- rage Rate Reaches an
 Acute Stage.

It is authoritatively stated that the proposition of the American Railway association to submit to arbitration the question of the demurrage rate to be paid by the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad company on detained foreign cars has been reject ed by the latter corporation so that the announcement of withdrawal from the association made by the New Ha- ven company still stands, and unless some compromise is arranged 1t will go into effect at an early date.
 Al counter proposition, 1t is stated, has been made by the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad com pany and, 1t is understood, has the ap- proval of the Pennsylvania company, with which the New Haven company exchanges great volume of railroad traffic in foreign cars. Under the ola conditions the outside companies have been sending onto the New Haven sys- tenn a much larged number of cars than the New Haven sends to the out side railroads. It is now proposed by the New Haven company that it shall have the privilege of sending its empty cars which otherwise would be held at home onto the outside sys- tems and those cars shall count for car in the demurrage rate. As they would be returned in many cases loaded under existing conditions ot heavy eastward traffic the New Ha> ven road would not only be a gainer in actual business, but be able also to use these empty cars to make good the difference in the total demurrage charge. For example, if the Penn sylvania company should send four hundreds of its cars into the New Haven company's territory and the New Haven company sends two hun dred into the Pennsylvania's terri tory the former would be allowed to send in addition two hundred empty cars an make the demurrage account between the two corporations equal. How far this proposition would be ac- ceptable to the outside roads in gen. eral and the American Railway as- sociation is matter yet to be test cd. The plan is the more available for the New Haven road as it ex- poets ere long to have large additions to it's freight rolling stock.
 This important matter of the denlur- rage now seems to be reaching a more acute stage and is bringing into prom thence the legal status of the Ameri- can Railway association itself, which has now twice within a short time raised the demurrage rate and has made a total advance within a year of 125 per cent. In the case of ths New Haven with it's territorial monop oly of southern New England and practically all of its exchanged traffic with other roads is across state lines. This tends strongly to make the ques- ton one of interstate traffic and in railroad circles here a good deal of wonder is expressed that 1t has not already come under the perview of the interstate commerce commission, which may at any time take 1t up on complaint of consigner or consignee,
 The reference to the attitude of the Boston & Maine in the matter it Is ascertained definitely that no iInme~ diate steps are likely to be taken and that the New York, New Haven ana Hartford railroad company is pro- ceeding nominally upon it's own re- sponsibillty As, however, the New Haven company by it's ownership UT 12O,O0O shares of the Boston & Maine IS in close if not controlling relations with that corporation, no obstruction by it of the New Haven policy is look cd for.
 The negotiations in the matter ars being conducted mainly by Vice Presi- don't Stevens of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad and def mite announcement of results is ex- pected ere long.