The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-18
Shippers Help to Make the Car
Shortage
Holding Cars Too Long
for Unloading
SHOULD BE STOPPED.
Commerce Commission viii
Lend Their Aid
Other Items OF Interest to
Railway People.

I One Of the GREATEST factors IN help
ing TO create Il shortage Of ears On thu
railroads. is the dIIatGriness OF ship
gers N unloading them when they
have been placed at their GesEuatIo rs
by the railroad mpanies. A general
rule prevails throughout the country
20 the effect that shippers shall have
not longer than f0rry-aIgt1E hours IN
which 70 unload cars bur this rule ts
aS generally d1SreEar1ed by the ship
pers AS IL IL general
a redress Of course Is provided for
cars that are kept beyond the reason
able time allowed by the roads for
their unloading This redress is IN
the shape OF a tar1TIrraza charge that
the railroads may make Of 81 4 day
Tor each day the car IS kept overtime
by the shipper
Bur this redress means urtI4 ct
nothing TO the railroad companies A
dollar a day for each car held over
time oy shippers really means Moth
ing To them IF the car was free It
could be made to earn that much or
more each DAY The demurrage IS not
what the railroad companies want II
- The cars that are being held and II
I'll shippers were prompt in unloading
their cars there would be less COM
plant On the part Of the railroads and
the shippers Is well over a car short
aga
Not anIy is this holding OF cars
looked upon by the railroads AZ re-
spousibIe 70 a great extent for the car
shortage The mem bers Of the inter
stare CO rITuerCa commission take the
same view OF the subject The COM
nlrree On CIT efficiency OF the Amer
lean Railway IsEGciatiOn, has received
4 letter from franklin L. Lane of the
Interstate commerce commission. IN
which the action Of shippers in hold
ing cars an unnecessary length Of
time is de1l6red and in which Mr.
Lane says that shippers ought TO real
IZa that il IS 4 part OF good citizenship
"a = q
possible in the interests Of the general
business Of the country
Copies Of this letter have been
printed and sent TO all the railroads IN
received AT the general offices OF the
Santa Fe here 4 couple or days ago
It is I4kaIy that there viii be gen.
er9l G1Srrf button OF copies OF the Let
ter amapg the shippers The letter
reads IN part AZ follows
TT is our desire To see everything
done that is practicable 10 stimulate
the movement OF equipment We have
found throughout the country that by
reason Of competition railroads have
been Bidding against each other for
business by the granting Of free time
Instances cf this kind arose OUT
sub iect Of car shortage. where the
shippers confessed that they did not
raed the time that was granted them.
and ware willing ID have it reduced
from i've TO two days.
Nothing can be added 10 the view
expressed IN the report On car short
aga made by Commissioned Harlan
and myself and IL remains the held
INK or the commission that every eff
fort put forth by the railroads To stop
the using Of cars as warehouses and
IInIft their use TO purely railroad pur-
roses will Tave our cordial c0-0pera-
ton Shippers must have 4 reason
able and not an excessive time 70 IN
load and I think that most OF the
shippers realize thar it is part Of
good citizenship at a time such as this
70 release equipment speedily in the
interest CT the general business Of the
country