The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-04
WOULD BETTER
F R
SERVICE
Shippers Organize Bureau
With Isaac T. Roe as Presi-
dent--TO Correct Abuses.

and nearby cities attended a meeting
in the Board of Trade rooms yesterday
afternoon, when a freight shippers
bureau was organized.
Steps were taken to put the bureau in
practical working order at an early date,
and then all of its members will have an
Intermediary to represent them IN contro-
versies with the railroads.
The following officers were elected:
Preside mt, Isaac F.. Roe; vice-president,
Curtis r. Burnett; treasurer, Franklin
Levi: secretary, w. C. Patterson.
It is probable that an expert rate maj
VIII be engaged at a later date. They hope
to obtain a membership of size sufficient
to justify the employment OF more hrst-
class ex-railroad men.
Mr.. Roe was made temporary chairman
of the meeting. In a speech he outlined
the causes leading up to the movement
for q bureau and defined its ODD
ject. He said In part:
This joint movement, 1t might be ex-
planned. has grown out of an effort to cor
rect car service charges against merchants
and shippers In different parts of the
/ State, which were made the subject Oh
| complaints to one or other of the organi-
cations mentioned, and referred TO the
committee for investigation and action.
sThe action taken by this joint commit
tee on car demurrage was to agree Upon
certain recommendations which were pre-
scented to the officials of the New York
and New Jersey Car Service Association,
which body for one reason or another
failed to respond to the request made until
1.-The joint committees had decided upon Sc
curing Legislation and the Introduction of a
bill In the last General Assembly, which
provided for three lays free time in the
loading or unloading OF freights. Before
this bill was enacted a revision Of the car
service rules was announced, the principal
change being the adoption of the general
average rule
"Since this change the committee have
been advised that the general average
rule has worked to the advantage of a
certain class of very large receivers and
shippers of freights, as under its provisions
a credit is given on all cars either un-
loaded within the forty-eight hours free
time, or on a saving of time in the loading
of cars. In some cases the unloading OF
cars can be done with more dispatch than
the loading of cars and the credit Is re-
oeived on the cars unloaded; in other cases
called to our attention, cars can be loaded
with more dispatch and the credit gained
works as an offset TO the necessary extern
sion of time in unloading.
I'VE are gratiffed as a committee that
this average rule - comforting benefit to
some class Of shippers and receivers, but
from all report there. is still an urgent
demand for an extension of free time by
merchants and manufacturer engaged in
various lines of industry and trade.
In securing the passage of the substi-
tute bill reported by the Senate committee
for Assembly bill 154 at the last ses-
sion, the joint committee were hopeful
that the free time specified, three whole
days, would be found a complete remedy,
and would be acceptable to business men,
but this hope was set aside when the Car
Service Association, under date of July
20, issued a bulletin stating that the sew
enty-two hours would not apply on inter-
state shipments, or on shipments between
points within the State.
This ruling by the railroad companies
is one-sided, but 1t must be accepted UNI
less a test case is made, and as this ques-
tion affects all business interests in this
State, 1t was one Of the reasons for urg-
ing the calling OF this meeting to con-
slider the organization of a Freight Ship
pers' Bureau.
'.There are many who doubt that the
opinion of the railroad counsel is a correct
one, and some good lawyers question IL II
would stand a test in court.
'If the contention of the railroad com
panies is a correct one, that this law ap-
plies only on interstate shipments, then
the law allowing them to charge demur-
rage must allow them to charge demur-
rage only on Interstate shipments.
"Personally, | feel the enactment of laws
to restrain the railroads, or to compel
Thorn to do A thing. should he a mater OF
last resort. as / recognize the faet. as d
business man and q large receiver anu
shipper. that my interests are as much
dependent upon the railroads as the rail-
roads arc upon mine. and what hampers
or INJURIES one must hamper or inture the
other. and l believe that the good JUG
ment OF the officials of the various ran
roads should urge them to find out wha1
Is hest for all interests, and in taking part
in this meeting today I am In favor OF
effecting an organization which Will nave
for It's prime object the adjustment Oh
differences between the shipper ana re-
ceiver and the carrier without friction.
at have ALWAYS felt entire confidence In
the executive management Of our railways
and that their object is to promote bust
ness conditions under the most favorable
circumstances aud ] believe that il we
organize and put our affairs in the hands
OF a competent manager, qualified 10 as
cuss railroad matters with railroad men
we can advance our individual interests
/, and promote the general interests of the
state, not only by doing away with tht
causes which have led to friction over thu
question of demurrage, but we can secure
correct classihcations, which VIII mean z
great advantage to each of MS and perhaps
: a considerable saving of money. We car
also secure quicker adjustments of claim'
| for overcharges or for loss or damage Il
our freights, each highly important to on
and all.
II am aware of classilcations which
place heavy burdens upon certain manu-
featuring interests in this city, and II
other parts Of the State, in their coupetl
ton with like industries located at othei
: points. and these classifications can b.
corrected and would be of material benei
, 10 the manufacturers engaged in these Ger
tain industries.
Il am also aware of q serious handicap
10 other lines, who have to pay heavie-
freight charges on raw material from
Western points than do their competitor
at Philadelphia and New York points.
l "Now. the proposition before us is tn
organization of a bureau, and some of TIN
objects which this bureau can accomplish
4 are:
9 ITO urge the adoption of car service
rules which will give every line of in
u dustry and trade a fair and REASONABLE
I" allowance of time for loading and un
loading.
: ''To secure adjustments Of demurrag
I charges whenever a dispute may arise.
ITO secure a correction wherever wronl
L classihcations are imposing expense upol
ID