The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-02-07
THE RECIPROCAL
DEMURRACE BILL
RAILROADS AND SHIPPERS ALIKE
HELD RESPONSIBLE.
FINES FOR DELAYS FOR BOTH
Stock Must Be Moved At Least Eighty
Miles Day - Another Bill
Would Equalize Freight
Rates.

1
Des Moines, reb. 6. Represents
tive White of Story county introduced
a reciprocal demurrage bill in the
house this morning. IL makes the
railroads liable to the shippers for
demurrage charges of 50 per day per
car il cars are not furnished within
three days after receipt OF applica-
ton, except that when application is
for 20 or more cars, companies have
ten full days to furnish them Snip
ments must be forwarded at least 80
miles per day except that at junction
points companies have "a hours for
transfers. Shippers to have As hours
to load or unload cars of $4,000 pounds
or less, and az hours for cars of over
$4,000. After that time shippers sub
ject to demurrage ald if Lhey have not
begun to load cars such empty cars
may be considered released. Suits to
collect demurrage must be begun in
any court of the state of competent
jurisdiction and two or more shippers
may join il bringing suits.
Freight Rates Must Be Equal.
Representative Clarke introduced a
bill providing that if lower freight
rates are charged in any adjacent
state the fact may he brought to the
attention of the railroad commission
ers. and If on hearing the commission
finds such rates are lower than for
the same service in Iowa, they are
IN Tnf Yl,.A
feet in Iowa
To Cut Out Technicalities.
In the senate Dunham introduced a
bill providing that the supreme court
shall not pay attention to technical.
tiles in considering appeal cases, and
decisions of lower courts snail not be
held to be prejudicial except when
caused erroneous judgments against
defendants. No case shall be reyers.
ed unless in the opinion of the court
substantial justice has not been ac-
complished. No criminal case shall
be reversed except when there is
reasonable doubt OF the guilt OF he
defendant.
Big Appropriations Asked.
Appropriation bills for the various
state institutions to She amount of
$465,225 were introduced in both
houses.
Railroad Men Are Heard.
Des Moines, Feb. 6.-The House
Committee on Railroads and Com
merce gave hearing to the repre-
sentatives of the railroads yesterday
afternoon. The bill under considera-
tion was the House bill by Doran re-
quiring railroads to move stock ship
ments at an average rate of not less
than is miles per hour.
After explanation of the proposed
bill by its author, Mr.. ]. c. Davis, of
the Northwestern, took charge of the
hearing on the part of the railroad
people, and introduced a number of
the Iowa division superintendents of
the different roads. They were ask
ed to explain the methods of hand
ling freight and especially stock ship
ments, and to give their opinion as
to the ability of the roads to comply
with the provisions of the bill in re-
gard to the rate of speed to be main,
tanned. Every one of the speakers
on behalf Of the railroads said that
they did not believe it would be pos.
sible to comply with the law, espec-
tally since it has become the custom
of the Iowa shippers to rush their
| stock into Chicago to have 1t on the
ground for the marke. on Monday
mornings. Several of them said that
| If the shipments were scattered
through the week it might be posi-
BILE to handle them more rapidly. but
with the lines congested with stock
Saturday night and Sunday, 1t would
be practically impossible to make
that average rate Of speed. Superin-
tendent Whelan, of the Northwestern,
went into the details of the handling
of stock on such days He traced a
stock train on that road from its
start until 1t crossed the river at
Clinton, and showed by figures from
the train dispatcher's records, how
| the train was delayed at various
| points picking up cars of stock, wait
| ing for stock to be loaded and other
happenings which contributed to the
delay, and illustrated how with every
precaution and the use of the best
possible equipment trains could not
make the schedule required by the
bill. He referred to one OF their
stock trains whose schedule was sew
enteen and one-half miles per hour,
and said that when between stations
the train was moved as rapidly as the
wheels could be turned, and yet 1t
was comparatively seldom that the
time card rate was met. He gave an
idea how business is congested by
the rush of stock to the market on
certain days, by stating that his
road handled at times as high as 500
cars of stock from Saturday night to
Sunday night, sending all this vast
feet of trains across the Mississippi
at Clinton and hurrying them ahead
as quickly as possible at same time