The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-04
INDIANA BRIDGE CO.
MADE NOMINAL PLAINTIFF
Suit COntemplates Moderate Re-
form, its Object Being to Establish
Right to Credit no Books of Car
riers in Case They Are Given the
Benefit Of Speedy Unloading.
Especial to Lake County Times.)


indianapolis, Nov. All the carriers
having lines traversing Indiana-an
even half hundred in number-are made
respondents in petition filed with the
railroad commission today in which the
Indiana Bridge company OF Muncie,
acting for the Indiana Manufacturers
and Shippers association, asks for
change in the car service rules that
Will provide a credit-and-deb system
of charging demurrage This system
constitutes a reform long desired by
shippers everywhere.
The petitioner is one of the many
large concerns included in the Indiana
Association of Manufacturers and Ship
pers. The state association merely
uses the name of the Indiana Bridge
company Of which Senator Charles NJ.
Kimbrough is president. to establish a
specific case. The Indiana Bridge com
pany is no more interested in the sue
cessful outcome of the case than any
one of large number of Indiana man
ufacturing or shipping concerns.
The petitioner complains that
the respondents have not adopted,
promulgated or established any
rule regulations calculated
to induce shippers or receivers
of freight in car load lots to load and
unload cars in less than forty-eight
hours after notice of arrival and place
ment for loading or unloading; that
the respondents have taken no steps to
bring about the loading or unloading
Of cars expeditiously and the prompt
release of cars after they have been
loaded or unloaded.
Poor Rule That Don't Work Both Ways.
It is complained that q free time
Of forty eight hours is granted users
Of cars for loading or unloading. but
that no privision is made when through
delay or irregularity Of the carrier
cars are punched beyond a receiver
ability to load or unload, and that
weather conditions. availability of la
Dor and other factors which tend to af-
feet shipper are not taken into con
sideration. 1t is also complained that
no premium is paid the shipper fo1
loading or unloading his cars prompt
" and returning them before the ex-
piration of the free time" granted
them.
The petitioner prays that the cal
service rules be so modified that 6
shipper shall be credited with one day
for every car returned within twenty.
four hours and debited with one day
for every day or fraction thereof be.
yond the free time" that his car Is
detained. The change In the rule con
| templates that balances shall be CLOSED
at the end of each calendar month /
| the debts shall exceed the credits, the
| carrier shall collect one dollar fo1
every day the former exceeds the latter
/ If the credits equal or exceed the deb
/ its nothing shall be collected excep
/ that If any car shall be detained NOR,
| than five days beyond the expiration o
/ its free time" the carrier shall col
! lect one dollar for each day or Fraction
! thereof for its detention.
! This is the nearest approach to re
| ciprocal demurrage that the shipping
| interests Of Indiana have dared ask for
! The reform here prayed for has beer
/ granted in several states and ha
/ brought about much satisfaction no
only to shippers but to the carriers
| themselves, in asmuch as the debit-and
credit system tended to urge shippers t
release cars promptly and in this wa,
TO prevent car shortages from whicl
the railroads suffer at all times O
heavy traffic.