Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-13
SHIPPER KNOCK NAME RULE
Maintain that Writing in Full on
Each Piece is Hardship.
RAILROADS SUDDENLY ENFORCE IT
Patrons Think Authorizations or Ini-
tIaIs VIII Answer, Especially In
Such Names as Oppenheimer
and Sch wartHensteIn.

Omaha shippers are disturbed over what
is termed the sudden enforcement by the
railroads of O provision regarding snip
ments by Rule "a of the western clAssifica-
ton. While the attitude of the shippers
toward the railroads is not such that they
will burn down any freight yards, yet 1t is
certain they will protest vigorously to the
Nebraska Railway commission over the
matter.
The situation is this: All pieces of freight
shipped in less thar carload lots are re-
uuired by rule of the roads to have the
full name of the consignee and destination
plainly marked on each separate and par
tlcular piece Of freight. The rule was
promulgated for November l. Now, the
shippers have commended that the require
ment Of the full name will work In many
cases an unnecessary hardship and vexa-
ton, but they were overruled by the west
ern classification committee.
One angry shipper wished to know why
"the roads are acting so arbitrarily In the
matter. The order was to take effect the
first Of November, but eleven or twelve
lays have gone by without such action,
and suddenly, and It seems to me arbi-
trarily, 1t is put into effect. The rule is a
big nuisance, anyhow, and If not deliber-
aNtlg Atib W AAoANFe y '-
so at any rate"
Full, Name the Rub.
The part of the rule requiring the full
| name is the rub, A shipment to a firm,
say at Hastings, called Oppenheimer &
Schwartzensteln must be written out in
full on one and every piece of freight. Not
only this. but II the word company" be-
longs in the name 1t must also be added.
Consignments to some Greek business men
will require strenuous activity in shipping
departments II the rule stands. Tit ship
pers would like to abbreviate the last name
Of a big firm name to the initial at least
and ship, for instance, to "Oppenheimer &
S." at Hastings.
From the standpoint Of the shipper there
is ,this much hope in the situation. Before
any such rule is effective It must be APP
proved by the Nebraska Railway commits
sion. This applies, of course, only to intra-
state shipments and not to interstate con-
signments.' Another point complained of by
the shippers is that there is a penalty at
tached to failure to mark goods acco ding
to the letter Of the rule and they aver that
this penalty is excessive and harsh.
Use of Initials Not Bad.
The subject was on the docket at the
last meeting of the Western Classification
committee, but not in just the same shape.
for there was no penalty clause and the
discussion turned solely over the question
of the full name and initials" says Com
missioner Guild of the Commercial club.
I'VE contended that the use of initials
could not be attacked justly because it
had not been shown that this was the
cause of any trouble or confusion Of ship
ments and that no such confusion was
likely to arise in the future, certainly not
with a freight agent at the receiving end,
Of reasonable intelligence.
THE rule was to go into effect November
/, but for some reason has not been enforced
until now. It specifically requires the full
name of the consignee and unless freight
weighing inspectors are given some lee
way In the exercise of their judgment a
hardship will be worked on Omaha ship
pers because of the many combinations Of
long firm names to whom they ship.
THE Nebraska State commission will
have to pass on the matter, but no date
has been set for the hearing. In the mean
time there is no way of evading or avoid
ing the rule.
Same al Stencil Rule.
The rule is the same as the old one re-
garding the effacing old marks or stencils,
but carriers have found that the cloth-lined
tags are not so desirable as those of paper
and inspectors have therefore been in
structed to make an exception in this par
tluclar and to accept substantial paper tags
with a metal eyelet. l understand from
agents Of the roads that where consign-
ments are being found defective in marking
they are notifying the shipper and giving
him a chance to remedy this instead of ac-
cepting the shipment at once and adding
the penalty in the charges. / have made
inquiry at other Missouri river points and
find the rule being enforced there. 1t may
be added in this connection that although
no demands for exception to the rule re-
quiring every single piece OF freight TO be
marked, have yet been made, yet 1t is ex-
pected that some highly reasonable re-
quests OF this nature will be. Brick is
an, ona of thasa aNceDfions alfhotgb the