The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-04-12
MAY TAKE OFF
RESTRICTION
Railroads PetitiOned by East
ern Granite Dealers
TO STOP 40 CENT VALUE
Eastern Classification Committee Of the
Railroads Gave q Hearing on the
Grievances in New York
Recently.

The efforts Of granite dealers in The
East to secure the removal Of what they
consider the unjust restricted valuation
rate Of 80 cents per eibic foot on monu-
mental granite shipments resulted in the
presentation Of their grievances before
the eastern classification committee on
railroad rates IN New York last week.
The Barre Granite Manufacturers asso.
citation was represented at the confsrenc-
by William Marr, its president. Mr.
Marr returned to Barre Saturday night,
with the report that the railroad classiti.
cation committee had given respectful
hearing to the grievance and had pr0mis-
ed TO report ID few days whether they
would remove the restriction.
Other granite centere, such as Quincy
and Westerly, together with the Nation
al association Of granite manufacturers
were represented while the general
freight agents Of the various railroads
in the classification, the Central Yer
mont and the Montpelier & Wells River
being in the number. were there.
Under ths present regulation granite
shipments Of monumental work are sent
at maximum valuation Of 40 cents per
cubic foot and In case Of damage 10 the
shipments or their loss the dealer was
allowed by the railroad only 40 cents
per cubic foot, whereas the real valu-
alton would be many times that figure
rs IN the case Of carved or polished work.
The railroad also requires the dealer 70
sign a release slip which was supposed
to release the railroad from liability
above the 40 cents. IA matter Of fact,
however. whenever shipments have been
damaged or lost and the dealer was in.
clined to take the matter into court he
has ofteutimes been allowed the full
valuation provided he could prove that
the transportation company was negl-
gent in handling the shipments.
But this action necessitated con
siderable expense on tbs part Of the
dealer and took UP q great deal Of tiiae
and care in the bringing Of a auit against
the railroad That was one Of the rea-
sons for the request BY the dealers that
the restricted valuation clause ia she
shipment pa removed especially Ii The
40 cents per eahic foot does not cover.
in most cases, half the real value Of the
granite when il is in the rough Barre
granite. for instance, in ordlaary sizes
is worth IS cents a cubic foot and high
er according to the grade, 30 that it Is
easy to see that to place restricted
valuation Of 40 cents on granite which
has been finished Is unjust. for there
has been added to the valuation Of the
rough stock the work necessary TO ham
mer it into shape, polish it, letter il and
carve IL, etc.
There has long been a desire on the
part Of the dealers that the unjust
clause be removed. Hence the concerted
action which was taken at the confer.
ence held before the classification com
mittee at its headquarters In Liberty
street, New York, last week. Chairman
Ives Of the committee presided over the
conference, and there was quite a min
ute discussion Of the matter. Seward
Jones Of Boston, a member OF Jones
Bros company Of this city, who repre-
sented the national association Of granite
manufacturers, presented an able and
statement Of the case from
the viewpoint Of the dealers and Others
made their pleas for the removal of the
clause, after which the committee took
the matter under consideration.