Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-06
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM
MISSION TO NOT GIVE BIG
SHIPPERS PERSEVERANCE,.
PRINCIPLE INVOLVED MORE
IMPORTANT THAN AMOUNT
Commission Will Devote Time to 80
Cent cases-Makes Important RuI-
ing in Controversy Involving Only 20
cents-six Roads Made Defendants
to Complaint.
Especial Correspondence


Washington, Sept. 6.-The interstate
commerce commission has laid down
the rule that the attention it gives to
claims will not be affected by the
amount OF the claim in dispute. In
other words, the commission has in eff
fects served notice on the carriers that
it will give the same attention to small
claims that it will give to large ones.
1t is the position of the commission
that the principle involved in a claim
is the important thing. even if but
few cents in money value is Involved.
More than this. the commission refuses
to fix any minimum amount as to the
claims that may be brought before 1t
on complaint OF shippers.
This important question on the size
OF claims which are to obtain recog-
milton at the hands of the commission
has been raised by the recent case OF
complaint before the commission in
which the amount at stake was only
20 cents. This was said to be one of
the smallest claims ever before the
commission. Some disposition was
shown to make light of it, A firm of
attorneys used up six foolscap folios
/ of typewriting paper in making the
complaint. The case was that of the
Tyson and Jones Buggy Company, of
Carthage, N. c., who In December, 1907
ordered wagon aXles shipped from
Wilkesbarre, Pa. The railroads charged
"a cents per hundred when they should,
it is alleged, have charged 50 cents. Six
roads were made defendants in the
complaint.
Railroads Belittle Action.
The news of this complaint led to
protest to the commission from c. H.
Newton, freight claim auditor of the
Wabash railroad. He wrote letter to
the commission saying this case illus
trated the minute items being presented
| to the commission by shippers and
raised the important question whether
the carriers should be required to eX
| pend a considerable sum to rectify a
| trifiing error. Mr.. Newton said the
average cost per claim in the Wabash
| office was 40 cents and the involving
of six roads in a. 20-cent claim meant
! that it would cost them $40. He sug-
gested that the commission make so
cents the minimum below which it
would not go In considering claims He
requested reply from the commission.
This led the commission ITO go into
the subject Of the amount of a claim
which it would consider. 1t appears
| there are a vast number of small
claims regularly laid before the COM
mission. In most cases. these are adj
tusted by correspondence. In this case,
the commission said that the smallness
of a given reparation claim, resulting
from a violation of law, could not
minimize the violation of law. The
facts in the 20-cent case in dispute
were then set forth and it was shown
that the delivering carrier refused to
investigate the complaint of the ship
per when brought to its notice because
under its rules all claims for less than
81 have to be presented to the original
ing line.
, The commission takes the ground
Nany such rule Is arbitrary 1t sets forth
that the Tyson and Jones Buggy
Company tried to recover their small
over charge to which they were sub
jected by correspondence but failed