The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-09-03

ed in the new rules are more just land; we maintain that just rules ought to be put into effect regardless of the free time allowed.
 The admlsslon that under pres, 1 against the shippers when high wa | ter or snow drifts prevent shippers or consignees from reaching cars, or when it is impossible for the shipper or consignee to move freight to or from cars without serious injury to
 the same is rather astonishing.
 No such charge could be legally maintained under any rules if the shipper or consignee could prove
 these facts before any court having s.. The average agreement is
 mentioned at great length; this is supposed to be in effect now on the New England roads.
 6. It is stated that the new rules will base the length of free time on the actual need of the shippers and consignees.
 This is an exparte statement made
 by the railways of their idea of the
 signees, It is quite clear from the facts above stated that the shippers
 and cons1gnees are, equally positive by the reduction in free time.
 '. It is stated that the new rules
 will enable the roads to operate their
 terminals to. better advantage, etc.. and the implication is made that ad- Vantage is taken by all shippers of the total free time regardless of whether they need it or not: The figures produced by the rail roads themselves showed that the aV- craze detention of cars in New Eng
 land was only small fraction of a
 day greater under the four days rule than it was in the other states under the two Adays rule. Serious delays on the road at terminals and at local
 stations are caused by the failure Of the railway companies fo haul and to
 place cars properly and promptly. 8. The statene ent is made that the
 stated that the traffic conditions 1 throughout the Union do not differ 2+,sd+ t9 such an 1 extent a as to neeessitate It Is submitted that conditions in 1 Massa chusetts might be better diag- formation obtained from organiza-
 tfons representing all the shippers and from the one Massachusetts
 member of the committee. Chairman was presumably familiar with condi- ! tions in Massachusetts and who voted against the rules; When the proper time comes, we believe that we can
 show to the Interstate Commerce
 Commission that conditions are very
 different in this section.
 New England has been somewhat famous for the detention of cars, 50
 much so that at times when traffic
 has been offering freely and cars
 have been scarce, other markets have had the preference in furnishing of
 same because they have been more
 promptly handled than if sent to
 New England" The figures for aver
 age detention of cars by consignees
 in New England, shown by railway
 statistics. show that this claim has
 little weight. We admit, however,
 the rather bad reputation of New
 England in the West, caused by poor
 service, and congestion arising from
 inadequate facilities in many places.
 The Special Demurrage Commit
 tee. being strengthened in its belief about conditions here by the unani-
 mity of opinion throughout New
 England, has petitioned to the Inter state Commerce Commission to sus-
 pend the tariff of the New Haven Railroad containing this objection ask to have a hearing before the Commission, at which all the facts will be brought out and a fair de-, cislon will undoubtedly be given.