The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-15
RAILROADS WANT
STOVES GRATED
Hearing on Proposed Addition
to Virginia Classification
S Begun.
LARGE BREAKAGE
SHOWN
Manufacturers Protest Against
Proposition Adjourned
to To Day.

Earnest resistance was made yester-
doS before the State Corporation Com
mission by stove manufacturers and
shlppcrs TO the effort OF the petitions
ing railroads to secure an order re-
curing the Grating OF all stoves
shipped in less than car load lots. The
object OF the proceeding is to have a
section added to the Virginia freight
classification which would make in
trastutc shipments conform to tho re-
Gently enacted requirements OF the In
tcrstate Commerce Commission
The Southern. the Norfolk and West
ern. me Louisville and Nashville. the
Atlantic Coast Line. tho Seaboard Air
Linc the Virginia and southwestern
ana other roads have formally joined
In the petition. Most of these were
represented yesterday by counsel c.,
y. Meredith appeared FOR the stove
by innumerablc objections on his part
10 the Introduction OF testimony, and
pE tlits between counsel.
bnuly JHmuEci stove.
an episode WAS the introduction as
evidence OF a box containing what used
70 be stove. but which is now nilc
OF sunk. G. ". 1'olivcr the ngent for
!nSham. Ala, had tho pacakaS &c brought
IN on the shoulders OF Il buriy negro
lie proceeded 10 pull out sections. max
room, until Judge rrcntis remarked
that he would admit the stove was
broken Still more noise was made
IN IN rsplaci ,,:S the pieces, which caused
Nj. Meredith to say that this was the
manner in which stoves were broken
by the railway people.
Mr.. ToliNcr was the first witness. and
WIS examined by {. Il Nortlrop. for
the southern and tho Louisville and
Nashville, lie said that an nncrated
stove IS more liable to damage than is
on" which Is enclosed in a crate The
weight, he explained, rests on the brit
tic extended rear rim and on the lower
part OF the back. 1t being the custom
70 place stoves in cars on their backs
He did not recall ever seeing a Grated
stove broken. or q shipment OF TWEEN
ty-onc stoves, he remembered seeing
nine broken. When Grated, he said. no
part OF the stove touches the floor OF
In dray, the truck. the station or the
ear.
Evidence rs Admitted.
All Of this time, Mr.. Meredith was
overru]ed, Judge Prentis taking the
view that the witness was presenting
evidence as TO the experiences OF the
ing but what the witness had seen. and
he noted his exceptions with the steno
Grapher.
Some photographs were exhibited By
handler OF freight is At once dis
charged. lie named one shipment as to
brcakage, bat Mr.. Meredith brought out
on croSs-cNamina ton that this WAC
made after the ruling of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. and that II the
stoves were then shipped uncratc1 they
We're in violation OF the rules.
capta AZ r., + J. l,,, Lea The Richmond
The next witness. lie told Of the losses
of stoves from breakaSc when shipped
uncratcd. He was examined by r.
Il, Tunstall. Of the Southern. The wit
ness was Of the opinion that the loss
is much less when the articles are
Grated
Much Loss From Drenkngc.
In forty shipments OF uncrated
stoves Captain Lea recalled eight dam
aged specimens.
The examination by Mr.. Mere
dith was evidently intended to show
that Virginia made stoves are Of het-
would not occur in his State.
" IT ciatchell. snperintenddent OF
preasntcd i some enc data Which he had
gathered on the subject from $50 Of
the station agents on that system. This
met with strenuous objection from Mr.
Meredith. who said the witness could
net have been present al $50 places.
even If he had divided himself up. FIe
protested against his clients being
Mr. Gatchci said the detained proofs
would probably ill two or three boz
cars. and Judge Prentis said it would
he i'm Impractical TO get this, and admitted
the evidence. Mr. Meredith filed an
other exception.
Figures Presented
Mr. Gntchell's statement showed thai
for tho last three months OF 1910, fol-
loving the ruling OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission. seas EtOvcs
were received Grated at the $50 sta
tons on the Southern. or these, 3b4
were reported damaged. making an
a Chains
amounted 10 s517.93. or 5.93 per cent.
OF the earnings from the freigh5,
charges on tho whuic amount. and
those paid amounted TO s36s.as, or 4.:2
per cent. of the earnings. Against this
nc placed the $40 uncrated stoves re-
ccived during the same time. OF these
Cos or 1901 per cent. were DANA geo,
while the claims filod amounted to ST.
275.5+, or 1850 per cent. OF the reve-
nue.. Claims naid were 1917 OF the
revenue being sS3S.94.
The percentage OF all freight claims
paid TO total freight earnings OF the
road during 1910. said Mr.. Gatchell'
! was gil.
| Not n Comparison.
| On cross examination. Mr.. Meredith
| referred to a statement made by Mt
| Ciatchell for use before the Tennessee
| Railroad Commission. and which show
| cd, according 20 the witness, the large
! breakage OF stoves Mr.. Meredith $
| aim was to show that 1t was an unfair
J statement inasmuch as 1T took into
account only InOSe shipments u " ~ u
| co,nplaint was made AS to damage. The
! witness insisted that 1t was In no sense
/, intended to be comparison. When
| Mr.. Meredith referred to a letter scN-
| posing" this statement MI. Northror
| got W and with some feeling said the
| paper spoke for itself and that he was
| not responsible for "people VINO ala no.
| understand it,
| Adjournment was taken to II o'clock
| this morning. with Mr.. Gatchell still
| on tho stand The courtroom was wei
makers and nd shipners and railroad ct.
| torneys aud witnesses.