New-York tribune., 1912-12-28
EASTERN ROADS
RELIABILITY IS FIRST
Commissioner PrOuty Warns
Them 1t Is More important
than Dispatch.
TOO MANY PACKAGES LOST
Average of Four Out Of Every
Hundred Reported Astray on
the, New England Lines
for Days at a Time.

Boston, Dec. 27.-Reliability IS more
important than dispatch In the handling
OF package freight, Chairman Prouty OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission de-
clared to-day at the hearing on complaints
against the Boston & Maine and New
York. New Haven & Hartford railroads.
Mr.. Prouty disagreed with n statement OF
Vice President Buckland Of the New Hay-
en- road, that the main line service on his
road and the Boston & Maine was as
good as. II not better than, on any road In
the country. lie called Mr.. Buckland's
attention to the report that an average or
four out OF every hundred packages on
the New England roads go astray and
often are lost" three or four days.
There ought to be some way to ascer-
tain why 80 many packages 30 astray,'
said Mr.. Prouty later. "lf the system Is
wrong il should be revised. II the EN-
ployes are unreliable more reliable men
should be secured, even II II is necessary
to pay more money. You have given con-
SlufI dblt dii'Illbli 10 Alt NutSllOu VI biS-
patch, but reliability IS more important"
Chairman Prouty also referred 10 the
testimony that better freight service was
given at Boston than at Lowell, Nashua
and some other outside points. This
gives cause for fault finding" he said. "and
results in discrimination in some meas
ure."
Officials Of the New Haven and Boston
& Maine roads wcrs asked to furnish later
more Information as to why packages go
astray and statistics showing the amount
Of through freight passing through nine
teen junction points. which. II the merger
of the two roads did not exist, would be
competitive points.
Witnesses heard to-day included II. 4.
Fabian. purchasing agent for the New
England lines. regarding the purchase or
fuel: Dr. Harold Pender. OF the Massa-
chusetts Institute Of Technology. and
Henry j. Porne. operating vice-president
OF the New Haven system.
Professor Pender testified regarding an
Investigation OF delays in locating freight
when called for by teamsters at freight
yards This investigation was conducted
by students OF the institute. and showed.
he said that tcamstcrs were obliged to
spend about 20 per cent Of their time look
lns FOR the freight
Mr. Porne discussed the question OF nor
NAL service on the New England lines
and elsewhere. and agreed 20 furnish later
charts comparing lateuess OF trains OF
the New Haven system with that OF other
roads running into New York. Accord
ing to charts submitted by the New Hav-
On. % per cent OF the trains on the New
Haven system arriving at the Grand Cen
trail station New York, are on time.
At the request OF complaining shippers
comics Of the trust agreement between the
New England Navigation Company and
persons iu Baltimore regarding the pur-
chase Of stock IN the Merchants and MIN
efs' TRANSPORTATION Company and the sale
Of the Boston and Philadelphia Steamship
Line to the Merchants and Miners were
introduced II was shown that the New
Haven. through the New England Navi-
CATION Company. bought $4,000 shares OF
the Merchants and Miners In 1907, and
while about 900 shares had been pur-
chased since. the Navigation company was
sull short OF the necessary number 10 give
IL complete control OF the Merchants and
Miners Line.