The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-09
Shippers Pay Extras Not
Charged at Other
Points.
MEMPHIS HAS NO
SWITCHING FEE E.
in Fight Made by Chamber of
Commerce Against Southern,
S. A. L. and A. c. L. These
Interesting Facts Are Dis
closed by Railway Off
Gals on Stand.

Chamber of Commerce alleges TO be
discriminatory freight tariffs enforced
against Richmond shippers by the To-
cal railroads began yesterday morn
Ing before Special Examiner c. +
Boyle. OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission. The taking of evidence
consumed all day. In the mass OF ties.
ttmony laboriously reduced TO shorthand
yesterday, the railroads made IL clear
that they looked upon the rates and reg
ulatons enforced at Richmond as
wholly equitable and justified on the
ground OF business practice and mo-
rality.
The examination is being conducted
in the United states District Court
room in the Federal building Lincoln
Green. freight traffic manager OF the
Southern. ana L. L. Chaloner. general
freight agent OF the Seaboard Air
Line, were the two witnesses exam
ined at yesterdays hearing. At 5:45
o'clock Examiner Boyle adjourned the
examination until 10 o'clock this
morning.
Switching ChnrEe the Trouble.
The case is the result of charges
brought by the traffic bureau OF the
Chamber OF Commerce that the local
railroads. particularly the Southern,
the seaboard and the Atlantic Coast
1SiHS' were enforcing IN lNls CITY
freight tariffs which place Richmond
manufacturers at Il disadvantage with
manufacturers in other southern
cites.
The specific complaint is that the
three roads named levy "a switching
charge OF 81 on every car OF freight
destined for non competitive point.
which has to be transferred from the
private or assigned sidings oil indus
tYie cl
pany TO The tracks OF another.
Prior TO November. 1903. the charge
was not lsvIed. The bill OF con- plant
fled with ';he Interstate Commerce
Commission asked for an order direct
ing the railroads TO discontinue. the
practice. and 70 refund to Richmond
shippers the money collected rom
them under this ruling.
Snys Charge Is Right Mofnlly.
The morning session was cpcsltned
entirely with the examination Of MIR.
Chaloner The most po!nted\ tesu-
mony. however was furnished by
Lincoln Green, who was on the stand
all the afternoon y searching OK
animation OF the witness Was con-
Quoted for the Chamber OF Commerce
by Attorney w. \. Glasgow. Jr., Of
Philadelphia. and Charles u. Drayton.
OF Washington.
An additional charge for switching
tLdp Cal 4'p+ls 81 u! IHdNt u. dSslSNtu
siding on one railroad TO the lines
OF another held, Mr. Green. was
abundantly Justified by the add 'tioaal
service performed. Without this SER
vice the shipper would have TO 30
TO the expense OF loading his Height
at the station OF the carrier company
by wagon. he said. an operation which
would entail an expense of far mare
than the So switching charge That is
levied
Moreover. thought the witness to
convey such cars free OF charge 10
line which IS TO carry them &c their
destinations would be to dtscrinnat t
against the shipper who has no: .hu
advantage OF private siding, and
who Is compelled to dray all OF his
shipments to the freight station. Il
was certainly morally right, lie in
sisted. to make an extra barge where
an extra service is performed. and 1t
was wrong not TO do SO.
Condemns OLD Practice
Confronted by MIR Glasgow With the
question to how the railroads jLs-
tihed themselves in making no charge
for this service prior to 1902 Mr..
Green replied that he could not an
swer that question. sinca he hal no
hand in making the rules then in
force. 1t was unquestionobly an m
defensible pract ce, he thought, and
In the light OF morality and ordinary
business justice ought no longer to
be countenanced.
But while asserting his faith in the
morality OF the switching charge as
acknowledged in effect that moral
considerations were waived by his
road when competitive conditions rem
dered 1t eXpedient. Thus. he cd
mitted, when pressed by Mr.. Glasgow.
that at Memphis, in the case of cars
4 M
Ing charge is levied IN Richmond the
Southern absorbs the charge In order
to meet the other ROADS that follow,
the same practice. Asked why, II it
was a matter of principle and NOR
ality, the Southern leves charge in
Richmond which it does not impose in
Memphis, Mr.. Green replied with the
utmost candor:
For the reason, Mr.. Glasgow that
in Richmond we don't have to absorb
the charge, while in Memphis W. do.
We have to do 1t there OF lose bust
ness"
zInscd on Competition.
AS a general thing, stated Mr.. Green.
his road is enforcing the switching
charge at every point on its system
where competition with other roads
does not exist. Where there is com .
pet tIon 1t makes the same concession
as offered by the other roads. in
Richmond. for example, when freight
Is destined for a point reached by
another Richmond road as well as It's
own lines. said Mr.. Green, the South
ern absorbs the charge Of Bringing
the loaded cars TO its own tracks from
private s'dings on other roads.
To the objections by counsel that
at Charleston. Louisville and other
points where the Southern Is in com
petition with other roads. 1t anforces
(Cnntinued ON Third Papel