The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-15
LUMBER DEALERS AIR GRIEVANCES
Complain of Treatment by Rail road CO.-Pay For Ties SmaI and Inspection is, Rigid

For the purpose of listening to 9 report of a committee on conference 1 appointed at its annual meeting ip 1 September to confer with the officials I of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company relative to the manner of inspection of rail- 1 road ties, the future regulations re- 1 garding yard facilities and freigdl
 rates, the Lumber Manufacturers' As 1 sociation of Southern New Elm glant- 1 held a. special meeting yesterday. Up to September, the railroad i5 l question, according to the report hae 1 paid 62 50 and 30 ceIts each and since | that time the price has been 70, 55 and | 35 cents each, according to quality New speciffcati tionS were issued which l the lumber manufacturers say are more difficult to conform to, in that l they require larger and better ties for | the new prices paid, virtually increas- ing the quality out of proportion to | the increase of price. Various mem {, bers claimed that the new. rules of in l spection were unjust. It was said that most of the inspectors were proceed l ing in accordance with the former cus- | tom, in most cases no more rigid than | before, bIut it was given out Hhaf the
 new rules were to be rigidly enforced Reports were given by different members regarding the quantity Of i ties delivered for inspection at differ 1 ent points throughout southern New quantity of ties ready for inspection some sections of the railroad having practically none, while others had from 5 to % per cent. of the usual supply. The opinions was expressed that the shortage resulted from the Haven & Hartford Railroad Company had taken toward the producers
 The committee appointed at the last meeting to look up outside markets for ties reported that several corporations had indicated their desire to purchase ties from the association, as they
 
 from New England chestnut or oak to any southern hard pine or chestnut ties. The committee on conference reported the result of Interview with 5Vice-Presidents Campbell and Horne, General Freight Agent Kemp field, Contract Agent Van RenschoIep and General Superintendent Pollock of the New York, New Haven & Hart ford railroad.
 The committee reported that they were assured that the company desir- ed to grant the manufacturers of 1un- Der reasonable opportunity to draw into the company's yards and assem- products, as long as such aksenblage did not interfere with other shippers of freight.
 It was reported that many lumber ma nufacturers have been seriously in conveniencedS by the refusal of agents to allow Ea1e shippers to place poles, cord wood and other lumber near sid
 The conferences committee reported that they had explained to the railroad officials that there existed a. dfscrin1- ination in the matter Of freight rates against local lumber producers They reported that they found many freight rates in force within the territory of the New York. New Haven & Hart ford railroad which were great as or greater than the rates on lumber and poles from points several hundred miles farther. away on other railroads which ship into Southern New Eng land.
 The officials of the railroad, it was reported, agreed to investigate the con dbtions reported to exist and to report to the conference committee later. This report has not been received.
 The situation regarding telegraph nd telephone poles was informally discussed with some feeling and many oI Gne members felt that they had not been fairly treated in that they had had poles stamped by agents of the Western Electric Company which had not been accepted and which are still held at the producers risk and ex- pense, waiting the purchasers orders 1 Oftentines, it was pointed out, the poles lay around from a year to eight 1 cen months or more. It was said to | be the custom of. the purchasers to | csllIl out the straight poles for city use | and leave the balance on the hands of the producers, in violation of tare !