The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-02
ray. but to its permanent, relief are
undertaken and executed.
Richmond Docl---Muia3cipaf Wharf.

undertaken ana executed.
Richmond Doclx---sfunicipal Wharf.
Following the purchase, the repair
i ana the reopening of the dock by the
risy, the Furman line, operating he
tween Richmond and Petersburg
landing temporarily at the foot oi
Ash street, has resumed the use oi
thpa deck and the receipt and deliv-
cry of freight at Seventeenth street
This has had marked effect upon
lis business, which has, as a result
of the superior facilities afforded by
fhe use OF the dock, largely increased.
I'he public wharf erected by the
city ON the river frontage acquired
for that purpose is completed and
will be ready for business upon the
completion or the approaches there
to.
Inquiries addressed 10 the traffic
bureau indicate that the dock and
also the public wharf will soon be
Alfording facilities 90 an increasing
number OF vessels
Package Cars.
To Improve the time on package
or less than carload freight, the traf-
fse bureau hiss sought 10 have our
railways extend their package car
service wherever possible, and its Eff
forts have engaged their cooperation.
As far as In commensurate with the
existing facilities, all of cur railways
operate package cars, practically max
ing carload time to destination or to
transfer points, and thence TO des-
tination. To through competitive
points this service should grow with
the Improvement and increase Of ter
'fniTaal facilities, and the service to
local stations in certain directions ma
ruriailv improved.
Absorption of Switching Charges.
The complaint against the South
eTn railway, the Seaboard Air Line
and the Atlantic Coast Line, flied with
the interstate commerce commission
IN 1912, was finally argued before the
commission on November ! 9Th, and Is
ROW In the hands of that tribunal for
decision.
Standard Form For Freight Bills.
The National Industrial Traffic
league, Of which this chamber liz a
member, has finally perfected an
agreement with the Association of
Railway Accounting Officers providing
fnr the adoption and use by various
reads. members thereof, of "a stand
ard freight or expense bill. embody-
Y ing fun record of shipments covered
thereby. Answers to inquiries direct
ed by the traffic bureau to our rail-
ways Indicate that this standard form.
ing adopted and. III properly used by
agents, should be of material benefit
10 the public.
Revising or Auditing Freight Bills.
During 1912 the traffic bureau made
test Of the correctness of about g.
500 freight bills to ascertain whether
q sufficient percentage OF errors there
In would indicate the necessity for
the establishment OF department for
4 ssssx s.xza4
rars and recovering overcharges due
thereto, making q charge therefor. as
Is done at certain other interior South
err rttfes where such agencies are OPP
Grated These freight bills were
chosen with reference TO a wide va
rsty OF commodities and points of
& shipment The results failed TO jus
ftfy the establishment of a revising
department. No errors were discov-
cred on any carload shipments which
had ESCAPED either the carrier or the
cunsignees, and the errors discovered
on less than carload shipments ave-
RACED one cent per freight bill han
died. In addition to this. number
OF persons, who had within the past
two or three years sent a large num-
her Of their freight bills to- revising
agencies in Washington and Chicago.
stated. with practical unanimity. that
the results were too meaEeT Tor a
continued patronage OF such agencies
The reasons for the existence Of reyis-
ing agencies at interior Southern cities
and not here are well understood by
your traffic manager but too lengthy
to have place in this report, as are
either phases of this subject not touch
ed upon. However. his conclusion re-
suiting from his test is that the rates
IL and from Richmond being estab-
iighed upon a more stable or perna-
nent foundation than the rates to and
from interior Southern points MAIN
tanning revising bureaus. and thus be-
Ing much less subject to varying COM
hsnationsi from which the legal rates
III and from those cities are establish
ed, are more easily understood and
less liable to error
Uniform Laws Affecting Bills of
fading.
On the recommendation IF the traf-
iic bureau and the committee on in
Land trade the board IF directors
adopted and forwarded to our rep
resentative in congress, resolution