The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-06-09
MEN
GET DECISION
More Favorable Interpreta-
ton is Placed BY Com
mission on Reconsignment
Charges-Local Case Was
Responsible for the Nota-
bly, Valuable Decision.

Shippers Of rosins or other products
of the south have scored a notable
victory through an order issued by the
Interstate Commerce Commission in
case that originated in Pensacola
when a car of rosin, sent from this
city was diverted to Cincinnati from
Chicago, the original destination. and
for which the Louisville & Nashville
charged almost double the amount of
freight charges, because the car was
diverted to Cincinnati after il had left
Pensacola. A special from Washington
gives the following account of the
case:
BY means of an order issued in the
complaint of the Central Commercial
Company against the Louisville and
Nashville railroad, the Interstate Com
merce Commission Saturday lifted an
irrita ting, if not grievous, burden on
the trade of Southern business men.
The order requires the railroad com
ny to refund sos collected on a ship
ment Of rosin from Pensacola, origi-
vcrted at Nashville to Cfr1cfn----4i
"In the language Of the commission,
the railroad company undertook to
charge the complainant 699 for the
privilege of diverting his goods from
Chicago to Cincinnati while the car
containing the rosin was in transit. 1t
got the money, but it will have to re-
fund all but So, which the commission
thinks is ample pay for possibly a
little telegraphing. clerical work and
possibly extra switching at Nashville.
"It has been the policy of Southern
roads to publish in their tariffs that
changes in destination could not be
made except on payment of the tariff
rates to and from the point of di-
version. The theory of practically all
the Southern carriers, except the I1li-
nois Central and Yazoo and Mississippi
Valley has been that a man when
he loads a car and sends it forward
shall not be allowed to divert it to
a more favorable market, except at a
cost that will rob him of substantially
all the benefits of his hunt for better
prices.
A COSTLY CHANGE.
In the case, the shipper paid
S17425 If he had allowed the rosin to
go to Chicago and then re-shipped it
to Cincinnati, the charge would have
been only $75.24, although the railroads
would have had TO haul the rosin 429
miles farther.
"A1l this was in accordance with the
Louisville and Nashville tariff, the
rosin rate from Pensacola to Nashville
being II cents and from Nashville to
Cincinnati 27 cents. The rate to Gin
cinnati from Pensacola, is only 19 cents, |
from Pensacola to Chicago only 20 |
cents, and from Chicago to Cincinnati |
only IL cents.
THE decision is that where no out |
os-line or additional haul is required |
and the notice of reconsignment is /
given in time, the change must be |
made for a reasonable sum in addition !
to the through rate between the point
of origin and the finad destination.
In other words if the shipper finds |
a better market, after he has forward
ed his goods, he shall have the privi-
lege of sending them there, if he is
Wiling to pay a reasonable price for
the extra work entailed, but no penalty
for changing his mind. That is and !
has been the rule in all parts Of the
other than the South"