The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-08-21
NOTE BOOK SKETCHES

>Deen sending out to the tobacco pack
ers and others interested copy of
rules governing concentration rates be-
tween points in the state which have
been submitted to the commission for
consideration and approval by the Wis
consin railroad committee of all lines
operating in the state. The commits
sion would like to have the opinion of
the tobacco packers regarding an i'm
portant change which the carriers de-
sire to have established. The writer
can easily see how the proposed regu-
lation would be decidedly Objectionable
to the tobacco trade in general.
Rule l provides that concentration
privileges will be accorded only to ship
pers who will A-Keep complete and
accurate record in a manner acceptable
to and as required by the carriers. B.
When requested, make statements and
if required affidavit as to the accuracy
of such statement or record. C-Per-
nit the authorized agent of carriers at
any time to have access to records, and
to otherwise conform to the carriers
IGQuIT6Iu6IlSs
essary for shippers to keep an accurate
account of consignments, with its con-
sequent bookkeeping and red tape
that will be extremely burdensome to
the smaller packers.
Rule 2: The time limit for concen-
tration privileges is one year from the
date of the freight bill covering the in
bound shipment. At the expiration of
the time limit concentration privilege
will absolutely cease and full local
rates, commodity or class, shall be as
sessed for any movement into the con-
centration point.
Tobacco is a commodity that often
stays at concentration points more than
a year and often two or three years
before shipment to consumption points,
hence this regulation would cut out the
concentration privilege entirely on the
product held in storage more than
year.
Rule requires all inbound charges
to be absolutely paid within ten days
at full tariff rates, based on actual
gross weights, or concentration privi-
leges will not be allowed.
Rule requires all freight bills to he
presented to carriers for recording and
stamping Recorded for Concentra-
~tion" within ten days.
Rule Z: When butter, cheese, eggs
and tobacco are reshipped from concen-
tration points, shippers will be re-
quired to present to the carrier the in
bound carriers representative recorded
frn iCrbt cbiV IN
duplicate, bearing shippers S certificate.
Rule provides for transfer of freight
bills, and rule denies the concentra-
tion rates to shippers who fail to COM
ply to all these rules.
Rule II provides for a refund when
butter, cheese, eggs and tobacco is
reshipped from the concentration point
and the shipper has complied with rule
z, the carrier will make refund to the
shipper on a basis of the concentration
rate on the tonnage represented by in
bound carriers original freight bills
submitted with outbound shipping di-
rections in accordance with rule Z.
Rule IL: Waybills issued at concen-
tration stations must show point of Or
iginal waybill, number and date, kind
Of commodity and rate charged into the
concentration station as shown on
freight bills surrendered.
In short, concentration rates are ef-
fective only when the shipment goes to
final destination, and means a complete
change in methods now in force.
If these rules are permitted to go in
to effect the greatest hardship will
doubtless fall upon the tobacco trade.
Of the tobacco now received from first
hands and shipped to concentration
points, from 20 to 35 per cent is thrown
out in warehouse handling or lost in
shrinkage, which is generally disposed
of at less than COST Under the new
rules no refund can be obtained from
the carriers on nearly third of the
original purchase, as the packer pays
full tariff rates on incoming freight.
The proposition looks to the writer
like step toward doing away with
concentration rates entirely.