Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-10-27
Freight and Express Claims.

or less of his own produce and receive
more or less machinery, furniture, stock
etc., and the matter of claims for loss o
damage to such articles or stock whil
in transit involves from so cents to sew
eral hundreds of dollars.
There is a belief current that paying
claim is thing as abborrent to . rail
road or express company az . compul
sorry haircut to a small boy, and that tn
proceeding is attended by as much diff
Guilty, delay and brain fag for the claim
ant as would be an attempt to secur,
the passage of tariff bill through con
gress.
This is an impression which feel SURF
has never-been knowingly fostered BY
the companies. They do believe in pro
tecting themselves against people who
see in slight loss or damage case ar
opportunity to enrich themselves by
doubling or trebling the real value oi
article or animal. There are also those
who try to make the companies pay
claims which are wholly false.
However, after fifteen years OF rail
road work, can honestly say tba.
have yet to see the first just claim fol
loss or damage to goods in transit re-
fused by either company; l have handled
| hundreds, that ran from % cents up
ward.
| To protect themselves against being
called upon to make repeated pay ment.
for the same goods, the railroad com
panies insist that certain papers, (easy
to obtain in any just case) shall accom-
papy every claim forwarded to the claim
department. When the consignee asks
for damages and the agent explains the
requirements, it is likely that the claim
ant will regard it as an evasion or at
| tempt to "beat" him and he at once
feels that his deep-rooted opinion that
all corporations are robbers, has receiv
ed ample confirmation. Others bring in
part of the required papers, refuse to Sc
cure the balance and then complain bit.
terly when the claim is greatly delayed,
or not paid at all.
A merchant can refund money for
damaged goods upon the mere word OF
a known customer; it is manifestly i'm.
possible for a railroad company to do
this, yet they are expected to do that
very thing in some cases. For instance,
| have had a man with claim for some
damaged furniture, which had been re-
paired by dealer, come in for payment
of bis loss and the only thing he produc.
ed TO support the claim was postal
bearing an invoice number OF mail Or
der house. he never really believed my
courteous explanation either, and in
stead Of mailing me the other papers
dropped the matter.
If you are short all or part of your
shipment, or goods are damaged, call
the agents attention to the fact and in
sist upon notation to that effect being
placed upon the expense bill. Then,
having paid the freight, attach the ex-
pense bill to the original iUvoice of the
shipment, or copy, to which the agent
must certify, your own statement OF the
amount of your loss, made out as you
would make out bill against an indi-
vidual, and the original bill of lading is
sued for the shipment. Turn these over
to your local agent to be forwarded to
his claim department.
Quite often it is practically impossible
to obtain the original bill of lading is
sued to shipper and when good reason
can be shown for failure to do so, the
claim will be run through and paid with.
out il. In cases where you have accept
ed damaged machinery and furniture,
and had some repaired, be particular to
obtain receipt for money paid for labor
and repairs and attach this to other pa.
pers.
In making claims against express COM
panies the procedure is practically the
same. Invoice, or certified copy OF
same, your own bill against company,
original receipt If possible to obtain;
where goods are repaired, receipted bill
of repairmen, ard receipt for charges,
bearing short or bad order notation by
agent.
Where damages are not discovered un.
til goods are unpacked or unwrapped,
and where the fault is plainly with the
carriers the goods should be shown to
agent in order that proper notations may
be made regarding the concealed dam
age" -,
In filing claims the local agent should
be approached and except in rare cases
you will find him willing to do his part
to secure payment Of just claims.
Should he be lax, or refuse you fair
treatment, the matter can be taken up
direct with the claim departments and
satisfaction obtained. However, be sure
that you are fair and reasonable your
self, before taking such steps. In many
cases delay is unavoidable as the papers
will have to be referred to several differ
ent junction officials, and one careless,
slow official who has the pigeon-hole
habit can delay the work of an other
wise efficient and rapid moving claim de-
partment.
A new ruling makes obligatory the i'll
ing of claims within four months of loss
or damage 1t is my advice to file your
claim in all cases at the earliest possible
moment. Records are then available
and prompt action may be expected.
Claims for loss or injury to animals in
transit are handled as are other claims,
but lack of knowledge as to the traffic
regulations on this latter question
causes much trouble and some useless
lawsuits. On animals of all kinds there
is a standard valuation. Unless the
shipper specifies higher valuation and
pays freight accordingly, he can collect
only the tariff valuation, which is as fol-
lows:
Each horse or mule, 500; colt under
one year, OK, bull, steer, $50; COW. $50;
calf or hog, $40; sheep or goat, 50.
Values greater than those above may
be declared and payment made by add
ing ten per cent to the rate per hundred
weight for each one hundred per cent or
fraction thereof. This being In accord
ance with the Western Classification In
effect west of Chicago.
Matters of loss or damage to stock and
property along the right of way are gen
orally taken up with division superin-
tendent and referred by him to proper
officials for investigation.
Practice at the Bottom.
The following from the Farm Manage
mept Monthly Ia as true as Ii can be: