The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-02
ROADS TO ABSORB
SWITCHING CHARGE
(Continued FROM First Pagc.l

ton OF the same policy by the South
ern carriers that the complainants
sought. The evolution through which
the Richmond switching business has
passed during the last several years
presents variety of practices differ
Ing frequently with each carrier The
principles employed. however, resolve
themselves Into two general divisions.
the trunk line and tho Southern. Tho
theory common to both principles Is
that connecting line switching will be
absorbed on competitive traffic. but
the diversity OF practice has been and
Is due to tho sundry interpretations
given the word compctitivo.'
Commissioner McCord. In reviewing
the Heterogeneous practices In vogue at
Richmond, all of which tho railroads
admit, said:
pronouncement that may be regarded
rs criterion. to tho end that uni
formity may obtain. The practice Of
absorbing or refusing to absorb
switching charges must be both rca-
sonable and nondiscriminatory. We
have found that the refusal of the rail
roads TO absorb switching charges on
Ing such charges on other carload
shipments to and from that point is
unjust discrimination against the
shippers. and also that tho refusal of
the roads to absorb switching charges
at Richmond. while absorbing such
charges at Norfolk. is unjust discrim-
ination against Richmond. The rail-
roads Will be required to cease such
discrimination In the future"
LOCAL PLANTS HAVE
SUFFERED MATERIALLY
Local plants located either on the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Po-
tomac or the Chesapeake and Ohio
Roads have suffered materially, il is
claimed, from the switching charges
which have been made by the rail-
roads. as such concerns have worked
under a distinct disadvantage because
neither OF the railroads mentioned en-
ters Richmond's natural selling terri
tory-the South. To deliver their pro-
ducts. such plants have been compelled
to load on their own sidIngs and then
have their cars transferred to one OF
the three lines penetrating the South,
the operation entailing q switching
charge OF 50 a car. because. under the
old tariff regulation. no competition
existed between, for example. the
Chesapeake and Ohio and the South
ern In tho case of freight destined to
Charlotte or to other points on the
Southern system.
To take a concrete example, the At
lantic Coast Line Railroad has been
absorbing the switching charge only
in tho case OF shipments consigned to
points at which 1t Is In competition
with other roads having Richmond
termini also. The same practice has
been In vogue In the case OF trap
cars" and station order cars" both of
which play important parts in local
shipping. The practice of imposing
the switching charges. against which
the chamber entered protest. has been
In force since November, 1909, with
the exception Of few months. during
which tho Scaboard Air Line withdrew
the charge. Prior to 1909, all five OF
the roads figuring In the decision were
assumed to be in competition with each
other in Richmond. and hence no
switching charges were imposed.
Hearings on the petition OF the
Chamber of Commerce seeking to have
the railroads ordered to absorb tho
charges made for switching Interstate
carload freight locally, were conducte
In Richmond May s and 0. 1912. be-
fore Special Examiner George u. Boyle.
of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. Argument on the petition was
made In Washington before the Inter
state Commerce Commission on No