The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-10
TO CUT DOWN LOSS
Topekan Points Out Heavy
Damage Claims of Railroads.
Efforts Being Made to Ellm1-
nate Vast Expense.
THIRTY MILLIONS A YEAR
That Was Amount Paid in
Claims i'm the Year 1918.
Abnormal Increase When COM
pared With Receipts.
THIRTY MILLIONS A YEAR

In an address made before Topeka
SINNERS and shipping clerks in To-
peka recently, H. E. Lake, chief clerk
to r. ]. Parker, general superintend-
ent of the Santa Fe, pointed out the
American railroads paid out $SO,SS5'-
Asa in payment for loss and damages
to freight in 1913, and s7,055,622 In
1900.
Mr.. Lake presented some interesting
figures, useful to shippers all over the
country. He spoke of the competltion
of the three great countries, United
States. Germany and England, for
leadership in the worlds export trade
before the war began and of the vaIue
of intensified farming as pract1ceo py
the Germans. He urged that the Am
erican farmer use the methods adopt
ed by the Germans, which would
eventually bring in a rich return to
almost every kind of industry.
In speaking of the trouble the rail-
roads have in settling freight loss and
damage claims, Mr.. Lake presented
some startling figures. In six months,
from January Ito June 80, 1914, there
were 2,421,996 claims presented The
total amount of claims adjusted Tor
loss and damage during the six months
period was S17,1S5,818 and of this
amount. 43S1 per cent has been
charged to two causes, namely, I'M
located loss, 1895 per cent, and UNI
located
In recent years there has been an
abnormal increase in the payment for
loss and damage to freight. From 1900
to 1918, while the payments for loss
and damage of freight jumped from
seven to thirty millions, or 357 per
cent, the freight earnings increased
100 per cent. Some of the reasons
given by Mr.. Lake why the railroads
are responsible for this heavy loss are
as follows:
Lack of interest by employees; lack
of knowledge of rules; failure to COM
ply with the rules when known; fall
ure to check property before receipt
ing for it; receipting for more than is
actually delivered; receipting for prop
erty as in good order when it is in bad
condition; giving clear receipt for
property loaded by shipper and not
checked; failure to check freight prop
erIy when delivered to conSignee; fall
ure to report shortages, damages and
overs properly and promptly; failure
to notify corrsignees promptly and
properly of the arrival of freight and
to keep a record of such notice; de-
livering property to person other than
consignee without the proper order;
mistakes in billing caused by failure
to compare way bills with shipping
instructions; forwarding freight not
marked with name of consignee and
destination; improper loading. slowing
and bracing freight; loading freight
in dirty or 1eaky or otherwise unfit
cars: carelesSness in taking and trans
uniting verbal shipping instructions
especially on the telephone; improper
use of air brakes. incorrect train slack
control; failure to give prompt notice
of refused and unclaimed freight; fail
ure to follow refrigeration instruc-
tions.
In his address, the railroad man
then went on to tell some of the essen
tial features, saying the keystone OF