Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-21

fort to keep in close touch WITH all
changes in freight rates that might
affect this city. While a great many
changes were brought about, and the
situation relieved to no little extent,
there are still great many rates ana
conditions that need attention. 1t IS
the intention of the department to
keen after matters of this character
and in that way make the year 1918
lust as important. and successful, as
the previous year has been.
It has been found possible at vari-
GUS times during the year to audit
the freight bills of the various Ottum-
wa shippers and in this way great
MANY overcharges have been returned
to the claimants. On account OF lack
of time it has not been possible 10
follow this work as closely as desired
and 1t is hoped that some means, or
ways. may be devised so that more
time can, In the future, be devoted 10
this important feature
In closing we will say that much mas
been accomplished by this department,
and considering the unsettled condltlon
Of the freight rate situation IN general
all over the country and the attitude or
the carriers in general for read1ustment
| inward the shippers OF OttumWa
should doubly appreciate the eHorts
mt forth by this department. and the
results secured.
| II takes considerable time to accum-
ulate a tariff file, only through Whlch
this department can show its efficiency
to the hest advantage. Since this bu-
reau was established efforts have been
| made TO secure a complete HE Oh
| tariffs. covering rates on commodities
! in which this community was interest
ed We now have a file that is more
complete than any railroad file In the
CITY. in fact there are not to exceed
more than five or six files in the state
as fully equipped as ours, as we nav
at the present time in the nelghoorhooo
Of twelve thousand tariffs on file.
| The finances Of the department are
maintained by subscriptions on the
mart of the interested Ottumwa ship
| ners. and a. great deal of time and labor
has been devoted to the solicitation OF
funds adequate to maintain this pu-
reau. c
mercial association is a necessity as
we'll as an asset to the city, and it is
honed that these will be the views held
by a. large per cent Of the local shippers.
and also that all will cooperate and
lend their moral. together with their
financial support to this very important
work. Thus the time that has been de-
voted to maintaining the funds or the
department can be gwen TO lrelsn. la..
matters. and naturally the department
will increase its efficiency. as well as
results.
Respectfully submitted,
| w. T. Harper, Chairman.
| Freioht Service COMMITTEES.
The work Of the freight service com
mittee for the year 1914 consisted chlel-
! .1v0o 1c ~
behalf of the shippers. many instances
of irregular freight deliveries, and In
| the majority of cases satisfactory ad-
ilstment Of com plants were procured.
Late in May the daily regular
| freight service between Ottumwa and
Davenport on the c. M. & st. P. Ry.
was changed to a tri-weekly service:
! After considerable work on the part OF
the committee, the Milwaukee rail-
wav restored. the daily service on July
9Th December sth the G. M. & st. 2.
Ry. changed its daily freight service,
(! Ottumwa to Davenport and Ottumwa
to Kansas City, to a tri-weekly service.
| This was in the nature Of retrench.
ment and the committee was unable to
! induce the railway company to re-es-
| tablish the daily service. However. art
J er several friendly conferences with the
! G. M e. St. p. officials. a schedule was
worked out, which in effect, gives daily
service to Ottumwa shippers from this
| city to Washington and from this city
to Polo. Mo- This territory includes
practically all OF the stations to which
| Ottumwa ships goods.
| Strenuous efforts were made by the
committee to secure better service via
Wabash railway to points on the G. &.
e O. lines in northern Missouri. A fair
| lv good schedule of rates was obtained
| nv the freight rate committee and some
| improyement in service was secured.
Due, however. to the fact that the Wa
bash and C. b. & @. railways could not
be induced to work in harmony the
| service has not been, by any means, all
| that it should be.
made for through car service over the
Wabash to points or the Burlington in
| northern Missouri did not work out
successfully, due to light tonnage The
reports are that Ottumwa tonnage to
this territory is increasing and ii may
be possible during the coming year 10
have the through car service restored.
This is an important matter and IS
recommended to the serious attention
Of the freight service commlttee LOT
1915.
This committee has worked out So
luton of the Rock Island switching
problem in this city by inducing this
railway company to grant us the use,
| in the local yards. OF the extra engine
now maintained here for handling the
Alpine Coal company's miners train
The switching service Of the Rock Is
land is, therefore, on perfectly salts
factory basis for the first time In many
years, and we have every assurance
that this excellent service will be con-
tinued.
The double checking system inaug-
urated by the c. B. & @. Railway Co.
was put into effect during 1914, and
with some concessions that the com
mittee was able to secure from the
hard and fast rules proposed, is now
4 working smoothly and to the satisfac'
ton of majority Of the shippers.
Respectfully submitted,
c. S. Harper Chairman.
New Memberships.
Membership committee, Chase Ban
mister, chairman: The membership
committee added thirty new members
in the spring of 1914. In January 1915
we had very successful campaign and
| added seventy seven members Our loss