Evening journal., 1915-07-22
commission Cancels
TRAP PSERV|CECHARCE
Wilmington Business Men
Profit by New Ruling
Against Railroads
GRAYS OPPOSE RULE
FOR CITY INTERESTS

The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has announced another decision
Of importance TO Wilmington shippers.
that canceling the so-called trap or
ferry car service charges" Practi
cally all the large local shippers and
many of the smaller ones with private
sidings have been actively combating
these proposed charges through the
Chamber Of Commerce since last No
vember. Wilmington shippers we're
represented az hearings conducted by
the commission in Philadelphia. New
York and Washington by former
Judge George Gray and Andrew G..
Gray. and the opinion OF the commits
sion quotes extensively from the brief
submitted by the Wilmington counsel.
The order OF the commission requires
All the carriers affected, including the
three local railroads, to cancel the
proposed tariffs on or before August
/ 25. 1915.
The term trap" or ferry" is ap-
piled 10 . car placed at an industry
OF commercial house having q private
siding. and there loaded by a shipper
with less-than-carload shipments.
( and hauled by a carrier 10 It's local
freight OF transfer station for hand
ling and forwarding Of contents; and
also is applied to a car loaded with
less-than-carload shipments which Is
hauled TO and placed upon the private
tracks OF an industry or commercial
house by the carrier from local
freight or transfer station. In this
territory the proposed charges were
two cents a hundred pounds. with a
minimum Of 80 a car The general
effect OF the tariffs would have been
fat increase OF two cents a hun
/ dred pounds on less-than-carioad re-
oeipts and shipments from all con-
Germs using private sidings.
The local railroads issued the
tariffs last October 10 become effec-
tive December Z, 1914. Interested vii
mington shippers Immediately held O
/ special meeting in the ~tamber OF
/ Commerce rooms and 2etitioned the
board Of directors 10 take action The
board Of directors adopted a resolu-
tion OF protest which was forwarded
to the Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion. basing their protest upon the
statement that the operation OF the
proposed tariffs would work a grave
! injustice and serve hardship on
thirty-one specifically mentioned local
shippers and Industrial concerns. anC
further that IN tho opini-- of III,
board the operation of the tariffs
would not result in any material in
crease of revenue for the carriers
The special committee on transporta
ton OF the Chamber of Commerce
consisting OF George W. Sparks
chairman: Joseph Bancroft, John 2
Wall er. Charles G. Bye and Williar
c. Philips was authorized 20 TAX
charge Of the fight for Wilmingto
district shippers and engage legs
counsel. The committee we're abl
to secure former Judge George Ora
and Andrew c. Gray. In addition I
the protest filed by the hoard OF di
rectors Of the Chamber OF Commerc
a number of the large industrial ship
pers also filed protests with the In
terstate Commerce Commission
Testimony valuable TO the side o
the shippers was presented by vii
mineton counsel at hearings in NeY
York. Philadelphia and Washington
Final oral argument in the case wa
heard in Washington on April l9.
The following paragraph Of III
commissions report is of special in
terest to some Wilmington shipper
in that It leaves the way open 70
further consideration OF ferry car ser
vice charges of q given kind:
IF a consignor orders a car place
on his private track. and he ther
loads It with less-than-carload ship
! ments. and then orders the carrier {
transport the car TO its local freigh
: or transfer station for reminding an
forwarding of contents. the consign
or has used the facilities of the car
rier to dray his shipments. The car
rier has rendered a service which /
special in character and for which
would seem to be entitled to fair CON
/. pensation. with due regard 70 the ser
! vice rendered The same character Q
service is rendered when car is hel
at a local freight or transfer static
and inbound less-than-carload shir
ments are loaded into II and it is the
transported to an industry sidetrack.