Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-10
RAILROADS ASK AID OF
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Rendered In Carrying
Mail.
80 PAY FOR APARTMENT CARS
Government Makes Allowance for
Weight of Mail Carried, but Not
for Space Used in It's Assortment
on Trains.

After exhaustive investigation into
the charges that the railway mail SER
vice of the country is underpaid, to the
detriment of business shippers as well
as to the railroad companies, the Mcr-
chants Association OF New York has
addressed circulars and pamphlets to
the chambers OF commerce In all tho
cities, asking them TO take suitable ac-
ton and 10 communicate III" results Of
their actions to their respective repre-
senta,ives in Congrcss
Copies Of the circular ANA pamphlet
have been received by Secretary Dun
Top, of the Richmond Chamber or Com
mcrce. but they have not ye, been act
ed upon. The mattcr will come up in
it's turn In the routine business OF the
Chamber
an analysis Of facts on which "a com
mittcc of the Merchants Association OF
New York made its report shows that
industry ana commerce require ell
ci"nt transportation service To keen
the railroads efficient they must he fair
~ paid for the service performed If
~. Government pays too little ship
pers must make up tho loss By paying
too much. Under the plan Of railway
mail pay now pending. the Govern
!hent would pay for the TRANSPORTATION
OF freight on passenger train service
about onc-third OF what business ship
pcrs pay for similar freight on freight
ram service our analysis demon
strates this TO be unfair both to the
railroads and the business shippers"
PAY FOX WEIGHT hut NOT
FOR ASSERTING SPACE
The report shows that the railroads
provide for the use OF the Post Office
Department about 1000 so-calicd
apartment cars. the weight and cost
81 which exceed those Of ordinary bag
gage cars. only from ten TO twenty
per cent Of space Is required for the
actual carriage of the mails. The re-
mainder OF the space is used for AS
sorting mails in transit. The railroads
are paid for extra weight carried in
ihcse cars. but are paid nothing for
extra space used for asserting. except
III the case OF a few apartments which
exceed forty feet in length.
For this apartment car space If maid
al til" rate allowed by the Government
Tor fun postal cars. the railroads
should receive Approximately $4,000 GEO
i year.
1t IL estimated that the railroads are
un?crpa.d for mail carriage approxt-
natciy $iiee0,0o0 or SIC 900. 900 a wear.
principally for non payment for apart-
mcnt car service. and side service--clr.
'!lHs ia!i TO and from statious-and
IA result Of quadrcnniul weigh!ngs
ny the carriage every year of a large
volume OF mail without compensation.
The committee recommends that n G
association advocate payment. for the
present, for weight, on the basis OF
the existing law, but with the provi
zen Tor annual instead OF quadrenniul
weighinss; payment for apartment car
space pro rata, upon the basis of paw
mcnt now in effect for full! uostal cors.
payment Tor side and transfer services
or as alternative, that the roads he re-
/ leased from the performance OF those
services. that all weighing and nd
lustments for determining the railway
MAI! pay be supervised by IN. Inter-
state Commerce Commission