The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-03-22
Money Talks
TO
Fruit Growers
BY
Northwestern Fruit Exchange
No. 26--TranspOrtation
Department
CONTINUED
TO FRUIT GROWERS:

CONTINUED
TO FRUIT GROWERS:
In my last talk told you some very
important constructive phases of this
departments work. Now, | shall tell
you something of its operating phases.
The department is run on the theory
that IAN ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure," and it is much bet
ter for all concerned to prevent claims
than to collect them. To this end, it
works in the closest possible coopera-
tion with shipping associations and
railroad companies. The EXCHANGE
believes that it is entirely possible so
to organize this fruit and vegetable in
dustry that the transportation risks
can be reduced to pig-iron basis. in
stead of the present basis which in
wolves both growers and railroads in
very heavy annual losses. The speed
ing up of the harvest of the products,
as soon as they are mature; the speed
ing up of the packing and shipping op-
erations the rejection at shipping
point of fruit or vegetables unfit for
shipment; etc. all will operate toward
the desired end. And, incidentally,
there is very little use in shipping in
terests going to the railroads for rate
redctions until they are able to show
that they have so improved their own
methods as to save the railroads a
large proportion of the sums paid out
on damage claims.
However, the railroads, like any
other human institution, are not infal-
lible; hence, it becomes necessary to
place close check on their service.
To this end, the EXCHANGE has de-
veloped a comprehensive system of
transportation records. AS soon as the
shipping documents are received in this
Office, card Is made up for each and
every carload lot. These cards show
thescar number, the date of shipment,
the points.of shipment, whether iced or
vent, to what point billed, to whom
billed, and via what route moving.
Then, full list of principal junction
points, by which the car will move, is
written in, and opposite each point.
the date and hour at which the car
SHOULD pass that point. This data
is obtained from train schedules on
file in this office. Then, as the car
proceeds, its progress is noted on the
card in parallel columns, the ipforma-
tion being furnished to the EX-
CHANGE by the participating carri-
ers, from day to day. Thus, if the
car should lose time between any two
functions, the EXCHANGE calls the
NJ af fka ro,lrnaJ nnpppapv IN,
the delay and cautions them. Under
this system it is practically impossible
for car to become sIdetracked indefin-
itely. If a car is delayed at junction
points a full record is kept of the
amount of ice placed in the bunkers of
each refrigerator car in re-icing at
such junction, and if, through inadver-
tence, one or more iclngs are omitted,
with consequent damage and loss, the
facts are known and enter into the for
tification of attending claim. Likewise,
if the ventilation or heating instruc-
tions are not Observed, resulting in
damage and loss claim is filed, and if
carriers records show they did not
comply with instructions on bill of la
ding, they make settlement accordingly
for their negligence. Then, when the
car finally arrives at destination, it un.
dergoes inspection both by the pur-
chaser and ALSO by the EX-
CHANGES own resident representa-
tive, and should there be any damage
or loss, due to apparent negligence by
the railroads, the local representative
of the EXCHANGE is trained in the
matter of fortifying claims. First, he
gets the local agent of the railroad to
inspect the car and note the damage on
the expense bill; then, he serves that
agent with written notice of claim; if
necessary, he calls in other witnesses,
and takes affidavits covering the exact
facts. All these document he prompt
ly forwards to the TRANSPORTA-
TON DEPARTMENT at Seattle,
where the evidence is assembled and
eventually presented to the railway
company with claim for loss. How
ever, the EXCHANGE has always had
very definite policy in dealing with
the railroads. 1t does not go on the
theory that>they are thieves and rob-
bers, but rather on the theory that they
are high class of business organiza-
ton. desiring to deal fairly with the
public and only desiring to be accorded
like treatment. The EXCHANGE
never files claim with railroad COM
pany when the evidence shows that the
shipper, the grower or somebody else
is at fault and the railroad not at fault.
In other words, it so conducts its rela-
tions as to assure the railroads of a
scrupulously square DEAL This policy
has been appreciated by all roads and
they have responded in kind. The re-
suit is that an overwhelming proper
tion of all claims filed by the EX-
CHANGE are collected
S53,15o.I2 IN RAILWAY CLAIMS
In less than seven complete seasons
that the EXCHANGE has served the
growers, it has collected from the rail-
roads and returned to the local organ
izations, the impressive sum of $685.
l52. IL NET CASH. This is the record
up to the close of business December
81. 1916. This sum includes loss and
damage and also overcharge claims.
Very little of this money shows in the
published averages of the EXCHANGE
(by which its service is judged by the
public) for the simple reason that it
takes weeks. and usually months, to
prepare and collect railway claims, and
they usually come in after the averages
are compiled. The money, however,
goes back to the growers, as those of
you who are patrons of the EX-
CHANGE we'll know by experience.
1t is an interesting and important
fact that the majority of the freight
bills audited by the EXCHANGE are
found to be INCORRECT. Either
there are overcharges or undercharges ;
sometimes both an overcharge and an
undercharge in the same bill. No
freight bill is passed by this Office until