The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-02-28
L. & N. Order Having
Loading Time; Is
Suspended
TIME NOT CUT
IN OTHER PLACES
Chamber Of Commences
Shows 1. c. c. Discrirn-
nation; 1t Is Removed

After bitter opposition from PEN
sacola bunker coal dealers and dealers
at other ports affected by the order.
the Interstate Commerce Commission
yesterday morning suspended the or
der of the l.. & n. and other roads.
placing the time limit for holding
cars at five days instead of ten days,
as heretofore.
Pensacola's interests were repre-
scented by Secretary James F. Phillips,
of the Chamber of Commerce, who,
though given short notice, collected
sufficient data to stay the operation
of the order for sixty days, when the
case will be heard in detail before the
commission.
PensacOla's Coal Business.
The order, it is explained, really in
volved Pensacola's bunker coal bust
ness, as its operation, it is claimed,
would make this business practically
impossible, as the cost to dealers
would be prohibitive. The order was
"120 hours Give days. free time will
be allowed on coal for bunkerage use,
when properly identified and unloaded
directly from car to barge or vessel"
The brief filed IN protest, said in
part:
This provision reduces the free
time on coal for bunkerage use, when
moving from mines in the Birming
ham district of Alabama, to Pensa-
cola, Florida,-an interstate move
ment-from ten days to five days.
The proposed reduction is unjust, UNI
reasonable and discriminatory against
the port of Pensacola, and which will
work irreparable injury to petition
er's business.
Is Discrimination.
The proposed reduction in free time
on bunker coal at Pensacola is dis
criminatory under section No. of the
Act to Regulate Commerce, in that:
l. The free time on bunl1erage coal
at Mobile, Ala, port which competes
for bunker coal business, is not re-
duced, but remains at ten days.
2. The free time on bunkerage
coal at Charleston, S. c., and Hamp-
ton Roads, Va, ports which compete
keenly with Pensacola, is, according
to our information, ten days.
8. The coal dealers at Galveston,
Texas; Charleston and Hampton
Roads are given the advantage under
the so-called average demurrage
agreement" on bunker coal, which re-
suits in their having to pay very lit
tie or no demurrage, while the bene-
fits of this agreement are withheld
from the dealers at Pensacola.
The proposed reduction in free time
is unjust and unreasonable and in
violation of sections No. / and No. 2,
of the act, in that:
Ship Movements Uncertain.
l. Owing to the extremely uncer-
tain movements of ships taking bunk
er coal, it is a matter of impossibility
to make delivery in an average time
of five days.
2. If the proposed reduction is per-
mitted to go into effect, it together
with the recently advanced demur-
rage rates, will be disastrous to pc
titioners, forcing them to retire from
the bunkerage coal business.
An amended brief, explains in de-
tail the conditions under which the
bunker coal dealers supply vessels at
Pensacola, and the uncertainty, due to
the nature of the business, depending
as it does on the conditions under
which a voyage is made, that dealers
operate. To quote again: eff the con-
ditions under which ships operate
would permit them to maintain a fix
ed schedule and arrive on the date
fixed in advance, it would be very
easy for the dealers to transact their
business on the basis Of five days fires
| time, or even less. But. the move
ments of vessels is beyond the contro
of the dealer, the owner, or even this
ships master. A ship due in Pensa'
cola on January 10th, and for which
| 500 tons of coal have been provided
may arrive on that date, receive hel
coal, and proceed to sea, or she ma!
have finished loading in another poT
earlier than exOacted and arrive oY