The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-08
PLANS TOLESSEN
PIER CONGESTION
Store Door Delivery Will Be
Put Into Operation by Aug
ust Is, Says Harlan.
SEES so PER CENT. SAVING
City Freight Will Be Removed
Immediately Under New
Dray System.
SEES so PER CENT. SAVING

James S. Harlan. . member OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission, an,
nounced yesterday that a plan for
store door" delivery of freight re-
celved at Manhattan piers and freight
terminals has been approved by Will
lam G. McAdoo. Director General Of
Railroads, and will be In force in this
city by August 10. Mr.. Harlan made
an investigation in February and March
upon which the Federal action is taken.
1t is expected that an order will be
issued after a meeting of shippers
Wednesday requiring that all incoming
freight shall be removed from the piers
Immediately on its arrival
A director of drayage" will be ap-
pointed with assistants at each pier and
freight station to execute the order.
Their salaries will be paid by he rail-
roads entering New York. Mr.. Harlan
in the spring obtained full consent Of
all parties interested to the delivery
plan and expects no obstacles He be-
River front can be cut 80 per cent by
the new system.
For the present the projected plan Of
q Federal administration of store door
deliveries by the railroads and express
companies will not be ordered. Owner
ship Of the trucks will remain as at
present Mr.. Harlan said that while a
universal store door delivery system
for incoming and outgoing freight was
highly desirable in view Of traffic con-
gestion. the scheme is too revolutionary
to attempt at this time.
The essential features Of tho system
are as follows:
1. Manhattan Island below Fifty
ninth street is designated as the dray-
age district and will be divided into
zones. So far as possible incoming
freight will be delivered at piers that
are within the zone in which the store
or warehouse of the consignee Is
situated.
2. The present custom OF allowing
shippers forty-eight hours to move
freight from piers and permitting them
to pay storage at the piers for three or
four days is discontinued. No notice
will be given to the consignees of any
freight arriving and no free time shall
be allowed.
3. All inbound carload and less than
carload freight shall be removed i'm
mediately on arrival from pier or freight
stations to the store door of the con-
signee.
Charges to speed Delivery.
T. Rates and charges for drayage ser
vice shall be fixed by the Director of
Drayage, including extra charges for
the undue detention of a truck by the
consignee at the point of delivery. The
director will also make rules for bonding
truck owners and for fixing RESPONSE
bility for damage to goods handled.
There IL nothing in the present sys-
TEN that affects outbound shipments.
but Mr.. Harlan believes that as the in
bound system becomes established IL
will be extended by request OF the ship
pers to include all freight Mr.. Harlan
has offices at 149 Broadway and will
begin work at once. He issued a state
ment yesterday asking the shippers for
their support.
He said that the facts OF freight con-
gestion are generally recognized and
that his Investigations made in Febru-
airy and March showed clearly that the
eccumulations of domestic shipments on
the piers and at freight stations con-
tributed materially to the blockade Of
traffic on the railroads.
such conditions must not be per-
mttted under any circumstances to re-
cur" he said. THE Shipping Board is
providing more ships to handle war mu-
nitons and foreign traffic. Mr.. Smith.
the regional director. is doing all he can
TO put railway facilities at the highest
possible efficiency. 1t remains now for
the merchants and shippers in New York
10 do their part by reorganizing their
methods.
Il am here at the request of the Di-
rector-General Of Railroads for the pur-
pose Of asking their cooperation. and 1t
Is not to be doubted for minute that
This community will cordially respond.
in high degree 1t is patriotic service
that they are called upon to render.
Vital interests are involved and there
must be no delay except such as may be
necessary to bring the facilities of the
shippers into cooperation.
In the emergency that now confronts
the nation the piers and stations of the
carriers here may no longer be used as
storehouses for the merchandise of ship
pers. The inbound freight must be
taken away by consignees to their store
doors not after forty-eight hours Of
free storage but as the freight Is I'M
loaded from the cars to the piers and
station floors. The piers and stations
free and open. They must no longer be
permitted to become distractions to the
traffic Of the country"
Mr. Harlan warned the shippers that
unless they accept the plan he has Of
!ered the port OF New York will stand
In lower repute than at present He
said that because of the continued con-
gestion at the piers and In freight terml-
mails the Railroad Administration has
been pushing the enlargement of dock
facilities at other Atlantic ports and
at some Of the Gulf ports.
Trafic Driven to other Ports.
IT venture TO express my personal
opinion" he said, "tf at the necessity for
:Ae wider use OF other ports was en-
phasized at Washington by the unfortu-
nate conditions of congestion that pre-
vailed here during the last winter and
by the possibility that this might occur
here again"
Citing the facts he obtained during
his investigation Mr.. Harlan said that
trucks shave been detained at piers
sixty hours lie cited many instances
and said that one firm Informed him
that It has an added daily expense for
overtime trucking OF $3.50. Conditions
now are as bad as they ever were, he
Naid, The ordinary daily drayage
charge is about 100000. and on some
DAYS runs to 100000
The new store delivery plan Is ex-
pected to cut delays and relieve conges-
ton from 80 TO SO per cent as poon as II
Is started. At the meeting Wednesday
Mr.. Harlan will appoint q number OF
committees r,f shfnneras and con si0naes