The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-26

ticularly overcharges in rates. H-will, of course, not be possible so long as the human element is involved to entirely eliminate such Irregularities, but this particular feature at local stations has been and is being care fully supervised. and 8 material i'm provement has been made.
 Prior to the meeting held in New Haven the superintendents instructed all agents to show on station records each notation that appeared on the original way-btll. By doing this the agent at destination has before him a record of handling, insofar as check at intermediate points Is con- cerned. This record obviates the ne cessity of corresponding with agents at transfer points for the reason tha: all information that they could fur nish Is already before the destination agent. Such data, of course, is avail able at all times to the pubic.
 Without going into further detai! you may safely assure the members of your Association that the officials of the New Haven Railroad and all their subordinate officers are keenly alive to the importance of rendering prompt and efficient service and that
 
 pect the assistance and cooperation of the shipping public.
 With regard to the passing record of shipments at transfers which waa the subject of the conference, I cap only say that with the present volume of less carload freight moving such internal records as we might keep would be of comparatively little value in tracing shipments, because of the fact that we are constantly obliged to shift cars from one transfer to another in order to avoid congestions and to hurry the handling of freight To what extent this situation will be relieved with the opening of the new transfer at Cedar Hill is to say the least at this time problematical due to the fact that all of our calculations heretofore made regarding the volume of L. c. L. freight to be hand led have been submerged by the large increase and the unusual fluctuations in this traffic. Suffice 1t to say that the railroad is now spending money in an amount largely in excess of the cost of transfer record in:-
 FTRST.-Making sure that ship ments of less carload freight re- ceived are properly marked and ac- counted for;
 SECOND. that the ship ments are loaded in the proper cars and safely slowed, and that the way bills covering the shipments are for warded with the car to the end that all shipments on arrival at destination can be properly identified and promptly disposed of.
 Value of Tracing.
 Tracing of individual shipments iS a1 fo large extent nothing short of an economic waste, as in all of my ex- perience there are few instances when this transaction alone resulted in real benefit.
 Proper attention to handling, loading and slowing of freight and due regard for the handling of ar ranged L. c. L. cars and schedules is in my opinion of vastly more benefit to the shipping public as a whole than mere evidence that a certain shipment was transferred from one car to another at a particular point on certain date, losing as we would inevitbly lose under the present over burdened situation, further record of that shipment except by very cum bersome further check of the car movements and handling itself.
 ''I want to assure you that the sub ject of proper handling of l.. c. L. freight is receiving our very best ef- forts and attention and that there will be no relaxation in these efforts, and that in addition we are now pushing the completion of as much of the Cedar Hill L. c. L. transfer as exist ing funds will permit. We are in hopes of continuing on our construc- ton program next year if funds are available for the work.
 'fI appreciate deeply the very help full activities of your Association and beg to renew assurance of our sincere desire to cooperate with the manu- lecturers in any and every way that may contribute to our mutual bene- fit.
 Personally, I want to assure you that I am keeping in close touch with conditions at all points and al- though there has been, as stated, decided improvement, I am much in hopes that we can bring our service up to a point where 1t will be sat isfactory to all concerned.
 "C. L. BARDO,
 General Manager"
 The views and suggestions of mem bers on these matters are, of course,