Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-02-05

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2. 1920
Compensation contracts between the
Government and railroad corporations
covering 232 railroads for the use of
the properties during Government
control had been made as of January
/, 1885, and the annual compensation
to railroad companies involved in com
pleted contracts was $717153, 1920,
OF. II per cent Of the total annual rem
tai of $917 10000 paid by the Govern
ment to the companies. These CON
tracts included two contracts with
lump-sum payments Of $129,734.80,
the remainder providing for annual
rentals.
The status of the contract situation
growing out Of Federal control of
railroads was contained ir the annual
report for the year 1919 of E. Marvin
4 Underwood, general counsel Of the
Division of Law Of the Railroad Adj
ministration, to Walker D. Hines, Di-
rector Benefal Of Railroads, made
public today. Mr.. Underwood added
that negotiations with railroad cor
lporations as to many additional com
pensation contracts are being actively
pushed. He also pointed cut that ii
addition to the so-called standard con-
tracts covered above Their have been
1873 so-ealled cooperative standard
contracts executed between the Rail
road Administration and smaller rail-
roads, mostly so-called short-line rail-
roads.
1T is appropriate to state" said
Mr. Underwood in connection with the
standard contracts, that the actual
negotiations between the Railroad
Administration and the companies has
progressed satisfactorily and as rap
idly as could be expected in view Of
the difficult questions Of fact to be
degree of care and accuracy required
determined in each case and the high
Practically all the larger systems of
transportation and a great many of
the smaller ones have executed COM
pensation contracts. I"
Referring to claims of companies
for special compensation in addition
to the STANDARD return" provided for
in the Federal control act, Mr.. Under
wood stated that such claims had been
fled by 124 railroads for compensa-
ton amounting in all to $92, 318,7S9 80
and that of these claims 35 have been
allowed in part, totaling 7,493, 618.53,
81 have been denied, totaling $45,
/ 696 ,276 ,04, and have been withdrawn
totaling $3.50, 75415, leaving pending
IA claims totaling $9,324 ,288.15.
Mr.. Underwood also reported that
10 railroads with claims in addition
to their standard return, aggregating
$11,O37 ,35997, have applied for the
appointment of boards of referees
under the provisions of the Federal
control act, that one of these petit
tions have been dismissed, and in one
an agreement has been reached. No
decisions have been rendered in the
remainder, although hearings have
been held in six additional cases.
Mr.. Underwood described in detail
litigation affecting the railroads under
Government control during 1919, and
reviewed various rate questions in
which the Railroad Administration
has been concerned He pointed out
that as far as possible the Division
of Law of the Central Administration
has acted in an advisory capacity, and
has worked through the legal stats of
the various carriers under Federal
control.
Very gratifying progress in avoid
! ing loss and damage claims on the
railroads and in promptly settling
such claims presented was outlined
by Mr.. Underwood in his description
of the work of the Claims and Prop
erty Protection Section of his divi-
sion He pointed out that for all rail
roads under Federal control the num-
Der Of unsettled claims on hand had
decreased from 806,707 on April i,
1919. to 465, 1922 on November 1, 1919,
or a decrease of 340,985 in seven
months. During the same period
there were 2,439,692 of such claims
presented, and of these 2,780,677 were
disposed of. The number of unset
/ tied loss and damage claims more than
four months old also was reduced
from 363,476 on April 1, 1919, to 14S
683 on November /, 1919 or a reduc-
ton of 214,793 in seven months.
During 1913 effort was of course
concentrated upon the service neces-
sary to the movement of troops, mu-
nitions, and supplies" said Mr.. I'm
derwood, although every effort con-
sistent with the existing emergency
was made to give satisfactory ser
tvice to the general public.