The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-09
The Empty Mileage Probicm

A. iUe present tlfno De- Tho tNUH|Ifia
tiuu of excess empty mileage ur the
payment OF tho empty mileage lIlIa
now being rendered by the carriers
and n r. conceded that thi8 prob
lom ia probably second only fu the
present rate situation.
The rule governing the payment
of mileage 10 tank car oVusre OFT
a certain rate per milo lusd'I 1ud
empty provides that Rt the end ~
certain accounting periods tho iYud-
ed and empty mileage must balance
or the tank car owner unless ho
can CuunliLo the excess empty milo.
nR0 with loaded mileage within
given period must pay FOR tho ok
cess empty at tho excessive rate
of II i-2 cents per mile in western
territory The rate iu eastern tor-
ritory is DC per mile and in Inter-
mountain territory Do IL cents por
milo.
Not only is tho rate Iu thIa tcrrI-
tory excessive and discriminatory lu
favor ~ other sections Of the C0uu-
| ltrN but The riic itsrlf la dIsurlmuu.
tory In favor of other private uar
owners and tho preecnt application
OF Il is very unjust ThCro D. mo-
mileage equalization rulo applying
I
class of privately owned equipment
Tho railroads answer this by SAYING
! they can load refrigerator cara 300
| tho direction OF home. They may
| have ~ tentative understanding 90
| this effect but tho packing interests
who arc the main owners of rofriRa
orator cars would Keep their bust
ness Off tho rails Of carriers using
their equipment In this manner, ~
/ the practice OF return loading is not
INDUCED In TO any extent
Tho equalization rule was sug-
| pended FOR tho period ~ federal con
|trol aud restored nt tho resumption
| OF private control Prior TO tho
suspension OF tho rule and especially
| during the year 1917 tho rcfucrs
| In thiS field did An extensive busl-
ness In the cnst and their cars in
CURED n great deal Of CNcoss empty
mileage on eastern lines due % the
! fact that the carriers did not to
any great extent respect shippers
! routing. This mileage was offset
To n large extent during tho year
~ 1918 but the rule had been Fus-
| pended rs OF December 81, tgl7,
aud naturally the loaded mileage
winch would hayo offset the pro-
vious empty mileage was not credit
ed TO them. After the restoration
/ " tho rule the business or tho Md
| Continent roflner I'm the cast Mad
| disappeared. hence no has had NO
opportunity 20 offset this cm1y
mileage at any time since It wis
Incurred.
Tho rule was restored In the tariffs
March I, 1890. on this date n large
| or
we're away from loading points. Tho
empty mileage subscqcnt TO March
I, was charged against them but
the mileage made by tho loaded
movement prior 10 March I was not
credited. ono largo company In
CURED In excess OF ,OOO, 600 excess
empty miles In this manner. At the
present rate uhleg some relief Is
granted that particular company will
be forced 20 pay $4,000 for empty
mileage which was previously offset
by loaded mileage.
In addition to this tho carriers
currently ignore routing instruc tions
on empty cars In many instances
sending them home by any routes
they may SEQ m TO specify The
rule is so wordod that tho tank
car owner Is responsible even when
MS lnhtruCllonA as 10 routing are
ignored by tho railroads
Some attempt to alleviate this
situation was made by the Amcri,
can Petroleum inrtitutc aud while
/, their efforts were properly directed
they did not accomplish much. They
secured an extension of the account.
ing period to June 80, 1891, TIL,
tank car owners then had I'm De,
4 cember 81, i92ls to oqallge on pay
and the carriers are now demanding
? payment.
a group ot about IS rcfincrs and
tank ear owners I'm this field hay,
banded together and will make
heroic effort 60 obtain relief The,
expect a conference with tho AmCri
can railway association In tho uca
I future at which some proper an,
10 peaceful solution Of the matter ma
n be arrived at. The American rail
y way association has rccommonde
Il that all bills be paid without pro
Il tcst and that each unfair or nm
DO Just bill be made the subject OF
o complaint before the commission I
~ an effort TO obtain rcparation. Thi
y method is absolutely unfair to IA
J. car owner and VIII probably h
J. INDUCED In only as last resort