40 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



The Gould Southwestern Adjudged a Common Carrier 



The Gould Southwestern Railroad, an incorporation owning about thirty 

 miles of main and spur line, the main lining running from the Iron 

 Mountain at Gould, Ark., to Star City, Ark., has been awarded a favor- 

 able decision by the Interstate Commerce Commission, which again places 

 ■it in the ranks of common carriers. In the early part of 1910 the com- 

 mission handed down its first opinion, which specified that this road could 

 not be operated as a common carrier but must be considered as a tap line. 

 The result of this has been the loss of a very material amount of busi- 

 ness in freight hauling and as well has entirely retarded development along 

 Its right of way. The case has strung along for the last four years with- 

 out any satisfactory conclusion until the recent decision, which was for- 

 mally submitted to the railroad the latter part of June. As stated, the 

 company can now operate as a common carrier, and hence the opportu- 

 nities for development of various kinds along its right of way will be fully 

 exploited. 



New System of Assemljling Logs in Wisconsin 



Representatives of cities in northern Wisconsin and lumber companies 

 of those cities have succeeded iu their fight against the Tomkins bill, 

 which provided for the assessment of logs wherever they were on May 1 

 of each .vear. The new bill, which has now become a law, provides that 

 logs in transit are to be considered already at the mill for the purpose of 

 taxation. The original method was to tax the logs cut, in the cities 

 where they were to be manufactured into lumber. The Tomkins bill 

 provided to tax the logs wherever located on May 1. The new bill pro- 

 vides for taxing cut logs at places where they are cut. provided they are 

 not ready for shipment, after n-hich time they are considered at the mills 

 and are taxed in the town of their destination. If the Tomkins hill had 

 remained in force many cities such as Marinette, Peshtigo, Oconto, etc., 

 would have lost thousands of dollars yearly from their taxes. The substi- 

 tute, while not providing for the bringing of the entire tax. as heretofore, 

 to the city of destination of the logs, is a great improvement and will not 

 make such a severe loss for these cities. 



Proposes to Pool Cars 



The American Railway Association, through its car service bureau, 

 recently made a proposition that, if it goes into effect, should go a long 

 way toward protecting car owners and preventing car shortages. The 

 plan is to pool the box cars of the various railroad systems of the country. 

 It would be organized by the railroads, and the plan would be subject to 

 regulations aiming toward the highest efficiency of service obtainable. 



The plan proposes that instead of the smaller roads grafting on the large 

 car owners, all the roads of the country will pool together and own the 

 box cars in common. A further advantage will be that the various rolling 

 stock will become standardized. 



Changes in Wisconsin Compensation Law 



The bill providing for new anundimnis to the Wisconsin risk law, 

 better known as the workmen's compensation act, has been passed and 

 signed by Governor McGovern. It will go into full effect on September 1. 

 191.'?, at which time every employer of four or more persons will be 

 subject to the provisions of the act unless he specifically elects before 

 that time not to be so subjected. The principle of the act remains the 

 same, but several important changes in the detail have been made upon 

 recommendation of the industrial commissiou. The benefits to injured 

 employes or their dependents remain almost unchanged, the chief excep- 

 tion being that permanently disabled employes are to he compensated for 

 a period of six years from the date of injury. The new act abrogates 

 the defense of contributory negligence. The 1911 act abolished only the 

 two defenses of assumption of risk and negligence of a fellow servant. 

 The abrogation of the third defense places Wisconsin upon an economic 

 equality with several stales whose industries are similar to Wisconsin's. 

 All three defenses are restored only to those employers whose employes 

 refuse to accept the act. Provisions of consideralile importance to con- 

 tractors w-ho are made liable for injuries to employes of sub-contractors 

 are provided. Special provision is made, however, for the contractor to 

 protect himself .against losses. Specific provisions for compensation are 

 made in cases of specific injury, such as the loss of fingers, or parts 

 thereof, arms, legs, etc. The table of specific compensation is the result 

 of sciiMitiHe deductions drawn from the wide experience of the industrial 

 commission in administrating the law since 1911, and will aid in making 

 ispeedy adjustments under the law. An entirely new section requires all 

 emplo.vers to carry insurance unless exempted by the industrial commis- 

 sion. These exemptions may be secured from the commission by filing 

 satisfactory evidence that the employer is flnancially able to carry his 

 own risk. This applies, after September 1. to those under the act not 

 carrying insurance on .Tunc ."JO. Before September 1, when every em- 

 plo.ver comes \inder the act unless notifying to the contrary, evidence must 

 be filed so that when the law goes into effect the commission can have 

 issued or declined permission to employers to carry their own risks. 

 Other new provisions include one under which employes may secure com- 

 pensation on account of time lost through infection not due to the neglect 

 of workmen. Another original provision provides compensation in cases 

 of serious disfigurement. Still another reduces compensation on account 

 of old age. on the assumption that employes over sixty years old have 

 fewer persons dependent upon them. This provision also is designed to 



prevent discrimination against aged workmen. Another provision reduces 

 compensation on account of intoxication of employes and increases it in 

 eases where the emplo.ver has neglected providing proper safeguards 

 against accidents. 



The provision under which employers automatically will come under the 

 law unless they elect to the contrary will affect approximately 2,000 

 employers in the state, 1,500 employers having already come under the 

 law. Practically every lumber manufacturing and woodworking company 

 in the state has come under the act. Among the more recent firms to 

 file their acceptance are the Buckstaff Company, Oshkosh, employing from 

 200 to 230 persons : the Conway Veneered Door & Mantel Company, 

 Milwaukee, 12.5 employes, and the Marinette-Green Bay Manufacturing 

 Company, Green Ba.v. 20 employes. 



Chairman C. H. Crownhart, of the state industrial commission, reports 

 that during the twent.v-one months that the law has been in operation 

 claims numbering 3,491 have been settled at $197,472.50. There were 

 3.418 claims filed by individuals against private persons, firms and corpora- 

 tions, and the total allowed them was $170,529.27. Claims against the 

 state and municipalities were 73, for $17,880.26. 



The Automobile Industry in Switzerland 



The automobile industry is developing rapidly in Switzerland, the 

 demand for medium-priced touring cars and motor trucks is constantly 

 increasing, and during 1912 the demand could only be supplied by Swiss 

 factories after long delay. No important changes in the construction of 

 the cars were announced, prices remained good, and the factories producing 

 a certain type of car in large numl>ers report a profitable business. 

 Exports of high-grade cars, motor trucks, and motorcycles in 1912 

 amounted to $2,762,915. 



The Swiss factories were all busy during the year, especially those pro- 

 ducing commercial cars and motor trucks, most of which find a market 

 in the country. This particular branch of the industry is increasing rap- 

 idly, and many of the factories that formerly produced onl.v touring cars 

 are now engaged exclusively in the manufacture of heavy trucks and deliv- 

 ery wagons and hotel motor buses. The Swiss government is also a good 

 patron of the motor industry, as large orders are being placed for motor 

 vars for transporting the mails. There is also a demand for military 

 motor transports in Switzerland and in other European countries. 



The invasion of Europe by the American-made automobile, which until 

 a few years ago was denounced by the continental manufacturers as cheap 

 and worthless, continues. The demand for American cars in the Swiss 

 market is confined generally to those of medium or low price, as the 

 European manufacturers have given little attention to the production of 

 that class of machines. 



The American automobile has taken its place beside the best makes of 

 other countries, its efficiency and durability having been demonstrated by 

 the severest competitive tests of speed and endurance. A feature of th'e 

 American car of medium price is the style and finish, which are superior 

 to the cheaper grades of the European makes. They are also stronger and 

 more durable than the cheap continental cars, being built for roads that 

 are more trying, and which require the greatest strength and elasticit.v in 

 spring and movement to withstand severe strains, a circumstance which 

 guarantees to the car a much longer life and more satisfactory service 

 when utilized upon the excellent roads in most of the European countries. 



Through Bills for Export Continued to August 15 



Exporters of lumber iu Mituphis are vi'ry much concerned with the 

 through bill of lading problem which confronts them. Following the expira- 

 lion of the recent agreement between the west side lines and the steamship 

 companies at New Orleans, whereby through bills of lading were to be 

 issued and demurrage charges were to be absorbed at that port, it was 

 feared that through bills would be entirely discontinued by the lines in 

 question. In fact, the Southern Hardwood Traffic Bureau and the National 

 Lumber Exporters' Association both took this view of the matter, and the 

 former made arrangements to send a committee to Washington to take 

 the subject up with the Interstate Commerce Commission. I'our of the 

 steamship lines — the Harrison, the Lcyland, the French and the Lam- 

 port & Holt — came to the rescue by announcing tliat they would continue 

 to honor through bills of lading and absorb demurrage charges, with the 

 result thfit the west side lines declared that they would issue through bills 

 until August 15. This is the status of the matter at present, but lumber 

 exporters are discussing the subject and are contemplating the best steps 

 to take to bring a definite solution of this matter. 



It was decided at one time that the Southern Hardwood Traffic Burea\i 

 should send a committee to Washington to confer with the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission, but this plan was changed when the four steamship 

 companies announced tlieir concessions. This subject of through bills 

 comes l)efore the commission at New Orleans .Inly 30 and the Issues 

 involved will be fought out before that body at that time. This case, 

 known as the Anderson-Tully Company vs. the Morgan's Texas & Louisiana 

 Line, is on the suspended < alendar, with the result thai the subject conies 

 before that body in regular order. Every effort will he made by the 

 lumbermen to secure an order from the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 compelling the roads to issue Ihrough bills. 



George D. Burgess, chairman of the Southern Hardwood Traffic Bureau, 

 is authority for the statement that there is no possibility of settling this 

 controversy satisfactorily until the Interstate Commerce Commission act 

 has been so amended as 1o give the Interstate Commerce Commission 



