36 



Hardwood Record — Veneer & Panel Section 



September 25, 1922 



Veneer and Panel Rate Suit Won 



Commission Finds Present Tariffs "Unduly Prejudicial to Shippers of Veneer 

 and Built-Up Woods;" Reparations Provided For 



Sweeping revisions of freight rates on veneers and 

 built-up woods from points in southern, western and 

 mountain-Pacific states, have been ordered by the Inter- 

 state Commerce Commission, as a result of the suit of th i 

 National Veneer & Panel Manufacturers' Association, 

 et al. vs. Aberdeen & Rockfish, at al., which will 

 result in the saving of hundreds of thousands of dollars 

 to veneer shippers in the future as well as afford an oppor- 

 tunity for them to recover on previous shipments, which 

 the Commission has ruled are excessive. The suit was 

 handled for the Association by the Southern Hardw^ood 

 Traffic Association. 



The Commission found in the case cited that veneer 

 and built-up wood rates are "unduly prejudical to shippers 

 of veneer and built-up woods and are preferential to lum- 

 ber shippers." 



The Commission held that a rate of 15 (fifteen) per 

 cent on veneers above the regular lumber rate v^fas a fair 

 and equitable rate and that reparation should be made by 

 roads on rates over and above this figure. To secure this 

 reparation, veneer shippers, must, however, comply with 

 Rule V of the Rules of Practice and must file suit during; 

 the statutory period. 



The decision is of such importance to the veneer and 

 built-up woods industry that HARDWOOD RECORD 

 is printing the Commission's report and findings as fullj 

 as its space -wiW permit. The findings cover dockets 

 12887, 12713, 12714, 12715 and 12731. 



Text of the Decision 



The opinion of the Commission, rendered on Sept. 22. 

 is as follows: 



"TKe Commission should find in docket 12887 that the rates 

 assailed, except as hereinafter stated, have not been shown to be 

 unreasonable, but that from points of origin in eastern, southern, 

 western and mountain -Pacific groups, designated in appendix, to 

 all points with said groups, they are now and in the future will be 

 unduly prejudicial to shippers of veneer and built-up wood and 

 unduly preferential of shippers of lumber within the said groups 

 to the extent that they exceed or may exceed on veneer and built- 

 up w^ood of all thicknesses w^hen manufactured from figured woods 

 or woods of value rates on lumber by more than 15 per cent; 

 on veneer of all thicknesses manufactured from all other woods the 

 rates on lumber ; and on built-up w^ood manufactured from such 

 veneer rates 10 per cent above the lumber rates. 



"In docket 12713, the Commission should find that the rates 

 on veneer lumber from Trumann, Ark., and Cairo, 111., to New 

 Orleans, La., and Mobile, Ala., are now and in the future will be 

 unreasonable to the extent that they exceed on unfigured veneer, 

 the lumber rates and on figured veneer rates ! 5 per cent above 

 the rates on lumber. 



Entitled to Reparation 



"In docket I27I4 and 12731, the Commission should find that 

 the rates charged on shipments of veneer lumber, rotary cut, unfig- 

 ured, from Cairo, 111., to St. Johns, Quebec, and on veneer from 

 Cairo to South Bend w^ere, are and in the future will be unreason- 

 able to the extent that they exceeded, exceed or may exceed rates 



on lumber and that the rates on veneer lumber, figured, from Cairo 

 to St. Johns and South Bend have been, are now and will continue 

 to be unreasonable to the extent that they exceeded, exceed or may 

 exceed the lumber rates by more than 15 per cent; that com- 

 plainant made the shipments as described and paid and bore the 

 charges thereon; that it has been damaged thereby in an amount 

 equal to the difference between the charges paid and those which 

 would have accrued at the rates herein found reasonable; and that 

 it is entitled to reparation with interest on shipments made during 

 the statutory period. Complainant should comply \vith Rule V of 

 the Rules of Practice. 



"In docket 12715. the Commission should find that the carload 

 rates charged on shipments of veneer lumber unfigured, from 

 Trumann, Ark., to South Bend, Ind., were, are and in the future 

 will be unreasonable to the extent that they exceeded, exceed or 

 may exceed rates on lumber from the same point of origin to the 

 same destination; that complainants made the shipments as de- 

 scribed and paid and bore the charges thereon; that they v\rere 

 damaged thereby in an amount equal to the difference betw^een 

 the charges paid and those w^hich have accrued at the rates herein 

 found reasonable; and that they are entitled to reparation w^ith 

 interest on shipments made during the statutory period. Com- 

 plainants should comply with Rule V of the Rules of Practice." 



Package Manufacturers to Visit Merritt Plant 



A feature of the fail meeting of the National Basket and Fruit 

 Package Association, which will be held at the Hotel Statler. 

 Buffalo. N. Y.. October 1 0, 1 1 and 12. will be a visit to the plant 

 of the Merritt Engineering 6< Sales Co., Lockport, N. Y. This 

 visit \\'ill be made in connection with an outing and automobile 

 trip to Niagara Falls, Lockport and the Niagara frontier on the 

 last day of the convention. Thursday, October 12. L. C. Merritt 

 of the Merritt Engineering & Sales Co., who is on the entertain- 

 ment committee of the New York State Club of the basket and 

 package makers' association, arranged this visit as a part of the 

 entertainment of the visitors. 



New Veneer Plant Nearly Completed 



The plant of the Elmore Veneer Co.. at Oconto, Wis., now under 

 construction, is nearly completed, according to officers of the com- 

 pany. The main building housing both the warehouse and the mill 

 will be 90x150 feet. It is a one story structure located near the 

 old Spies shingle mill on East Main street. J. O. Atwater. genera! 

 manager of the mill, has stated that the company expects the build- 

 ing to be completed and ready for the installation of machinery on 

 November I. At that time, the mill in Elmore. Ohio, will be dis- 

 mantled and machinery and fixtures moved to Oconto. 



Receives Coal to Resume Work 



The Winnebago Furniture Co., of Fond du Lac, has resumed 

 operations after a week's shutdown occasioned by lack of coal. 

 The company has received two cars of coal, a sufficient quantity 

 to insure operations for several w^eeks, according to officials. 

 Workmen who left Fond du Lac when the plant closed, have been 

 sent for, and the full complement of help will be at work shortly. 



