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Interesting Traffic Developments 



Cypress operations in Louisiana are said to be suffering from unjust 

 and undue discrimination on the part of carriers who are alleged to 

 be violating their tariffs with respect to milling-in-transit arrange- 

 ments. The ease was laid before the Interstate Commerce Commis- 

 sion last week and is brought by the Chicago Lumber and Coal Com- 

 pany against Morgan 's Louisiana & Texas Railroad and Steamship 

 Company, Louisiana Western Railway, Iberia & Vermilion Railway 

 and the Lake Charles & Northern Railroad. It is claimed that full 

 carload ratings are apjilied into the dressing point and full rates 

 applied out, as well. The railways refuse any refund on the ground 

 that the lumber was not dressed in total. The cypress manufacturers 

 declare that this interpretation of the tariff was not justified. The 

 principal mills involved are those at Garden City, Patterson and New 

 Iberia. 



Tlie complaint has been filed by Stearns & Culver Lumber Company 

 of Milton, Fla., against the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, et al., 

 charging unreasonable rates on sawmills machinery from Beloit, Wis., 

 to Milton. Reparation is asked. 



The West Lumber Company of St. Louis has filed a complaint 

 against the Frisco asking $1,900 reparation for alleged overcharges. 



The American Land, Timber and Stave Company of Chicago, has 

 filed a claim against the Frisco, charging discrimmatory rates on 

 staves and heading from Missouri and Arkansas points. Reparation 

 is asked. 



An interesting point is involved in a complaint filed last week by 

 Baker, Wakefield Cypress Company of Plattenville, La., versus the 

 Texas & Pacific Railway. Routing a ear destined to Huntington, 

 W. Va., was asked by telephone. The carrier's agent advised a rout- 

 ing which was placed on the bill of lading by the shipper. After the 

 car had moved it was discovered that the cheapest route had not 

 been specified. A rate of thirty-four cents was collected when another 

 route taking a twenty-six cent rate was available. The cypress com- 

 pany claims that it is the duty of the carrier to advise the cheapest 

 route on inquiry, just as it is the duty of the carrier to route the ship- 

 ment bv the cheapest way if submitted without routing instructions. 



An effort is being made by the Union Lumber Company of Mil- 

 vid, Tex., to secure an order from the commission making it necessary 

 for the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe to furnish switching service at 

 the plant of the lumber company. For a number of months this 

 service has been refused and has been done by the lumber company, 

 which now claims $5,000 reparation for service which, it is claimed, 

 should h;iv.' hpon performed by the carrier. 



A situation, thought to be without precedent, is set forth in a 

 codiplaint filed last week by S. T. Alcus & Co. of New Orleans against 

 the Illinois Central. For many years this company has been shipping 

 box material to Durham, N. C, at a twenty-six-cent rate. Recently, 

 the Illinois Central issued a new tariff. The rate to Durham was 

 dropped entirely. Inquiry made by the Alcus company brought out 

 the statement from the carrier's agent that the rate was unchanged 

 but had been inadvertently dropped. After twenty-seven cars had 

 been moved, the Illinois Central presented bills for an increase of 

 eight cents in the rate. The Alcus company points out that the 

 twenty-six-cent rate remains unchanged on the Louisville & Nashville 

 and the New Orleans & Northeastern, and holds that it cannot be 

 required to pay the additional eight cents. 



The East St. Louis Walnut Company lost its case last week against 

 the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern, the Missouri, Kansas & 

 Texas, the Missouri Pacific, the Frisco and the St. Louis & South- 

 western. The commission handed down a decision sustaining the 



present rates on rough walnut logs from points on various lines in 

 Missouri and Arkansas to East St. Louis. 



A fourth seetio'n order was asked last week providing the further 

 suspension of proposed increases on lumber on the Chicago, Burling- 

 ton & Quincy, the Chicago Great Western and the Chicago & North- 

 western. The rate is suspended from January 15 to April 1.5. 



A complaint has been filed by the Advance Lumber Company 

 versus the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railway Company. De- 

 murrage was unjustly assessed on cars from Alabama to Indiana and 

 Illinois points, it is alleged. 



A brief has been filed by the defendants in the case of the 

 Nebraska Bridge Supply and Lumber Company against the Nashville, 

 Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad and the Alabama & Great Southern. 

 It is denied that the lumber company has any right to reparation 

 and the carriers state that the reductions asked for the transporting 

 of cedar logs, poles and piling would result in tremendous losses. 



Briefs have been filed in the question of lumber rates from Helena 

 and other points in Arkansas to Omaha and other destinations. The 

 carriers take exception to Witness Knapp's testimony which indi- 

 cates, they say, that the increase proposed is from sixteen to twenty- 

 three cents. Absolutely no record of the sixteen-cent rate ever having 

 been in force can be found, the carriers state. The request for the 

 vacation of the suspension order is renewed. 



An Illinois Central brief submitted last week contends that the 

 proposed rate of twenty-six and one-half cents to Omaha from lumber 

 producing points in Mississippi is unreasonable. The fact that 

 the railroad probably will lose the traflic altogether, as is contended 

 by the lumbermen, is not a legal reason why a reasonable rate should 

 not be allowed. The lumber interests state that western woods will 

 replace southern woods in Omaha if the increased rate is allowed. 



Replying to the brief recently submitted by the Himmelberger- 

 Harrison Lumber Company of Morehouse, Mo., the Frisco claims 

 that the lumber company's own evidence makes it clear that lumber 

 rates should not be disturbed in their territory. The whole structure 

 of rates from mill points in Missouri and Arkansas is involved, it is 

 said. As a considerable portion of the company 's lines is supported 

 almost entirely by lumber tonnage, any decrease in rates would work 

 a great hardship, it is declared. Neither do present rates place the 

 lumber company at any commercial disadvantage, it is stated. 



A complaint has been submitted by the Major Stave Company of 

 Ashtown, Ark., against the Memphis Dallas & Gulf Railway Com- 

 pany. It is contended that the rates on staves and headings to 

 Galveston are unjust and in violation of the law. A rate of thirteen 

 and three-fourths cents from Ashtown and Arkadelphia, Ark., to 

 Houston, Tex., was asked. A fifteen-cent rate is requested to Texas 

 City and to Galveston. A minimum of 40,000 pounds is to apjdy. 

 All charges which have been made during the past two years, in 

 excess of tlie rates named, should be reduced, it is declared. 



Reparation has been granted in the case of the Torrey Cedar Com- 

 pany versus the Chicago & Northwestern. One forty-five foot car 

 was ordered for loading poles. Two cars were furnished. The carrier 

 must charge the rate that would have applied had the forty-five foot 

 car been available, it was ruled. 



In the matter of the rates on lumber and other forest products 

 from points in Arkansas and other states to points in Iowa, Minnesota 

 and other states the petition for revision of the previous findings 

 with respect to divisions was considered. The petition was denied 



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