126 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



costs more to ship a single deck car one hundred miles than it docs a 

 double deck. That is caused on account of the three-fourths rate not ap- 

 plying on sheep where single deck cars are ordered, but which does apply 

 where double deck cars are ordered, regardless of the car furnished. 

 So I say again, if you want the lowest rate, order only double deck cars. 



At this juncture, I wish to speak of the mode or system of handling 

 claims, largely followed by our membership. Early in the life of your 

 association the board of directors decided that the association could not 

 take up the burden of looking after and collecting claims against the 

 various railroads for the membership at large, as the board felt that the 

 work and expense would be too great for the small membership fee re- 

 ceived. But some four years ago your executive committee made an agree- 

 ment with W. C. Strock, a prominent attorney of Des Moines, whereby he 

 agreed to collect all such claims of the members as could be collected 

 without suit in the courts for fifteen per cent. If suit was brought, the 

 claimant and Attorney Strock were to fix the fee for the service rendered. 

 The first year or two this plan seemed to work fairly well, and Mr. Strock 

 adjusted and collected quite a large number of claims. But later on the 

 membership drifted away from this plan, and would file their claims 

 through their commission man, and through their local agent at their home 

 station; and then if the claim agent refused to settle the claim, or offered 

 such a small sum that the claimant would refuse to accept it, the claim 

 would then be sent to Mr. Strock, to see what he could do towards collect- 

 ing it. This plan has caused much dissatisfaction both from the member- 

 ship and the claim attorney. From the standpoint of the attorney, it is 

 certainly unfair to send him only such claims as the railroads have either 

 refused to settle, or offered such an inadequate amount that the claimant 

 would not consider it. The claim agents of the different railroads no doui't 

 also took advantage of the situation, because they would recognize that 

 only the very undesirable claims were being handled by your attorney, so 

 that the settlement of such claims would be very slow and unsatisfactory. 



In this matter we should have a definite system and plan of action. If 

 you are going to have a claim attorney, I believe all claims — good and bad 

 — as well as indifferent — shoitra be filed through him. If this was done, 

 the railroad people would soon learn that he represented the members of 

 this association, and that their claims were filed through him, and that 

 he would look after the collecting of same; and there is no question but 

 that the claims would be treated fairer and a much larger per cent paid 

 on if this plan was closely observed. If this manner of handling your 

 claims is not satisfactory, then it remains for you to work out one that is, 

 for I believe the time has come when we should adopt something tangible 

 and something that will meet the needs of our members in this department, 

 as the question of claims is a very important one to your members. Some 

 members have the impression that this association collects these claims 

 free of charge, and quite a little confusion has arisen from this source. 

 This, no doubt, is due to the fact that the claim attorney's name appears in 

 the literature of the association. Now I hope you will give this matter 

 proper consideration at this meeting and work out a plan that will be 

 both lasting and beneficial. 



