DEMURRAGE INFORMATION FOR FARMERS. 
21 
to impose a demurrage charge sufficiently high to make storage in 
cars clearly unprofitable. 
These statements are made as applicable to every class of cars, 
but it is recognized that refrigerator cars present some exceptions to 
the general rule. The fact that the lading of these cars is so fre- 
quently under refrigeration and that so many consignees are not 
provided with refrigerated storage space of their own increases the 
tendency to hold shipments in cars until sale is effected. The cost 
of renting refrigerated storage space, the cost of hauling to and from 
such plants, and the deterioration due to the hauling and to changes 
in temperature during the hauling are to be considered as against 
the demurrage charge. With the purpose of increasing its perish- 
able tonnage, if not of monopolizing the carriage of perishable to 
some market, there are instances of where a carrier has in the past 
offered unusually liberal concessions to dealers in the matter of track 
sales privileges and the detention of refrigerator cars. Such prac- 
tices discouraged the providing for themselves of storage space by 
dealers and consignees at a time when it could have been more cheaply 
provided than at present. The withdrawal of former concessions 
and the imposition of more rigid restrictions now are protested with 
some show of justice by interested car users. 
On the other hand refrigerator cars are not in demand the year 
round to the extent that other classes of cars are. The tendency is 
to limit more closely purchases of them, and the supply of refriger- 
ator cars is possibly more inadequate than the supply of any other 
class of cars. The contention that the perishable nature of its con- 
tents fixes a very brief maximum period that a refrigerator car can 
be held at destination under load is as forcible an argument for releas- 
ing the car all the more quickly as for allowing the maximum possible 
time at the ordinary demurrage rate. While it is being held under 
load at one market destination perishable commodities are ripening 
at many originating points of production and spoiling for lack of a 
refrigerator car in which to transport them to other markets in need 
of them. 
Refrigerator cars are now paying the nominal demurrage charge 
of $1 per day and, in some cases, additional charges for track storage. 
The proposal to impose higher and other charges, in addition to 
track storage and ordinary demurrage, as a penalty for the detention 
of refrigerator cars, is a move in the right direction. It will do more 
than anything else to solve the problem of shortage of refrigerator 
cars. It will also give an impetus to the erection by municipalities, 
railroad companies, and private capital of terminal markets with 
track connections and ample cold storage facilities. Cold storage for 
perishable commodities is necessary and the economy of providing it 
