BULLETIN OF THE 
No. 191 
Contribution from the Office of Markets and Rural Organization, 
Charles J. Brand, Chief. 
March 19, 1915. 
DEMURRAGE INFORMATION FOR FARMERS, 
By G. C. White, Transportation Specialist. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Definition and history of demurrage 1 
The farmer's interest in demurrage 2 
Regulation by the States 3 
Interstate regulation 4 
Provisions of the uniform demurrage code ... 5 
Exceptions to the uniform code 9 
Page. 
A general survey of State codes 10 
' 'Reciprocal demurrage 11 12 
Other provisions of the State codes 14 
Special features of State codes 16 
Demurrage bureaus 18 
Conclusion 20 
Appendix 23 
INTRODUCTION. 
The purpose of this paper is to present a digest of the demurrage 
laws and regulations that are in effect in each of the States on both 
intrastate and interstate traffic. As indicating how the agricultural, 
industry is affected by existing regulations and practices in the matter 
of car supply and the marketing of farm products, the salient points 
of each code have been compared and contrasted, one State with 
another, and the State codes with the uniform code or national car- 
demurrage rules. For ready reference the principal provisions of the 
various codes have been tabulated and are included in an appendix. 
DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF DEMURRAGE. 
Demurrage is a term applied originally before the days of railroads 
to the money penalty collected for undue delay in discharging the 
cargo of ships. It is to-day applied also to the charge made by rail- 
roads against shippers for the detention of cars beyond a certain 
specified time, called free time. The collection of demurrage was first 
inaugurated in the United States about 1887. From its being applied 
first by a few roads at badly congested terminals it has come to be 
applied universally on all roads at all stations. 
Note. — This bulletin, while intended especially for farmers and shippers of farm products, should be 
of interest to shippers of all commodities and to transportation men generally throughout the entire United 
States. 
77631°— Bull. 191—15 1 
