103 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
also peach stones less car load. Their next meeting when 
these petitions will be considered, will be in July, and our 
Association should be well represented there and our peti¬ 
tions supported as strongly as possible and backed up by 
samples. 
We have also suggested several changes in their classifi¬ 
cation, eliminating some items and changing others to sim¬ 
plify and make it more easily understood and avoid danger 
of mistakes. These changes the secretary approved and 
seemed very glad to have had attention called to same. 
We would suggest the preparation of a table of the correct 
classifications in the different districts, the same to be printed 
in the reports of the Association so that members might know 
for themselves what was correct and be able to detect over¬ 
charges in freights, etc., before paying them, thus saving loss 
and the necessity of filing claims. 
We find that freight agents often misconstrue the classifi¬ 
cation and sometimes do not understand them. As an ex¬ 
ample we give the following experience: In November 1004, 
we handled three cars in western territory. When we came 
to pay the freight bill, we found all had been billed at 30,000 
lbs. (the actual weight less than 18,000 lbs. each), making 
an overcharge of 10,000 lbs. on each car, or $88.50 on the 
three cars. We declined to pay the over-charge, paying only 
on 20,000. The General Freight Agent of the road came back 
demanding full payment, claiming 30,000 lbs. to be the correct 
minimum. We referred him to the Western Classification 
and the demand was not repeated. 
Again in the spring of 1905, two cars were charged up the 
same, 30,000 lbs., which was in excess of actual weight. This 
was referred to the Division Freight Agent for correction, 
but he claimed 30,000 to be the correct minimum, and even 
after referring him to the classification he did not under¬ 
stand it, and we had to refer the matter to General Freight 
Agent and the Classification Committee, and this is still 
unsettled. 
To overcome above, we have suggested changes which will 
simplify and make classification more easily understood. 
In closing our report w(^ would recommend that the As¬ 
sociation employ a Traffic man, at a reasonable salary, to 
give his time to this work, keep in touch with these commit¬ 
tees, keep posted as to changes they have in prospect so as to 
be ready to take necessary steps to overcome same where 
they would be against us and work for such changes as could 
be reasonably asked in the interests of our business, keep up 
a regular statistical table each year and such other information 
as would be of advantage to us, and keep members fully in¬ 
formed on all matters relating to freights, &c. 
There is entirely too .much of this for any member or com¬ 
mittee of the association to handle properly without neglect¬ 
ing personal business, and in almost all other lines of business 
where the interests are as large as ours, you will find a good 
traffic man is kept constantly employed, one familiar with 
railroad business and methods of work. 
We should, if possible, have a representative at each meet¬ 
ing of the Classification Committees, to keep fully acquainted 
with their work, as well as with the members, and be ready 
to act whenever anything comes up interesting or affecting 
our business. 
Your committee feels that it has done what it could in the 
past year, has given its full share of time and work in this 
matter, though has not accomplished all it had hoped for, 
and now asks relief and that a new committee be appointed 
and the work turned over to them. We will gladly give them 
any help that we can, and urge that each member do his 
part in helping and not be as backward and hard to interest 
as many have been in the past year, as much more can be 
accomplished by united personal work than otherwise. 
We would also advise that shippers should be more con¬ 
servative in filing their claims against the railroads, filing 
claims only where serious losses caused by incompetency 
or grave neglect have occurred, and then only for actual loss 
at wholesale prices. The fact that so many and exorbitant 
claims have been and are being filed is largely the cause for 
unfavorable changes in the classifications, and is one of the 
hardest points to overcome in trying to secure concessions. 
You know how it is when some customer comes in with a 
big claim that you know to be unreasonable, and you feel 
that you are being held up. In future dealings with such 
parties you are not inclined to make many concessions. 
It is the same with the railroads; the officials are working 
for the companies employing them and are working for their 
interests. Yet as a class there are no nicer men or more 
reasonable than railroad officials. And when shown that 
there are inequalities in their classifications which are a burden, 
curtailing business, and that what shippers want is to har¬ 
monize these and by certain changes increase their business, 
working to the mutual advantage of both,—we will have 
less trouble in having our petitions favorably acted upon. 
A number of the largest eastern shippers have stated to 
writer that all of the claims they ever collected have not 
amounted to 10 per cent, of additional freight they have had 
to pay under the increase on boxes from third to second class, 
and that to secure the return to third class they would be 
large gainers were they to waive all claims. Yet there is 
little doubt that the filing of so many claims was the cause 
of the change. 
E. Albertson, 
Chairman. 
CORRESPONDENCE 
INTERESTING LETTER FROM EDGAR SANDERS, ONE OF THE 
ORGANIZERS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NUR¬ 
SERYMEN. 
Editor National Nurseryman. 
Kindly accept my thanks -for the timely historic brochure 
in the way of a souvenir to the members of the A. A. N. this 
year. Much of the data is very interesting and required, I 
know, some research to gather together the old familar faces, 
to bring back many interesting memories. I am proud of 
my acquaintance with many of them. 
A noble set of men. The A. A. N. has reason to be 
proud of the dignity of its meetings. 
Yours truly, 
Chicago, June 17, ’05. Edgar Sanders. 
H. F. Barrow, representing Aug. Rhotert, 26 Barclay St., New York 
sole American agent for Louis Leroy’s Nurseries, Angers, France, 
H. M. Hardyzer, Boskoop, (Holland), John Palmer & Sons, Ltd., 
Annan, (Scotland), P. J. Looymans & Sons, Oudenbosch, (Holland), 
called on the nurserymen in Rochester last month. 
