HE General Traffic Association, Inc., Woodward building, Washington, D. C., reports the following rates as having been filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission since their last report:

Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio, ICC 564, December 22Furniture, rates third class CL, and second class LCL, in Southern Classification No. 41, from Elizabethton, Tenn., to Athens, CL 50c, LCL 67c; Atlanta, CL 46c, LCL 57c; Augusta, Ga., CL 52c, LCL 67c; Beaufort, S. C., CL 49c, LCL 62c; Brunswick, Ga., CL 49c, LCL 62c; Charleston, S. C., Fernandina, Jacksonville, Fla., CL 49c, LCL 62c, Jesup, CL 76c, LCL 90c; Macon, CL 49c, LCL 64c; Milledgeville, S. C., CL 55c, LCL 70c; Port Royal, S. C., CL 49c, LCL 62c; Savannah, CL 49c, LCL 62c; Valdosta, CL 82c, LCL $1.01; Waycross, Ga., CL 81c, LCL 98c (R). Fort Smith & Western, Sup. 4 to ICC 417, December 6 (S. P. 35005)-New furniture, all kinds, from Fort Smith, Ark., to Oklahoma City, Okla., 72c (R).

J. & E. Eljin, ICC 1550, January 1, 1916-Chairs, between Chicago, Ill, and Joliet, Ill., 10c; folding chairs, coats, canvas, and bedsteads, iron, LCL, between Chicago, Ill., and Waukegan, Ill., 12c. Furniture, viz.: Beds, iron or brass, bed springs, couches, metal, cots, cribs, chairs, folded, wooden; costumers, mattresses, woven wire, between Chicago, Ill, and Joliet, Ill, 5c (south bound only); bed springs, cribs, folded wire mattresses, wire cots, LCL, between Chicago, Ill., and Waukegan, Ill., 10c (south bound only); between Milwaukee, Wis., and South Chicago, Chicago Heights, Joliet and Waukegan, Ill., 10c.

Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co., Sup. 24 to ICC 62, January 1, 1916-Bedsteads, wooden, including wooden folding beds, bureaus, chiffoniers, small tables, not including extension tables and wash stands, finished or unfinished, from San Francisco, Cal., to North Yakima, Wash., and rate points, 77.5c.

Leland, Agent for Southwestern Line Tariff Committee, Sup. 36 to ICC 1019, January 6, 1916-Furniture, viz.: Tables not otherwise indexed by name in Western Classification, from Prescott, Ark., to New Orleans and Port Chalmette, La., 5c.

Proteet, Sup. 23 to ICC 267, December 5-Furniture frames, wooden mantels and such articles of furniture as are provided with CL, LCL, or any quantity ratings under the caption of furniture, new or second hand, to Rumaldo, Koehler Junction, Koehler, Colfax, N. M., from Chicago, Memphis territory, $1.32; Peoria, $1.2634; Mississippi River, $1.23; St. Paul, $1.34; to Cimarron, N. M., from Chicago, Memphis territory, $1.42; Peoria, $1.3634; Mississippi River, $1.33; St. Paul, $1.44; Omaha, $1.21; Kansas City, $1.19; Ute Park from Chicago, Memphis, $1.50; Peoria, $1.4434; Mississippi River, $1.41; St. Paul, $1.52; Omaha, $1.29; Kansas City, $1.27; from Omaha to Rumaldo, $1.11; Koehler Junction and Koehler, $1.06; Colfax, N. M., $1.11; from Kansas City to Rumaldo, $1.10; Koehler Junction, Koehler, $1.06; Colfax, N. M., $1.09.

Virginia & Southwestern, ICC 1212, December 20 Showing numerous rates on furniture, chairs, and chair stock or stuff from Avoca, Elizabethton and Kihnson City, Tenn., to Carolina, Southern common and local points.

Toledo, St. Louis & Western, Sup. 9 to ICC A-688, December 25-Folding beds, church furniture, NOS, cupboards (wooden), desks, SU, furniture, new, and tables,

NOS, from Frankfort, Ind., to Alhambra, Ill., 18.4c, to Humrick, Ill., 17.9c, applies only on traffic destined to points west of the west bank of the Mississippi river where no through rates are in effect.

Kansas City Southern, Sup. 16 to ICC 3143, December 30 Furniture, between Narrows, Ark., and Pittsburg, Kan., Joplin and Neosho, Mo., 30c (R).

Boston & Maine, ICC No. FFD 437, December 1 (S. P. 35139)-Chairs or furniture, reed, rattan, wood combined with rattan or reed, wood, LCL (for export), inland proportions from Baldwinville, Concord Junction, Erving. Gardner, South Ashburnham and Winchendon, Mass., to Brooklyn and New York, N. Y., deliveries, 40c (A).

New Orleans, Great Northern, ICC No. 327, January 1, 1916-Bedsteads, iron or brass, wire mattresses and cots, spring beds, wooden cribs, folding wooden chairs, between Bonfuca, New Orleans, North Slidell, Slidell, Ia., and Beardens, Barto, Kioto, Mass., Rushings, Miss., 40e; Fernwood, Miss., 39c.

Tennessee Central, ICC No. A-370, January 1, 1916– Furniture, CL from Nashville, Tenn., to Cincinnati, O., Covington, Newport and Lexington, Ky., rates in Southern Classification, third class 36c, fourth class 32c, fifth class 29c and sixth class 27c; to Louisville, Paducah, Henderson, Owensboro, Eddyville, Kuttawa and Grand Rivers, Ky., Cairo, Ill., Evansville, Ind., Brookport, Ill., Wickliffe and Uniontown, Ky., Jeffersonville and New Albany, Ind., rates third class 24c, fourth class 21e, fifth class 19c and sixth class 18c; to St. Louis, Mo., East St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., rated third class 36c, fourth class 32c, fifth class 29c and sixth class 27c; same LCL to Cincinnati, O., Covington, Newport and Lexington, Ky., St. Louis, Mo., East St. Louis, and Belleville, Ill., rates in Southern Classification, third class 48c, fourth class 42c, fifth class 36c and sixth class 32c; to Louisville, Paducah, Henderson, Owensboro, Eddyville, Kuttawa. Grand River, Ky., Cairo, Ill., Evansville, Ind., Brookport. Ill., Wickliffe, Uniontown, Ky., Jeffersonville and New Albany, Ind., rates in Southern Classification, first class 31c, second class 27c, third class 24c and fourth class 21e. (Some advances.)

Southern Railway, ICC No. C-1677, January 4, 1916– Furniture to St. Louis, Mo., East St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., from Huntingburg, Ind., folding beds, NOS, ST. LCL, 46.5c; bedsteads, iron or wood, CL, 11c; bedsteads, iron or steel, CL, 20c (A); bedsteads, wooden, CL, 21.50 (R); bedsteads, KD, LCL, 25c (A); buffets, KD, LCL, 31c (R); chairs, NOS, SU, CL, 26.8c (R); chiffoniers, SU, LCL, 31c (A); dressers, NOS, LCL, 31c; furniture, mixed, CL, 12.5c; furniture, CL, 25c (A); common furniture (proportional rate), 10.5c; tables, KD, LCL, 25e, and tables, NOS, SU, LCL, 31c (A); from Jasper, Ind., to St. Louis, Mo., East St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., desks, SU, CL, 23.1c; desks, KD, LCL, 33.1c (R); desks, SU, LCL, 47.6c (A); from Birdseye, Ind., to St. Louis, Mo., East St. Louis and Belleville, Ill., chairs, NOS, SU, CL. 28.3c (R).

Boyd, ICC A-624, January 15, 1916-Refrigerators from Fond du Lac, Wis., to Cincinnati, O., Dayton, Hamilton and Springfield, O., 25.4c.

Morris, agent for Erie, Grand Trunk, Illinois Central. Norfolk & Western, Pennsylvania railroad and other lines, Sup. 18 to ICC No. 471, January 15, 1916-Refrigerators

from Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Youngstown districts to Shipside Algiers, Gretna, La., Gulfport, Miss., Mobile, Ala., New Orleans, La., Pensacola, Fla., Port Chalmette and Westwego, La., destined to countries other than those in Europe, Asia, Africa and Cuba, 50.5c.

Morris, ICC No. 563, January 15, 1916-Furniture, viz. Beds, iron or brass, metal couches or davenports, NOS, beds, spring, compressed mattresses and metallic cots, folding wooden cribs, folded flat, and folding wooden chairs, folded flat, at Alberta, Alta Vista, Brookneal,

Burkeville, Jarratt, Kilby, Lynchburg, Meherrin, Norfolk, Petersburg, Piners Point, Richmond, Roanoke, St. Paul and Suffolk, Va., from Chicago group, 39c; Peoria group, 39c; Davenport group, 42c; furniture, viz.: Metal beds, metal couches or davenports, NOS, metallic springs compressed, metallic and woven wire mattresses, metallic cots and cribs from above named Virginia points to Chicago, Peoria, group, 37; Milwaukee and Davenport groups, 39c. (R) indicates a reduction in rate. (A) indicates an advance in rate.

The Union Oil Cloth Company will build a new plant at Spruce street and Dennison avenue, Columbus, O.

The Wilhelm Furniture Company, Sturgis Mich., is erecting an addition, 60 by 208 feet, four stories high.

The Twentieth Century Couch Manufacturing Co., Findlay, O., has moved to its new plant on Broadway.

The Modern Furniture Co., Hartsville, S. C., has been incorporated at $15,000 by J. M., A. L. and E. L. Blackwell. The Crocker Chair Co., Sheboygan, Wis., has broken ground for an addition four stories high, 75 by 150 feet. The Glengarry Upholstering Co., Glengarry, Mich., has decided not to move to Ludington, Mich., as was reported. The National Brass Bed Co., Cleveland, O., recently suffered fire loss when the Viaduct power block was burned.

The Silver Creek Upholstering Co., Silver Creek, N. Y., suffered complete destruction of its plant by fire on November 13.

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The Carroll Furniture Co., Carroll, N. Y., has filed a petition in bankruptcy, with liabilities placed at $96,258.67 and assets at $69,200.91.

The Twin Sagless Spring Co., Indianapolis, Ind., capital $10,000, recently was incorporated by C. G. Moore, Paul Parr and L. Rowlen.

The A. W. Schram Manufacturing Company, which is erecting a plant at Ladysmith, Wis., is equipping the machines with motor drive.

Andrew S. Harvey, Rome, Ga., has purchased the plant of the Rome Chair Co., Birmingham, Ga., and will form the Harvey Chair Company.

The Crawfordsville Furniture and Lumber Co., Crawfordsville, Ind., is now in charge of W. A. Moon, who was recently appointed receiver.

The Hammond-Moir Co., St. Paul, Minn., has taken over the business and plant of the Reedcraft Furniture Co., 2531 University avenue, St. Paul.

The Ventilated Mattress Co., Waukegan, Ill., has leased 7,500 feet of floor space from the Terminal Company, and expects to give employment to 300 additional persons.

Canton Cabinet and Construction Co., Canton, O., has been incorporated with a capital of $12,000, by A. H. Carter, A. Widmer, E. S. Folk, R. Z. Staudt and J. A. Staudt.

John A. Dunn Company, chair manufacturers, with headquarters in Gardner, Mass., is moving its Boston warehouse from the Roxbury district to the suburban city of Newton.

The Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Co., Ionia, Mich., is planning a new factory, 80 by 100 feet, five stories high, which will make this plant one of the largest of its kind in the world.

The American Seating Company is making plans to close its plant in Buffalo, N. Y., and move that department to Manitowoc, Wis., where an addition of 14,000 square feet is being built.

The Wollenberger Furniture Manufacturing Company

has been incorporated to make furniture in Evansville, Ind. Louis Wollenberger, Chas. W. Wittenbraker and Emil C. Grewe are the officers.

The capacity of the Marysville Cabinet Co., Marysville, O., will be enlarged under the direction of N. A. Curtis, formerly of the Sun Manufacturing Co., Columbus, and recently secured as manager of the Marysville factory.

The Premier Bed Co., Mishawaka, Ind., which previously has shown its line in the Grand Rapids market only, will exhibit in the Central Market building, 1414 South Wabash avenue, Chicago, during the January

season.

The property of the McAlester Metal Bed Co., McAlester, Okla, was purchased by C. W. Dawley of McAlester for $17,325 at a receiver's sale, November 6. It is intended to reorganize the firm and continue the manufacture of metal beds.

The J. F. Dietz Co., Cincinnati, O., has been incorporated at $100,000 to take over the office manufacturing business of J. F. Dietz. The active management of the company will be turned over to the sons and sons-in-law of Mr. Dietz.

The Prindle Furniture Co., Huntington and Charleston, W. Va., has filed a petition in voluntary bankruptcy, with schedules showing liabilities of $115,274.19 and assets of $134,656.10, in which are included more than $96,000 outstanding accounts and notes.

The Wichita Wholesale Furniture Co., Wichita, Kan., has increased the capital stock from $100,000 to $125,000, owing to rapid increase in business. This company will open up some new territory in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado in the very near future.

The Fold-Easy House Manufacturing Co., Elmira, N. Y., has been incorporated, with a capital stock of $250,000, to manufacture folding beds, bath tubs, knockdown furniture, etc. W. A. Painter, H. E. Baker and M. C. P. Parker are the incorporators.

Albert C. Hanker, Inc., Chicago, Ill., has been incorporated to manufacture and deal in household and office furnishings and equipment. Capital stock has been placed at $50,000. The incorporators are John A. Cooper, Clarence M. Winslow and Albert C. Conners.

Several furniture manufacturers have leased a floor in the Monogram building, Seventeenth street and Washington avenue, St. Louis, Mo., for the display of furniture for the retail dealer. The building is in the heart of the wholesale district. Lines will be on display January 1 by the following manufacturers: Smith & Davis Manufacturing Company, Conrades Manufacturing Company, Chares Sueme, Joering & Pelchman, C. J. Kostuba, Joseph Peters Furniture Company, Meier & Pohlman Furniture Company, Landau Cabinet Company, Foster Brothers' Manufacturing Company, Central Furniture Company, St. Louis Felt and Bedding Company, and the Blackmore Bedding Company.

S

The Merchant Marine Discussion

HIPPING interests of the country, through their traffic representatives, have indorsed the administration plan for the upbuilding of an American merchant marine. This action was taken at the eighth annual meeting of the National Industrial Traffic League, held at Chicago, November 17 and 18. In addition to this action, considerable discussion was devoted to the question of the liability of carriers and to proposed changes in the form of the bill of lading under which the traffic of the country is transported.

The merchant marine topic was dealt with in a special report made to the executive committee of the league. This report, which was adopted by the Association, attacks existing American maritime laws as making the operation of American registered vessels unattractive to private capital. The business of the country, the report declared, demands a merchant marine adequate for the commercial necessities of our export and import traffic and capable of forming a proper auxiliary to the navy in times of war. Particularly is there a need of freight boats of from 6,000 to 10,000 tons. Because a 30-year struggle in Congress has failed to effect any substantial amelioration of the laws that hold back private investment, there is no reason to believe that there will be any change in legislative attitude in the near future. The committee, therefore, offered the following resolution:

1. It is the sense of this league that the United States should have a merchant marine of such quantity and quality of freight carrying vessels as to be comparable with other large maritime nations and that such merchant marine in time of war be subsidiary to the navy.

2. We believe there is little or no prospect of such a merchant marine being constructed and operated within the next several years by private capital.

3. That the need of such merchant marine is so insistent and the construction and operation so much needed at the present time to facilitate the handling of commerce from and to the United States. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That this league hereby declares itself in favor of the upbuilding of the American merchant marine under the authority of the United States Congress, and directs its executive committee to so present to the proper parties the league's interest in the matter as to assist the passage of any properly drawn bill that will have the desired result.

While the resolutions themselves do not state it, the report of the committee declared that the only apparent method of obtaining a merchant marine at this time was to support the national administration in its recommendation that the Federal Government either construct, build or maintain such a marine or furnish sufficient capital to build the necessary boats, leasing them to American citizens or corporations under terms which would provide for the complete amortization of the value during the term of the lease.

The question of the liability of carriers when the marks. on the packages do not agree with the directions on the shipping tickets has been put before the Interstate Commerce Commission by the league for decision, and an early ruling is expected. Under Conference Ruling 433 of the Commission, where the marks on an express package disagree with those on the shipping ticket, the former govern. The shippers contend that the contrary should hold true with respect to freight shipments, as the duty rests upon the carrier to check the shipments against the shipping ticket.

Considerable divergence of opinion developed upon the question of incorporating a provision into the bill of lad

ing that failure of the carrier to collect charges from the consignee at the time of the delivery of freight relieved the consignor of liability. One faction argued that if the carrier voluntarily surrendered its lien upon the goods by delivery without demanding payment, the consignor should not subsequently be held liable for the result of the carrier's own negligence. Another view advanced was that a distinction should be drawn between delivery in cases where the carrier extends credit to the consignee and cases where payment is made at the time of delivery, but auditing reveals an undercharge which consignee thereafter refuses to pay. In the first instance there was substantial unanimity of opinion that the consignor should not be liable, but upon the second proposition opinion varied. Those who opposed such provision as part of the bill of lading expressed the fear that its incorporation into that instrument would lead to a demand upon the part of the carriers that all charges be prepaid by the consignor. The matter was finally referred to the bill of lading committee of the league.

T

New Rules on Refused and Unclaimed Freight

HE question of reporting refused and unclaimed freight to the consignor was considered in two committee discussions. The committee on car service directed the attention of the shippers to the fact that the Freight Claims Association, at its June meeting, had adopted rules requiring the immediate report by wire of refused or unclaimed perishable freight in carloads or less than carloads and of non-perishable carload shipments; a report within five days after the refusal and within 30 days after arrival in the case of unclaimed lessthan-carload non-perishable freight.

"These reports," reads the rule, "shall be made to the consignor if definitely shown on the waybill or shipment; if not so shown, then to the initial carrier. If neither the consignor nor the initial carrier can be ascertained from the billing or shipment, then report shall be made to the waybilling station. If said waybilling station is a point on the same carrier as the reporting station, then said waybilling station shall within 24 hours transmit the report to the consignor, initial carrier or its next waybilling connection, in conformity with the above."

These regulations, it was pointed out, are issued for the guidance of the carriers themselves and, therefore, do not give the shipper much hold in the event of a contested claim, except as the existence of such regulations might influence litigation arising out of their non-observance. In the view of some shippers, such provisions should be made part of the bill of lading. They then would be part of the contract of carriage and their disregard would constitute a breach for which the carriers could be held liable. Whether such provisions should be incorporated in the bill of lading was referred to the committee in charge of that matter for consideration and future report.

R

Reorganize Official Classification Committee EORGANIZATION of the Official Classification Committee, which handles general classification questions east of the Illinois-Indiana state line and north of the Ohio river, has been announced by the carriers serving that part of the country. The reorganization. which became effective December 1, follows the lines adopted in Western Classification Committee territory a few years ago. The unwieldy committee of large membership, meeting two or three times a year, gives place to a committee of four members who will devote their entire time to classification matters.

The membership of the new committee is: R. N. Col

lyer, chairman; J. W. Allison, D. T. Lawrence, and F. W. Smith of the Committee on Uniform Classification. These men will have their headquarters at 143 Liberty street, New York. In the old days, a classification committee had a permanent chairman, but the personnel of the committee itself was shifting as member railroads would detail various traffic officers to attend the semi-annual meetings. Petitions for changes, several hundred in number, would be allowed to accumulate throughout the time the committee was not in session and then attempt would be made to dispose of the matter at one session, which might last days or weeks. No shipper knew just when his subject would be reached.

The reorganization of the Western Classification Committee, where the membership was reduced to three, blazed the trail. Hope is now expressed by shippers that the Southern lines will follow suit. The meeting of the Southern Classification Committee, which was to have been held at Chicago in November, has been indefinitely postponed. The only drawback to the Official Classification Committee change, from the standpoint of Western shippers, lies in the probable abandonment of the custom of holding preliminary hearings at Chicago. In the future, Western shippers will undoubtedly have to go to New York to present pleas for changes in the Eastern classification.

TH

Classification Committee Outlines Plans

HE Official Classification Committee of the railroads, which handles general classification matters for the territory east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio rivers, has announced the plans that it will follow under its new organization. The old committee, with a large, unwieldy membership, made up of representatives from the various Eastern railroad companies, has been abandoned for a committee of four men, who will devote their entire time to classification matters.

While the new plan of action is modeled after that followed by the Eastern Classification Committee, the details are considerably modified. Instead of having hearings whenever questions come up, without regard to regularity of time or date, the Eastern body will have fixed dates. Sessions will be held every other month, beginning with January. Contrary to the fears entertained at the time the reorganization was announced, the practice of holding meetings at Chicago for the benefit of shippers located in Western territory, but who might find it inconvenient to travel to New York to appear before the committee, will not be abandoned.

At such times as there are no regular meetings scheduled, conferences may be had by appointment with respect to subjects not on the docket. "By reason of the committee continuing the plan of meeting at both Chicago and New York," says Chairman R. N. Collyer, "it would be impracticable to hold the meetings oftener than bi-monthly. The former arrangement was for quarterly meetings, but the marked contrast under the new arrangement is that with respect to subjects not on the docket conferences may be had by appointment between the times of the meeting."

A

Discuss Proposed Rate Increase

N INCREASE of 5 per cent on all old patterns and of 10 per cent on new, recommended by the executive committee, was the principal subject of discussion at the morning session of the National Association of Furniture Manufacturers, whose eleventh annual convention is being held today (December 1) at the Pantlind Hotel The rate advance, according to the report of the committee, which met in executive session yesterday, is justified by the advance in price of all materials, including hardware, glass and lumber. Approximately 100 mem

bers of the association are in attendance. The annual banquet of the organization will be held at the Pantlind tonight.

Spratt May Erect Building in Jamestown

CHA

HARLES E. SPRATT of the New York Furniture Exchange is reported to have secured recently an option on a desirable site in the business district of Jamestown, N. Y., where he is considering the erection of a furniture exhibition building. Mr. Spratt is said to have had the project under consideration for some time and is favorably impressed with the furniture market possibilities in that city.

At a joint meeting of representatives of the Jamestown Board of Commerce and the Jamestown Manufacturers' Association, held December 8, a committee, of which Cyrus E. Jones is chairman, was named to suggest a site and plan for financing and erecting an exposition building, backed by local and allied interests. Members of the new committee include Ralph C. Sheldon, Frank C. Anderson, Frederick P. Hall and Arthur H. Greenlund. Offers of sites for the proposed structure have been asked of Jamestown property holders in the centrally located district.

Somewhat Personal

Hyman Saidee has succeeded Kaplan & Saidee, Gouverneur, N. Y.

E. E. Gabriel, Marion, O., has sold his interests to S. S. Songer.

A. L. Davidson has succeeded to the business of C. Brandt & Son, Athens, Mich.

Morris Jacobson, McLeansboro, Ill., has purchased the business of J. W. Grenewald.

George Burlingame has taken over the business of W. T. Francis, Live Oak, Cal.

J. J. Kennedy & Son have taken over the business of Harry S. Raymond, Cherry Vale, Kan.

J. N. Brown, Oakman, Ala., has succeeded to the business of the Oakman Furniture Company.

J. L. Stehle, Greensburg, Pa., recently sold out to G. Evans, Pittsburgh, Pa., who will continue the business. Chas. E. Wolf of the City Furniture Co., Altoona, Pa., has purchased the interest of his former partner, John A. Fox, who will retire.

Edward L. Francisco, furniture manager for H. C. F. Koch & Company, will become the furniture buyer for Hahne & Co., Newark, N. J., after January 1, 1916.

Arthur Mueller, salesman with the Klingman Sample Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., has accepted a position with the Jury-Row Furniture Company of Lansing, Mich.

F. J. Hawkins, who was buyer for the Crown Trading Company until it ceased business a few months ago, is now representing the Hoover Chair Company in Philadelphia, Pa.

M. W. Searight has disposed of his interests in the Searight-Reese Furniture Co., Birmingham, Ala., and assumed full management of the Jennings-Starke Furniture Co., Memphis, Tenn.

A. C. Brown, who has been the treasurer and manager of the Hastings Table Company of Hastings, Mich., has sold his interest in the company and will terminate his connection with the company with the incoming of the new year. In 1911 Mr. Brown organized the National Association of Manufacturers of Upholstered Furniture, and was made secretary. He continued in that position for two years and returned to the active management of the Hastings Table Company, with which he has since continued. His stock has been sold to E. E. Tyden and the other stockholders.