16
PRESTO-TIMES
CHAMBER OPPOSED
TO FREIGHT RATES
Stiff Protest of Ten National Associations
Voiced in Brief Before Consolidated Classi-
fication Committee Protesting Against Pro-
posed Double First Class L. C. L. Rates.
The eastern railroads' plan to double the freight
rates on phonographs electrically amplified, was op-
posed by the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
in a brief presented by Alfred L. Smith, general man-
ager, before the Consolidated Classification Commit-
tee on New York on Wednesday, October 17. The
Chamber stated that the double first class L. C. L.
rate, which will result if the proposed rates are per-
mitted, to go into effect, are impossibly high from a
commercial standpoint and that it would compel
phonographs electrically amplified to bear a freight
cost considerably higher and all out of proportion
to that on similar competing products sold through
the channels of 'the music store.
Those Present.
. The following members of the Chamber Traffic
Committee also appeared and argued at some length
on their respective viewpoints: L. R. Ahern, Colum-
bia Phonograph Company, W. Hildebrand, Thomas
A. Edison, Inc., and L. P. Siddons, Brunswick-Balke-
Collender Company. Norman H. Lawton of the Vic-
tor Talking Machine Company, also a member of
the traffic committee, will appear before the Classi-
fication Committee at its meeting to be held in Chi-
cago next week.
The Chamber's brief, representing ten national asso-
ciations covering the various branches of the music
industry, and particularly the manufacturers of pho-
nographs and the members of the National Associa-
tion of Music Merchants, protested against Subject
214, Docket No. 35, Talking Machines Electrically
Amplified. Under this it is proposed to create a new
classification for talking machines electrically ampli-
fied, with a rating in Official Classification Territory
of double first class L. C. L., and first class carload,
minimum weight 16,000 lbs., subject to Rule 34.
The Figures.
"The figures of weights per cubic foot and values
per pound of talking machines electrically amplified
made by various of our member phonograph manufac-
turers indicate clearly that no such rate as double first
class for L. C. L. shipments is justified, by the claim.
"A comparison of weights per cubic foot and values
per pound of talking machines electrically amplified
with combination talking machines and radios show
clearly that under no theory of rate making could
the former be given a higher rate than the latter,
October 27, 1928
which is subject to only \ l /2 first class for L. C. L.
shipments."
Speaking especially for the music merchants who
would have to pay the higher freight charges if the
proposed increase should go into effect, a double first
class L. C. L. rate is held to be impossibly high from
a commercial standpoint." It would compel phono-
graphs electrically amplified to bear a freight cost
considerably higher and all out of proportion to that
on similar competing products sold through the chan-
nels of the music stores," was the claim.
Attention was called to the fact that the distribution
of phonographs is so organized that the bulk of this
increased freight charge on L. C. L. shipments would
be levied on shipments from jobbers to music mer-
chants, and would be in addition to a previous freight
charge on the shipment from manufacturers to the
jobber, which shipment you are likewise proposing
shall bear an increased freight charge, whether it be
by L. C. L. or carload lot. The brief continued:
Carload Shipments.
"Carload shipments of phonographs consist in prac-
tically all cases of mixed carloads. Your proposal to
subject carload shipments of talking machines elec-
trically amplified to a first class rating, 16,000 lb.
minimum, subject to Rule 34, would in practical effect
compel mixed carloads to bear this higher rate,
although the talking machine electrically amplified
would make up only a portion of the shipment. Hence,
in mixed carload shipments, articles entitled to and
enjoying a lower rate would have to bear this un-
justified higher rate.
"In this connection, we respectfully call your atten-
tion to the fact that these mixed carloads are made
up in large part of Combined Radio Sets and Talking
Machines, the carload rating for which was set by
the Interstate Commerce Commission, I & S Docket
No. 2523, Classification Rating on Combined Radio
Sets and Talking Machines No. 107, I. C. C. No. 175."
PRESTO-TIMES COMMENT BRINGS
TRADE.
A little paragraph in Presto-Times last week under
the headline "Want L T sed Pianos" brought a fair trade
in that classification of instruments to the Baldwin
Piano Company, and George W. Lawrence of Bald-
win's says they still have a few more used instru-
ments to sell. E. P. Williams of the Baldwin Piano
Company's Chicago headquarters is in New York
this week, but will return next week. H. C. Dickin-
son, vice-president of the company, is at his desk
every day in Chicago.
A BUSY TECHNICIAN.
I. Karl, who has charge of the technical work at
the Raieff Piano Company, handling Bush & Lane
instruments at 410 South Michigan avenue, Chicago,
is kept busy these days. He says the tuning business
has picked up wonderfully since fall weather set in.
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