The Science of Railways by Marshall Monroe Kirkman

Author:Marshall Monroe Kirkman
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: The World railway publishing company
Published: 1904-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IX.

v records and returns essential to efficient supervision; safeguards against loss and imposition.

The responsibility of railroad companies for baggage lost or damaged while in their possession being determined, it is a matter of the utmost consequence to them that they should be able to test the truthfulness of all claims of such nature and, in the event a claim is just, to determine which employe, if any, was at fault. To enable them to do this it is necessary that their records and returns should be full and precise; such as to enable the officer in charge to trace each check or way bill; to follow It from the moment it is fastened to the package until it is finally detached at the place of destination, and (in the case of checks) forwarded to headquarters for redistribution. Without information of this character it is impossible to determine the measure of efficiency of subordinates. The department will be paralyzed in its efforts to throw around the business necessary safeguards. Employes will become negligent, if nothing worse, and claims for property lost and damaged will multiply indefinitely. The system of records and returns necessary to maintain an eflBcient

22 Vol. 5 (837)

338 PASSENGER, BAGOAOE, MAIL SERVICE.

supervision over aflfairs should be in general as follows:

1. A record must be kept at headquarters of the numbers of the checks* in the hands of the various agents.

2. A record must be kept by agents along the line of the numbers of the checks attached to packages sent forward; of the numbers of the checks received with parcels; of the date forwarded or received; the name of the train baggageman; number of train, etc. This record will prove very valuable in the event any return should be lost, and is always desirable for purposes of reference. Transcripts of the records must be sent to headquarters; these must embrace the number of the check attached to each piece of baggage, the number of train by which it was forwarded, the number of train by which it was received, place of shipment, destination, date forwarded, date received, name of train baggageman, etc.

3. Train baggagemen must report particulars of baggage received and discharged by them, viz.: date, number of train, place of shipment, point of delivery, number of check, or, if no check is attached, a description of the property.

4. In the event property is in a damaged condition when received or subsequently, each employe through whose hands it passes must report the fact.

* Where the word "check" is used in this volume, it wiU also be understood generally to mean the form of way bill, described elsewhere (used in billing baggage in Europe).

5. Returns of unclaimed parcels at stations.

With the foregoing information systematically arranged at headquarters, the department will not ordinarily experience difficulty in finding lost baggage. And in reference to property damaged while in the possession of the company it will know the names of the subordinates through whose hands it has passed, and, what is important, the returns will state the fact if the property was in bad order when received.

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