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such shrinkage amounts to. P la in ly it must vary w ith the type o f car and w ith the condition o f the material out o f which the car is constructed, but, generally speaking, it may be assumed that i f the stenciled w eight represents the actual w eight when the car is weighed fo r stenciling at the point o f manufacture, that car w ill w eigh less at the end o f six months or a year. Th e use o f the car necessarily wears away certain parts o f .the material, and this produces some decrease in weight. Beyond a certain point, when parts begin to be restored, this tendency to de­crease ceases, so that i f a car were weighed in its normal condition tw o or three years after being put into service but little further de­crease in w eight on that account would take place. Th e repairing o f cars tends to vary the weight. Th is is partly due to the fact that new parts are supplied in place o f old parts, which have become worn, but m ainly because the new part is frequently o f a different type, which is heavier than the old type, as, fo r example, the insertion-of a new drawbar or the application o f a new brake beam. I t seems probable that many o f the most marked variations between the stenciled and the actual tare o f the car are due to this cause. I t is evident that no proper appreciation has been had o f the im ­portance o f accurately stenciling the tare w eight o f cars. In some cases cars have been purposely stenciled above or below actual weight. I n numerous cases no tare w eight whatever is given, and several in ­stances were reported where the stenciled w eight upon one side o f the car was different from that upon the other. I t is probable that there may be some variation from week to week in the w eight o f the same car, especially when the car is made o f wood. I f the car is old and not thoroughly painted it w ill absorb a considerable amount o f moisture. Th e opinion was expressed, although not supported by any actual test, that the tare w eight o f cars would vary as much as 1,000 pounds, according as the weather m ight be dry or wet. I t should also be noted, and this is a matter o f great importance, that cars when loaded contain foreign substances. Th e previous load has not been properly cleaned out so that several hundred pounds are in the car when the new ladin g is made. I t may sometimes be the duty o f the shipper and sometimes o f the carrier to clean this car, but evidently failu re to do so may frequently result in errors o f weight. I t also happens that during the w inter months cars are covered w ith snow, which adds to the gross w eight o f the car. There was considerable argument during the various hearings as to when the shipper and when the railroad benefited by the fact that 281 0. O. 20 i IN T E R S T A T E COMM EBCE C O M M ISS IO N REPORTS. W the actual lig h t w eight differed from the stenciled tare. Th is ques­tion is most easily answered by stating the figures in a given case. L e t it be assumed that the gross w eight is 120,000 pounds, the actual ligh t weight 40,000 pounds, and the stenciled weight 38,000 and 42,000 pounds, respectively. The' actual weight o f the contents o f the car, as compared w ith the weight ascertained by using the stenciled tare, is shown b elo w : 120, 000—40,000=80,000 120.000— 42, 000=78,000 120.000- -38.000=82,000 I t w ill be seen, therefore, that whenever the stenciled w eight is greater than the actual weight the shipper pays upon less than the actual contents o f the car, while, when the stenciled w eight is less than the actual w eight the shipper pays on more than the actual contents; that is, when the car weighs more than the stenciled tare the shipper loses, w hile when the car weighs less than the stenciled tare the shipper gains. Th e carriers assert that inasmuch as the tendency o f a car is to lose w eight most cars w ill weigh less than the stenciled weight, and that therefore in the past the shipper on the average has been the actual gainer and the carrier the loser. U pon the contrary, the ship­pers urge that, whatever m ight be expected, .in point o f fact cars as a rule actually weigh more than the stenciled weight, and that there­fo re the shipper has been the loser. Tables introduced by both parties tend to confirm the position o f the one introducing the table. But all this is beside the mark. I t is no satisfaction to one shipper who has paid on from one to five thousand pounds more than he should to be told that some other shipper has paid upon that much less, or that he him self may sometime be equally fortunate. Some method should be devised by which actual, not average, weights can be ascertained. To-day the most prolific source o f error in ascer­taining the correct w eight o f the contents o f a car by track scaling is found in the fact that the actual ligh t w eight does not at the time o f the w eighing agree w ith the tare stenciled upon the car. THE WEIGHING OF SPECIAL COMMODITIES--- GRAIN. Grain usually moves from the field to the country elevator and from the country elevator to some prim ary market. Presumably the grain is weighed at the country elevator, where it is received from the producer, but the manner o f these weights and their effect is not detailed in this record. A t the prim ary grain market it is usually weighed by some elevator. A s a rule, the scales and weigh-master o f this elevator are under the supervision o f a chamber o f commerce, or, sometimes, o f the state or municipality itself. 28 i. G. o. ^ I N RE W E IG H IN G OF F R E IG H T B Y CARRIER. 21