§ 112. Routing of shipments by shipper of goods. In all cases where at
the time of the delivery of property to a common carrier, for
transportation subject to the provisions of this chapter, to any point
of destination, between which and the point of such delivery for
shipment two or more through routes shall exist, the person, firm or
corporation making such shipment shall have the right to designate in
writing by which of such routes such property shall be transported to
destination, and it shall thereupon be the duty of the initial carrier
to route such property and issue a through bill of lading therefor as so
directed, and to transport such property over its own line or lines and
deliver the same to the connecting carrier by rail or water, and it
shall be the duty of such connecting carrier to receive such property
and transport it over such line or lines and deliver the same to the
next succeeding carrier or consignee according to the routing
instructions of such bill of lading, provided that nothing in this
section shall be construed to make a common carrier liable for injury to
or loss of goods in transit on the line of another carrier. The shipper
shall in all instances have the right to determine where competing lines
of railroad or of carriers by water constitute portions of a through
line or route, over which of said competing lines so constituting a
portion of such through line or route his freight shall be transported.
The commissioner shall have the power to make such reasonable exceptions
and regulations as he may determine and shall have power to enforce the
above provisions. Where the route adopted by the shipper is by rail and
water lines, some of which have no physical connection, the property
carried shall be delivered at the point on the route where the transfer
is to take place by the initial or succeeding carrier to an agent of the
connecting carrier.