A B737-500 CAPT RPTS A NEEDLESS DELAY ON DEP CAUSED BY MAINT AND A DIVERSION CAUSED BY IMPROPER LOADING OF A COMPARTMENT THAT WAS TO REMAIN EMPTY.

Narrative

WE WERE LATE ARRIVING ZZZ BECAUSE OF A MECHANICAL IN ORD AND TFC IN THE ZZZ ARPT AREA. AFTER PARKING; WE WERE TOLD THAT A RAMPIE NOTICED A DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER AND RPTED IT TO MAINT. AFTER INSPECTING THE DENT; MAINT EVENTUALLY SIGNED IT OFF AND WE PUSHED BACK. WHILE ON THE TXWY; PRIOR TO TKOF; WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH NOT TO TAKE OFF; AND TO RETURN TO THE RAMP. MAINT DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT MAINT SIGNED OFF THE DENT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE RAMP; ZZZ MAINT GOT BUSY FILLING IN THE DENT; AND WE CALLED FOR MORE FUEL. EVENTUALLY THE DENT WAS FILLED AND WE PUSHED BACK AGAIN. WE DEPARTED AND LEVELED AT CRUISE FOR A FEW MINS WHEN WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH. THEY INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS CARGO IN THE FORWARD PIT; WHICH WAS PLACARDED TO BE LEFT EMPTY. DISPATCH SAID THAT THERE WAS A CHAIR AND AN ACFT COMPUTER IN THE PIT AND NO COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL (APPARENTLY THE PIT WAS TO BE KEPT EMPTY BECAUSE THE FIRE DETECTOR WAS INOP). HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT CONTINUING VERSUS MAKING A STOP TO GET THE CARGO OUT OF THE PIT. I THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE; BUT DISPATCH DID NOT TRUST THE RAMP PERSONNEL BY THIS TIME; THINKING THAT IF THEY MISTAKENLY PLACED CARGO IN THE PIT; THEY MAY ALSO HAVE PLACED MORE VOLATILE MATERIALS THERE. HE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT CARGO WAS PLACED IN THE FORWARD PIT FROM ORD-ZZZ ON OUR PREVIOUS LEG -- AGAIN; AGAINST SOP. WE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO GET THE CARGO OUT OF THE PIT. THE CARGO WAS REMOVED AND WE AGAIN TOOK ON MORE FUEL. THE FINAL LEG WAS UNEVENTFUL; EXCEPT FOR SOME VERY ANGRY CUSTOMERS. I KEPT THE CUSTOMERS INFORMED OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THIS TERRIBLE ORDEAL. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SO MANY CASCADING MISTAKES IN A SINGLE DAY. THE CUSTOMERS HAD EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY. WE LOOKED ANYTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL.