The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-28
NEW BUSINESS FEATURE Ct THE METROPOLIS.
THE Railroad Ticket and Freight Offices OF
Broadwsy-Rise and Progress OF the Busi-
n.,.-Its object and whaS It Has Accom-
nl,.bed-Modus Observation-Disclosures OF the
r,...,Daf Offices, &c

-,,,-,,.a-,Todu. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF the
Principal Ofhces' &C
o--o,,be many evidences tsat New York city is III
ormerca centre q The country apparent 10 the fac
,t 81 the principal railroads Of the Ulited States and
ocasary to direct representation here for the en-
gapement Of passengers and freight.
The attention Of he intelligent pedestrian through Broad
way must ately have been attracted to the increasing
Der Of these spacious ticket oces whose garngy letter
ed windows frequently on our great thorough
fare Their establishment is quite recent, comparatively
speaking and a necessity to supply the inexorabe
demands Of trade. But few years since merchants visit
Ing this city and purchasing here found great difficulty
getting their goods to their various destinations in far
West owing to loose and miserable management of the
railroad companies in making connections. Goods
were thus often delayed the passage lost involving
in either case extensive damages to the owner.
This Of course injured trade immensely, and led the
Western merchants to purchase nearer home. The
nress companies were established to obyate all this aud
40 well did they succeed that they grew aud plied
and now form of the most important branches Of
business and are indispensable to the widely separated
buyer and seller These express companies, by means
of ARRANGEMENTS with the different roads, obtain measure
of preference the carrying OF freight secured regularity
the transmission and delivery OF goods and have also
certain reputation for safety. They were and
great convenience to the country permeang the several
states like the veins and arteries Of the human body
and obtained and still hold high place in the conf
dence Of the merchants both sending goods to and carry
ing them from New York, All sorts OF packages, from q
daguerreoype elephant, are freely and safely
red and receipts given for them to secure the parties
from loss The railroad companies themselves were for
long time satisfied with this arrangement and willing to
allow freight pursue its natural channels But, from
the growth Of competition the carrying trade and per-
Of of
the express companies, to make show OF doing bust
ness directly with the shippers, Of the
roads initiated the establishment Of Office in
New York to to them as large amount posi-
bic of the passenger and freight business This they
claim became necessary in consequence Of the various
routes by which extreme point West South might be
reached having their vorites and friends here an in
formal way It were and It was believed that being
directly represented they could the carefully and
certainly secure their proportion Of the business
other roads, in turn, OF obliged TO come
into the arrangement, until nearly every prominent
road in the country has acknowledged representation
for the securing Of passengers and freight in New York.
capable Of contracting for the conveyance of both either
way The plan simply for different interested roads to
combine and Jointly pay the expense of renting an Office
salaries clerks printing, advertising, and all necessary
outlay and thus far II has been found to- pay we'll
The grand result OF this movement has been secure
to passengers through tickets by any different
roads in connection with each other, and to shippers
through bill Of adng to any point Instead of in the
old way going to the respective depos OF the railroad
companies, passengers now buy at the New York
Offices tickets in the shape series OF coupons each OF
which good for passage its respective road the
traveller having trouble but get into the and
drop the coupons required So aso with freight goods
delivered here receped for all the way the points
OF their destination securing the shipper against loss with
nothing to pay until they received
The character of the different ticket and freight Offices
so in the principal streets may be divided into
three classes FIRST the regular railroad Off, es second
the regular express Offices and third, the commission
ocee, which receive from the roads per cenage on all
the passenger and freight business which they control
for the respective panies These second and third
Glasses are SO numerous that do not propose TO give
them more than passing notice. but design to confne
this Article 10 what we understand TO be the regular raul
road Understanding dsparagement to others not
named and without the distant idea intention OF
injUng or in any way affecting their business. 1t is not
intended to convey the idea that these railroad Offices
ore supersedng the companies as in the carrying
OF light packages goods be paid for delivery and the
collection Of drafts notes, the express companies do
nearly all the business but by bringing themselves in
direct contact with the shipper and studying hs conve
nence by taking goods from his door, and delivering
them at the door of bis customer IN distant place. the
railroad companies nov carry large amount Of heavy
freight which for long time has been carried by the ex-
press companies exclusively acting it we're as the
agents Of the railroads.
All Of the railroad Offices referred to are scattered along
Broadway from Cortland TO Chambers street. and uni
formy present attractions the passer by the shape Of
proiufe lettering and haadbls setting forth large type
the various points TO which tickets be bought In the
interior displayed extensive maps of the different
roads, and large showbs calling the the pub
Lie to the advantages Of the routes Information
is readily obtained, aud generally any inquiries the
location Of other railroad Offices are freely answered
Most Of them have little guide books given gratis for
convenience Of travellers. The great point, however,
TO secure The freight business and it is Tor this Purpose
catch eyes Of merchant visitors to the ciiytha, tn
most prominep. localities selected.
Each Office has obviously for its first endeaTor to sci
tickets the roads which sustain it, and for the con
veDience Of the passenger shipper enters into ar
Iangement with other connecting roads by meang OF
which through tickets given, the road selling the
tickets settling with the other roads Thus, the Great
Western and Detroit and Mw auke Office corner of CHAM
bers street and Broadway sells through tickets for In
stance from New York Chicago, over the New York
Central New York andrie roads, connecting with the
Great Western and Detroit and Milwaukee those roads
in return have the benefit Of the services of
and freight coming from Chicago the Detroit and
Milwaukee or Great Western, who in turn accommodate
their customers by Bending them the New York aud
Erie, New York Central, they may prefer In this
way they study each others interests consulting their
own, and the travelling public has an accomm odaton
which cannot be lightly estimated
THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL AID CONNECTIONS.
Tie large Office on the northwest OF Broadway
and Cortsndt street s sustained by the Michigan Cen
trai, Illinois Central, Gaena aud Chicago, Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy, Hannibal and St. Joseph aud
Burlington and Missouri roads which jointly pay the er.
penses OF keeping open opened about six years
Since under the direction Of Mr. Darius Clark who nov
controls 1t. Tickets sold here direct Chicago Lea
vepworth City, Pixies Peak Rock Island Cairo, St 10.
seph and New 0rleaps, and all other important towns
West Northwest aud Southwest Through tickets 10 all
these points may be bought at this Office and engage
mcDts also for freight. All Losses or damage 70