The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-04
The Express Companies.

1t is announced that the National Bank,
ers' Express Company has paid over to the
Adams, American, and United States Ex'
press Companies three-quarters of the five
millions of dollars which it Yves to7cou.
tribute to the respective companies named
under an arrangement entered into on the
first of March last, by which the National
Bankers was merged into the old compa-
MES. This We learn from the New York
Times. The remaining quarter is to be
paid on the LIST of June.
A new company, called the Merchants
Express Company, has been established in
New York, as we announced few days
since. We have heard nothing further
from that. The National, gotten up in
this city, has had rough time-having
been cut out of express privileges from a
great length of railroad communication,
the exclusive privilege of expressing
freight over which had been previously
disposed of for term of years to the old
companies. 1t is rumored that arrange
ments have been made by which much OF
this trouble has been overcome, and that
the National will promptly begin to do an
active business.
Nothing has increased with more ra-
pidity in this country than the express
freight business on railroads. In lS4S, one
wagon, one horse and driver, and one
clerk, did all the business of the Adams
Express Company in this city. A little
office, and a little chest in it, sufticed for
the transaction of receiving and paying
and keeping the money. One night, this
little chest was blown open under mystic
rious circumstances and robbed of some
five hundred dollars or so! How ridicu-
lous. If one were now to get into one OF
the strong boxes of the same company, ne
would be tempted to commit suicide if he
found less than hundred thousand!
The one-horse concern not long after
wards took stride. Wagons and horses
were added, and now it takes large stable
to lodge the horses, and the drivers and
make up battalion. We see
that new concern, with a capital of five
million dollars, has beenk kindly taken under
the wings of the consolidated companies,
of which ADAMs's is the "head-centre."
ADAMS was certainly remarkable man.
Whether he tiourishes still at the head OF
his great institution we know not. But, as
the founder of the business, he showed an
amount of enterprise that will make him
famous for long time. He has no doubt
enjoyed, as he deserved, the fruits of his
sagacity and enterprise.
The Express business is of the greatest
importance to the whole public, and espe-
cially to the commercial community. To
be able to send box as you would send a
letter to any locality in this country, and
almost to any part of the world-as rapidly
and as certain-is great privilege in this
age.
A business which has become so uni
versal and so immense in magnitude, must
of course become an object of competition.
Not only is it tempting to adventures, but
the public feel an interest in seeing some
competition in it, since competition in
sures against over-chargcs and guarantees
faithfulness on the part of the carrier. We
suppose that both of these motives to some
extent prevail in the origination of so many
new companies with such immense CAPT
tails. We doubt whether they can all be
swallowed up; for the old companies will
probably find that where they thus dispose
of one, another will soon appear. They
are likely finally to give up the business OF
swallowing, and some company will indeed
get footing and carry on competition
which will likely be beneficial to every.
body. There is plenty of business in the
country for several-or at least more than
one and it would be an extraordinary fact
if it should appear that in so vast an occu.
patton as the Express business of this coun-
try, there should be little or no competition.
This is only an opinion, based upon reason
and example, without reference to the par
ties in this line of business at the present
day.
The subject is really one Of interest to
outsiders, as well as those in the prosper
Gus inside, where so many are anxious to
be ensconced