The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-12-10
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k0ITORS TRIBUNE Your last issue
contains an article in regard to the closing
Of the American Express Office in this
place which | hope you will allow me the
privilege of answering, though | have no
authority to speak for the company. but
was their representative here at the time
the Office was closed You say in the ar
ticle alluded to st seems as if this 1.-THE
Americanl Express Company takes per-
feet delight in doing all it can to discom-
mode the business men of this village
and subject them to ali the inconvenience
possible.
Now [ cannot see what reasons you
have for making such remark as that.
The company have done all they could
since the line was started to accommodate
(instead of -discommode) the business
men Of this place. Every facility and
convenience has been extended to them,
that could be; and the keeping up OF the
line thus far has been an accommodation
to the public and loss 10 the company.
Now because they will not continue the
the route here during the winter at still
further loss, you enter tie above com
plant inst them.
If you refer to efforts that have been
made in years past on the part of our
business men, to induce tho company to
extend their line to this place, [ would
say that the Inconvenience they then
subjected Us too, was In not running here
Xhen as they stated they could not pay
expenses by doing so, | know they in
CURED good deal of prejudice here, be
cause they refused to come, and whether
they mcrited it all or not makes no differ
ence at this time. FtftUF .Etf ff
Again you say, During the season of
navigation the promises that the line
would be kept up, were fulfilled
Now in the first place there were no
promises made; in fact the Superintend
ent refused to promise that the line would
be kept up during the winter until he
saw how 1t was patroniZed during the
summer. He said they would try the
experiment OF running here and see how
the business men of Manitowoc would
patronize them, and if they could afford
to, make the line permanent one.
You say further, just as winter is
upon us and an Express line needed the
most, the American draws off and the ar
engagements Of our business are again
knocked into pi. y
Now, [ know Of but one business insti-
tuition in this place that had any arrange
mept whatever with the American Ex
press Company. know of but one bus
mess man besides that patronized it regu
larly. | know Of but one or two others
who have patroIzed it to the amount Of
five dollars. 1t is transient custom
mostly that the line has received and
not the regular patronage of business
men. am not complaining of this on
the part myself or the company, but as
you saw tit to Introduce the matter to the
public | wish to have them understand it
as it is. e eH Ess
Every man is more or less interested in
having responsible and permanent Ex-
press line running to this place. The
American is perfectly responsible and
would have been permanent here if ii
could have paid expenses for the present.
You say again in your article Our
business men were given to understand
that the line would be kept up-I have
shown you that this was not so--and
patronlzed it on many occasions when
they were losing money by doing it.
Now that is simply ''hosh." The
American rates were as low as any
other company, and no man would patron
ize one company if he knew he could dc
better with another. The money losing
has all been On the part of the company.
There are other statements in your artl-
Gle that intended to reply too but find
my communication is getting toolengthy.
L regret on the part OF those OF our bust
ness men who have patrOnized the line,
that it has been withdrawn, but those
who have withheld their patronage during
the entire season, should not complain
Respectfully Yours,
III. d. SHEPARD.
late Agent of American Express Co.
Manitowoc Dec. Sth 1868.