Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-08-23
PROGRESS.

Every thing has its day, even dogs, and the
express business Of onr country lNs had a busy
day, and has undoubtedly been the means o
much good but there seems to be at this day
! SO necessity than formerly for this mode Of do.
ng business.
The Boston Commercial Bulletin speaking on
this subject says.
We are glad to see that the managers Of our
great trunk railroad lines arc making m earn
est etfiprt to accommodate shippers of merchan-
disc, without the Intervention Of express or fast
freight companies. In order 10 accomplish this
Object, they have aeiY made q large reduction
in their scale of charges, and ara eudeavUIing to
run their freight trains regularly aud on time.
Such arrangements, alf; riding reliable ba SIS Of
calculation, are generally of more impurtanc tn
business men, in the transpor tnton of goods, thar
high rate Of speed. while the latter Is costly in
the extreme to the railroad companies them
selves.
Doubtless. these general freight expresses, in
tervening between the latter and their merchnn-
tile piroI' hav. hid their proper mission In
times past, when most of the through lines be-
tween the seabOard and the west were cnmpused
OF mauy independent links, managed separately
and without co operation IN the end uc securing
the highest degree of efficiency in the prompt trans
mission OF freight. Then the best thing, perhaps,
to be- done under the circumstances when there
/
tween the different companies was to organize
an express, whose loaded cars should enjoy the
exceptional privilege Of passing over the ira ok
of all 10 their final destination, attached To tho
passenger trains, and without breaking bulk
| But in our day there has been such an inn
| pruvement in Railroad management, and such u
| consolidation Of connecting lines, that such an
| arrangement is no longer necessary. The great
Railroad companies themselves have now every
indispensable facility for ihs dispatch Of freight
time, and II is for their interest. no less than
that Of the commercial public, to take this busi.
ness into their own hands. The latter willlhus be
relieved OF the eAtfa charges whirh they are
now obliged to pay in order To Obviate drtentinns
in transitu, Und insure deliveries Of freight with
in a certain speciiad lims.
These extra chargcs nre al present made nee
essary, from the fact thattw0 lrauspor tatin com
panies have TO be paid for doing the work which
one COMPANY ouglt 10 do bv itself and without
assistance. The railroad and express both de
inand compensation fof their service and they
both have tn be- supported by leyying an extra
and unnecessary tau upon the domestic trade Of
the country,
That the bhsihess public have To nav rnnudlv
for the maint .nahe of this double headed systern
is quite manifest from the veal tn amassed and
the enormous dividends paid by these hieI chan.
tile express companies, which begin 10 excite the
Jealousy Of their silent partners who own the
railroads. and are Obliged to be content with
smaller profits.
But the time has arrived when this oxpress
system must be regarded as an excrescence or
bSrnacle adhering a. the railroad traffic Of the
counry, It is the "dld than Of the sea-" who DO
strides our routes IT commerce and insists hpnh
being carried at the expense of those who uae
them' me Of the rtanag-rs 10 ling that he absorljs
the cream OF their business, have made sefrtal
Intellectual etfiirts to shake him 0if Others N ore
resolnLe aud perseverlbk. including the New York
and Erie management have succeeded III doing
30,
And now there seems 10 be general UPRISING
.! the railroad interest, especially in Pennsylva.
h'a and the border States. with a view 10 cHt
loose this expensive and superflHuus system, and
10 prosecute all brahthes 0f railroad traffic nroh
Legitimate basis. In carrying ont this tnoastire
Of reform we trus the companies wha cnIttol
The roadswlll receive the support aud co.opera-
ts1n Of our business men both ia the East and