Middletown transcript., 1882-02-10
HOW THE EXPRESS BUSINESS
STARTED.

have just found an old letter, ad-
dressed to me on the both of October,
1888, which led to results quite over
pOwering in their magnitude. The
writer is William F. Harnden. He
tells me that he has applied for a post
of conductor upon the Western Rail
road, and solicits my influence, as
treasurer of the road, "should you
think me worthy of the Office Harnden
had been selling tickets at the Wor-
cester Railroad Depot, but found this
occupation much too sedentary for his
active nature. For some reason, which
l do not recall, Harnden did not get
the conductorship but his application
brought me in contact with this live,
intelligent young fellow, who wished
to be on the go, and suggested to him
new sort Of business, which in the
hands of bright man l thought might
be pushed to success. AS director and
president of the Providence Railroad, l
was compelled to make weekly journeys
to New York, where the bulk of our
stock was held. The days of my de-
parture were well known, and l was
always met at the depot by bevy of
merchants clerk, who wished to intrust
packages of business papers, samples of
goods and other light matters to my
care. The mail establishment was at
that time utterly insufficient to meet
the wants of the public The postage
was II cents on every seperate bit of
paper and this was a burdensome tax
upon the daily checks, drafts and re-
ceipts incident to mercantile trans
actions. was ready to be of service
to my friends, through some of them
thought my good nature was imposed
upon when they found that 1 was
obliged to carry a large travelling bag
to receive their contributions. I kept
this bag constantly in sight on my
journey, and, upon arriving in New
York, delivered it to a man whom the
merchants employed to meet me and |
its contents. Now it oc-
CURED to me that here was an oppor-
tunity for somebody to do for an
adequate compensation, just what 1
was doing for nothing. l pointed out
to Mr.. Harnden that the collection and
delivery of parcels, as well as their
might be taken by one
person, for whose service
he merchants would be glad to pay.
The suggestion fell upon fruitful soil.
Harnden asked me for special facilities
lpon the Boston and Providence road,
which gladly gave him, and with the
opening year he commenced regular
rips, twice week, think he made
hem) bearing in his hand a small
valise and that valise contained in
5erm the immense express business
it as the acorn contains the
crest of oaks that may come from it
Dut many generations are required to t
ee the magnifcence of the forest,
While the growths of human enterprise t
xtend to their wonderful maturity in t
hort life. Harnden's fate was that l
90 common with pioneers and inven- {
ors. He built up a great business by I
teady industry, saw all its splendid t
disabilities, tried to realize them before :
he time was ripe, and died poor man )
the age of 33. In attempting to
Xtend the express to Europe, he as t
lmed risks that were ruinous, and the t
.alwart Vermonter, Alvin Adams, 1
ook his place as chief of the great in )
tiisstti.jF tiistfi.jF which which has has arisen under his
Quincy IN the Indepen- g
emit. II