Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-04-04
How the EXPRESS Business Started.


Josish Quincy writes as follows
in the Independent: Ihave just found
an old letter addressed to me on
the 9th OF October, 1898, which led to
resultg quite overpowering in their mag
nitude. The writer is William I. Harm
den. He tells me that he has applied
for post OF conductor upon the West
ern railroad, and solicits my influence
as treasurer Of the road, SHOULD you
think me worthy of the Office" Harm.
den had been selling tickets at the
Worcester railroad depot, but found
this Office much too sedentary for his
active nature. He was a man who
wanted to be moving. For some rea'
son do not recall, Harnden did not
get the conductorship; but his applica.
ton brought me in contact with this
l'the, intelligent young fellow, who
wished to be on the go, and / suggested
to him new sort OF business, which in
the hands Of a bright man / thought
might be pushed to success. As direc.
tor and president OF the Providence
railroad / was compelled to make
weekly journeys to New York, whore
the bulk of our stock was held.
The days OF my departure were well
known, and l was always met at the
derot by beyy of merchants clerks
vino wished to intrust packages OF bust
ness papers, samples Of goods and other
light matters to my care. The mail
establishment was ct that time utterly
insufficient to meet the wants OF the
public. The postage was seventeen
cents upon every bit of separate paper,
and this was q burdensome tax upon
the daily checks, drafts and receipts
incident to mercantile transactions. l
was ready 10 be Of service to my friends,
though some OF them thought my good
nature was imposed upon when they
found I was obliged TO carry large
travelling bag to receive their contribu-
tons. / kept this bag constantly in
sight On nv journey, and upon arriving
in New York delivered it to man
whom the merchants employed 10 meet
me and distribute its contents. Now, 1t
occurred to me that here was an oppor-
tunity for somebody to do, for an ade-
quate compensation, just what l was
doing for nothing. Ipointed out to Mr..
Harden that tho collection and delivery
of parcels, as well as other trsnsporta-
ton, might bo undertaken 10y one re-
sponsible person, for whose services the
merchants would be glad to pay.
The suggestion fell upon fruitful
soil. Ha-nden asked me for special
facilities upon the Boston and Proyi.
deuca road, which l gladly gave him,
and with the opening year be COM
menced regular trips twice n week, l
tulOk ne IuAit lutlllt tta4il4s III MS
hand n small vsliso; aud that valise
contained in germ the immense express
business contained il as the acorn
contains the forest of oaks that may
come from i, but many generations
are required TO see the magni6cence of
the forests. while the growths of human
enterprise expand to their wonderful
maturity in one short life. Haynden's
fate vas that too common with pioneers
and inventors. He built up grea:
business by steady industry, saw all Its
splendid possibilities, tried TO realize
them before the time was ripe and died
poor man at the age Of thirty three.
In attempting to extend the express
business to Europe he assumed risks
that were ruinous, and the s'alwaIt
Vermonter. Alvin Adams, took his place
as chief in the great industry which had
arisen under his hands.