St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-03
THE EXPRESS WAR.
Prospect of a Long and Acrimonious
Struggle.
Statement of W. P. Clough, Attorney for the
Northern Pacific Road.

Statement of W. P. Clough, Attorney for the
Northern Pacific Road.
The dispatch from New York, published
yesterday in regard to the action of Wells,
Fargo & Co., to compel the Northern Pacific
railroad to carry their express matter, was ex-
hibited to the Northern Pacific people, and
upon the request of a GLOBE representative,
Mr.. Clough, the attorney of the road, made
the following statement:
Wells, Fargo & Co. have monpolized the ex-
press business on the Pacific for many years.
THY occupied the water route between San
Francisco and Portland before the advent of
railroads. When the Oregon Railway and Nav
igation company extended its lines up the
Columbia eastward Wells, Fargo IL Co. ex-
tended their business to that line. The
Northern Pacific commenced its work OF
building on the Oregon Railway 81 Naviga-
ton road and worked east from there to a
junction near Harrison station with the east
ern divisionsof this road. The western divi-
sion of the Northern Pacific formed con-
tinuatlon eastward of the Oregon Rail-
way 81 Navigation road, and
there being no other express
company doing business with that company,
Wells, Fargo IL Co. made temporary ar
rangement with the Northern Pacific Railroad
company, for the extension of their express
business to the built portions Of the western
divisions of the former company, by which
Wells, Fargo & Co. are afforded a continuous
rail route from Portland east to points on
the constructed portions of the Northern
Pacific western divisions. This temporary
arrangement expired about January, 1883,
and has never been renewed. The present
management of the railroad company gave
to the economic question connected with
the express business very thorough exam
ination, and demonstrated that the custom
airy division of the proceeds of the express
business between the railroad companies
carrying the business, and the express COM
panies, is highly unjust to the railroad
companies. In fact, it can without difficulty
be shown that the rate usually paid by the
express company to the railroad companies
make sthe business less profitable to the rail-
road companies than if they were to load
their express cars with the coarsest kind of
freight. The management OF the Northern
Pacific road, after having convinced itself of
the truth of these facts, decided that from
the time when the road should be completed,
any express business done upon it should
pay to the railroad company fair and just
CONDENSATION for the services rendered and
facilities granted, and that the express car
riers should not get from twice to three
times as much out of the business as would
amount to fair remuneration to them.
Wells, Fargo & Co. have never shown any
disposition to enter into an arrangement
with the railroad company for facilities upon
its line on terms which the railroad company
could in Justice to itself accept. The i'm
probability of that concern doing so together
with the large field in the northwest with COM
paratively small existing express facilities
led to the formation of the Northern Pacific
Express company. This latter company has
ample financial backing is willing to do bus
mess upon fair and just basis, as well be-
tween itself and the railroad company as be-
tween itself and the public. Shortly after
the completion of the Northern Pacific road
the Northern Pacific Railroad company and the
Northern Pacific Express company consum-
mated an arrangement for doing business on
the main and all the branch lines operated
by the Northern Pacific Railroad com pany. The
Northern Pacific Express company does not,
however, propose to confine itself to those
lines of railroad. 1t has already extended
its service to San Francisco by way of Port
land and the coast steamers, and it designs
to open up business on all routes, whether
rail or water, west of St. Paul, which will
afford the prospect of reasonable remuner-
alton.
AS before stated, the provisional arrange
ment by which Wells, Fargo & Co. worked
a part of the western division of the Northern
Pacific railroad terminated about January,
1888, andthe arrangement has not been re-
newed for the reasons stated. In order to