The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-06-18
Concerning Express Companies.

Mr. Cakes as president of the Northern
Pacific Express Co., being recently inter
viewed concerning Express Companies in
general and the Northern Pacific in partic-
ular expressed himselfas willing to give any
information proper to be made public con-
Corning his own company. Asked the effect
the advent of the Wells Fargo into North
ern Pacific territory had upon the business
of the Northern Pacific Express company,
Mr.. Cakes replied that it did not affect his
company severely. The company, he said
has, ofcourse, lost some business and reve
nue., but so far the result is fully as good as
was expected. The express tonnage thus far
this year is greater than it was during the
corresponding time oflastyear. Speaking of
the relation OF the Northern Pacific Rail
road company to the Northern Pacific EX-
press company, Mr.. Oaks said the report
that the two companies were distinct Or
CARNATIONS, and that the former had no
interest in the latter was not true The
express company although a separate or
ganization, is wholly owned by the railroad
company. Consequently it's success is pro-
portionately as much matter of import
ance to the railroad company as either it's
freight or passenger department, and as all
the surplus earnings go into the treasury OF
the railroad company the reason for this is
obvious.
The railroad company is in sympathy
with the express company in the fullest OK
tent, and is willing to bring to bear it's
whole moral influence, in every possible
legitimate manner, to furtherits ends. This
fact Mr.. Cakes is anxious to have the friends
of the company understand. The relations
existing between the two companies are
precisely the same as those existing
between the Pacific express compa-
MES and the Union Pacific, Wabash
and Missouri Pacific systems and the
Baltimore e. Ohio Railroad company
and the Baltimore e Ohio Express com
pany. The entire net earnings Mr.. Cakes
said, OF express companies operating over
the systems named are paid to the railroad
company on whose road they are earned,
and not, as with the old express companies
paid to men who are only stockholders in
the express companies, as the Northern Pa
cific is now practically doing. The friends
OF and believers in the idea. of the raj road
express, he says, areincreaslng daily. Ihey
will continue to increase as roads combine
and merge into large systems, placing under
one management roads covering and con-
Meeting widely separated sections OF the
country. They will, he says, be the rule,
rather than the exception, in a few years.
Asked if the large capital, long experience
and trained force of the old companies did
not give them great advantage, Mr.. Cakes
replied:
| don't think it does. don't think you
will believe it does, when you look at the
matter fairly, in the light OF the facts and
figures. The old express companies repre-
sent capitalization of less than SOC, 1000
| 600. Now look on the railroad express as
| practically q department of the road over
| which it operates. We have to offset this
Capitalization of $50, 1000, 900, the com
bined capital of the Northern Pacific, Union
Pacific, Wabash, Missouri Pacific and Bal
timore e Ohio aggregating over $500 ,OOO,.
| 600 Then as to their system and trained
men, Our system is the same. Our force is
made up OF men trained by the old companies
consequently we. are as well equipped as
they, and SO far as fnancial strength is con-
cerned, of course, much stronger.