Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-06-18
concerning Express Companies.

Mr.. 0akes as president Of the Northern
Pacific Express Co., being recently inter
viewed concerning Express Companies in
general and the Northern Pacific in partic-
nlar expressed himselias 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 II did not affect his
company severely. The company, lac 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 IL was during the
corresponding time oilast year Speaking Of
the relation Of the NortherR Pacific Rail
road company to the Northern Pacific EX-
press company, MFR. Oaks said the report
that the two companies we're distinct or
carnations, and that the former had no
interest in the latter was not true. The
express company although a separate or
ganilatiop, is wholly owned by the railroad
company. Consequently its success is pro-
portionately as much a matter Of import
ance to the railroad company as either its
freight or passenger department, and az 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 ex-
tent, and Is willing TO bring to bear it's
whole moral influence, in every possible
legitimate manner, to further its 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 & Ohio Railroad company
and the Baltimore & Ohio Express com
pany. The entire net earnings, Mr.. Cakes
said, oil 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 RAILROAD
express, he says, areincreasingd daily. They
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 few years.
Asked il the large capital, long experience
ana brdlneu IOrCe Oh Ine Oiu CoHpdhiee ui'i
not give them great advantage, Mr.. Cakes
replied:
| don't think IL 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 500, 600
900 Now look on the railroad express as
practically department OF the road over
which il operates. We have to offset this
capitalization OF $50, 600, 900, the com
bined capital Of the Northern Pacific, Union
Pacific, Wabash, Missouri Pacific and Bal
timore X Ohio aggregating over $500, 900, :
0Co iItn az TO their system and trained
r. =. Our system is the same. Our force is
= adeno oimen trained by the old companies
Consequently we ere as well equipped as
tbcy, and 50 far as financialstrength is con-
eerned, Of course, much stronger.