Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-20
KICKING ON EXTRAS.
complaints Made Against the Express
Companies That They
CHARGE FOR DELIVERING GOODS
Drawing Dead Lines Around the City
Business Center.
ONE EXPECT OF CLOSE COMPETITION

Complaints are made by the East End
people of having to pay extra charges on
express packages The companies draw
certain lines through the city, and beyond
these boundaries they do not deliver free.
The business is turned over to local ex-
press company, that charges from 10 cents to
81, or more, according to the number and
size of the packages and the distance to be
taken.
The claim is made by many patrons that
when an express company takes package
, it contracts to deliver it at the exact
place of destination; that Pittsburg
is Pittsburg whether it be the West End,
Southside or the extreme East End, and that
the companies have no right to draw lines
beyond which they will not deliver goods
This argument was promptly knocked on
the head, from the expressmen's stand
point, by the Adams people, who said that
the free delivery is only made for accommo-
dation, and that the companies when they
take packages agree to carry them from
Office to Office The name with the number
of the house and street is put on SO that the
companies can notify the consignee by mail
that certain goods have arrived and he can
call and receive them. They stated that the
courts had frequently rendered decisions to
this effect. In other words, the free delivery
system is the result of competition.
And One Was Frozen Out.
There are three express companies in
Pittsburg, the Adams, United States and
American. The Wells-Fargo was frozen
r. %oo
possession of the Pittsburg and Western.
For Pittsburg proper the lines of free de-
livery are to Thirty-third street on the
Southside, the market house out Fifth
avenue and Butler street in the Lawrence
vile district Up to last April free deliv-
cries were not made beyond Thirty
third street on Penn avenue, but
at that time the American
Ter street, and the other companies were
- compelled to follow or lose the business.
The credit for the extension belongs to NJ
Z. Valiant, manager of the American COM
pany.
The Adams Express Company has offices
at Shadyside and East Liberty with agents
in charge Superintendent Glenn's au-
thority is now confined to Pittsburg alone.
He used to be responsible for all the offices
to Altoona An agent is also placed in
Allegheny. An effort was made to find out
what the boundary lines are from the
ShadysIde and East Liberty Offices but
nobody with the Adams down
town could remember. They said
they never went to the East End, and
the lines are being constantly changed. 1t
is known, however, that the Adams does
not deliver goods free to all parts of the
East End. In many sections the packages
are turned over to the Williamsburg and
East End Express Company, and they
charge extra for the delivery
NJ E. valiant, manager of the American
Express Company, said frankly that it
didn't pay his company to make free deliv-
cries in the East End. and with its CON-
petitors, the American turns the East End
packages ever to the local express companies
He remarked that beyond the market house
on Fifth avenue the city is built up with
homes. There are not many stores as along
Penn avenue to Butler street. and it is the
business houses that support express COM
panies. He said he might put on an extra
wagon to make deliveries in the East End.
The salary of the driver would be $50 per
month, and the expenses of the team would
be additional
Didn't Pay the Company.
The packages to deliver would not be nu-
empty handed. He added that whenever
the business out Fifth avenue would war
rant it the company would be glad to put
on wagons. The managers of the Ameri-
can couldn't understand the topography
of Pittsburg. They came to the city and
took drive through the hill and eastern
sections. When they saw how the stores
and business interests were concentrated
down town in the narrow triangle, they de-
cided to draw the delivery lines where they
are Other cities differ from Pittsburg, and
the stores are widely scattered.
A gentleman cited a case where he had
sent package from another town to East
Liberty. Instead of leaving it there the
Adams brought it into Pittsburg, and then
gave it to a local express company to deliver.
An extra charge of 25 cents was made The
patron said he had paid the charges in ad-
vance, and it was definitely understood BY
the Adams that it was to De delivered at his
home for what had been, paid. This is only
q sample of some of the complaints that are
made.
1t is claimed also by the public that the
companies are slow in collecting parcels in
Pittsburg. In reply to this all the COM
panies' agents stated that they aimed to be
be prompt, and they we're willing to
wager that no other city in the
country had a quicker service than
Pittsburg. The American has no
offices in the East End, like the
Adams. The United States has
an Office at Glenwood and in Allegheny.
The American has two wagons to deliver
and collect parcels in Allegheny. TIE ex-
press companies have different wagons to do
the work. One set watches the stores and
makes the collections, while another does
the delivering.