The San Francisco call., 1896-03-30
Neat Trick Worked by the Nor.
ton Special Delivery Com
pany.
TO ADVERTISE IT'S BUSINESS.
Its Signs Are Now in Forty Stations
on the Southern Pacific
Railroad.

Superintendent Fillmore of the Southern
Pacific appears to have been made the vic
tim of bright little scheme on the part
of the Morton Special Delivery Company.
For years he has waged a constant warfare
against the new baggage-smashing con-
Germ in order to protect the Pacific Trans
fer Company in the rights for which it has
paid. Peanut butchers were even forbid
den to sell on the trains BOOKS containing
the Morton Companys advertisement and
every possible means was taken TO prevent
the travelling public from knowing that
they could have their trunks transferred
for thirty-fve cents if they saved their
checks until they reached San Francisco
instead OF giving them to the agent on the
train, who charged fifty cents.
That was the condition of affairs up to
last Wednesday. To-day nearly forty Of
the railroads stations are decorated
with large cards warning people not
to give their checks to agents on the trains,
but to save them until they reach the City
and have them moved for thirty five cents
by the Morton Delivery Company. The
new cards were a great surprise to the
ticket agents, but they had nothing to say
on the subject, except that they were put
up by Fillmore's orders"
At first 1t was thought that compro-
mise had been effected between the TWO
transfer companies, but investigation
proves otherwise. w. r. Morton of the
delivery company, when spoken to about
the matter, chuckled in the most pleased
manner and had the appearance OF man
contented with his handiwork.
IVY e have to be on the lookout for these
opportunities to bring our name before
che public" Mr. Morton said, land l have
been working on this scheme long time.
[ did the work through weIl-known sign
company, and think the thing will stick
or somebody will get damages.
This is the way it was he went on.
'The sign company made an agreement
with Fillmore TO put up large frames OF ad-
vertisements in seventy different stations
throughout the State. Their contract
reads that it shall be of ANY firm or per-
son and so worded as not to be hbelous or
indecent. As We are safe on any OF the
exceptions, / don't see what Mr.. Fillmore
can do except allow our sign TO remain in
the frames or pay the Adsigns Company
large bill of damages for the amount
they would lose by having it taken out"
Mr.. Morton smiled in the most pleased
manner and continued: The men
started out with the signs last Wednesday,
and by this time most likely have them
in every station between here and Sacra-
mento and down to Fresno. 1t Is also the
intention to place them in the stations OF
the coast divisions. In fact, they will go
anywhere that they will do the most good.
In any event it is not my fight, as the sign
company has guaranteed me against any
trouble. Ii the signs don't stay there |
don't pay for them"
Evan j. Coleman of the transfer COM
pany expressed great surprise when told
that the Morton Delivery Com pany had
put up signs advertising their business in
the stations between Ben:cla and Sacra-
mento. Surely" he said, 'you don't
mean to say they are in the station build
ings9'
When informed that they were, he be-
came quite indignant for few moments,
and finally came to the conclusion that
Mr.. Fillmore could know nothing about
them. "Our contract with the railroad
company will not allow those signs in
their depots, and / will look into the
matter tomorrow. We pay large sum
for the privilege of doing business on the
trains and pay the agents many thousands
of dollars year in salaries for their work.
The Morton Company now has more
privileges than it should have and it pays
practically nothing for them. Those signs
cannot remain there, and L am surprised
But am sure that Mr.. Fillmore has been
fooled end as soon as he hears OF it will
order the signs taken down."
AS the matter stands it seems to have
great possibilities for pretty fight any
way you look at it. If Mr.. Fillmore has
been fooled the chances are that some
thing will .'pop" when he discovers the
trick. If the Morton signs have really
been put up with his permission he will
have his hands full to square matters
with the Pacific Transfer Company so that
things are bound to be interesting for the
people, particularly those who have an in
terest in the transferring of trunks for 35
cents instead of so cents.