The Cairo bulletin., 1908-12-19
EXPRESS BUSINESS
IN UNITED STATES
THIRTY-FOUR COMPANIES FOUR.
TEEN OF WHICH USE ELEc-
TRIO RAILROADS.
AGREEMENTS ON RATES
With Railroad Companies so That
They viii Not Be Competi-
tors in Freight
Traffic.

Washington Dec. 18.-The bureau
of the census has just issued a re
port giving the results of the sccome
census of the express business. The
statistics presented cover the fisca
year ending June 80, 1907 Except in
. the case of a few reports which
cover the calendar year,, and relate
to those express companies which
forward freight and valuablcs over
some steam, electric, water or stage
line, and which do business in more
than one town. brief review of
the history of the express business
in this country is followed by state
ment of the principal functions of the
companies and the usual form of
their contracts with carriers.
Development Since 1890.
In 1907 there were 81 express com
panies as compared with Is in 1890
Only 10 of the companies reporting
in 1890 were in existence under the
same name in 1907; the remaining s
companies have gone out of business,
have been absorbed by other com
panies, or are operating under other
names.
The total express mileage has in
creased from t7i.059 miles to 235, 903
miles, gain of 35.5 per cent. Both
the mileage operated over railroads
and that operated over water lines
show large gains, the former having
increased from 160,122 to 216.973, or
800 per cent, and the latter from
1882 to 1876, or G35 per cent. A
large part of the gain IN steamboat
mileage is attributable to the extern
sion of the express business into
alaska. The company operating in
Alaska and between Alaska and
Seattle was unable to segregate its
coastwise mileage from the ocean
mileage operated. Ocean mileage is
not included in the reports of the
other companies. There has been a
decrease from 3055 to 1,134 in the
mileage operated over stage lines,
due to the abandonment of such lines
upon the construction of railroads in
territory hitherto accessible only by
stage.
Ninety-one per cent of the total
mileage in 1907 is operated over
steam railroads, Is over steamboat
lines. nine-tcnths of 1 per cent over
electric roads, and five-tenths of |
per cent over stage lines. Fourteen
companies report the use of electric
roads for express transportation; and
of these, ;. operating 2O5.3O miles,
use such roads exclusively.
Relations With Railway Companies
That the relationship of the eX-
press companies with each other and
the railways is close is indicated by
the fact that on June 80, 1906, rail
way companies held s206GS 900 of
express company stock, and express
companies held s22,21S,950 of rail
way stock and $12,32i.00 of railway
bonds, and .s11,61S,125 of stock of
other express companies.
The contract between a railway
and an express company usually pro.
videE that the express company shall
not make a rate lower than $50 per
cent of the freight rate on the same
article. OF course the railway. re-
ceiving an agreed percentage of the
total earnings of express companies,
profits by high express rates, which.
moreover. insure the railway freight
business freedom from a possible
competitor.
Methods Of Determining Rates.
To determine the charge on a.
shipment Of merchandise grad
uated scale is employed which ap-
plies to matter weighing less than
1Ol pounds when the rate Is under
s. per 100 pounds and to matter
weighing less than 80 pounds when
the rate is 81 or more per 100 pounds.
When the value of any merchandise
shipment exceeds $50 an additional
charge is made on the declared value
Next in importance to the graduated
scale is what are known as general
special rates" which cover ship
ments Of perishable matter. such as
butter. eggs, fish. meat. vegetables.
etc. and are lower than the rates on
merchandise per 100 pounds. The
price in a given case is found by null
thriving the weight by the rate.
With a designated minimum charge.
usually IS cents per 100 pounds. The
charges on currency are made by
means Of graduated tables in the
same manner as the charges on