The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-12-01
EXPRESS EXCESS
CHARGES PAY
Companies Net Tidy Sum Every
Day by Deliberate ExtOrtion.
PACKAGES GO LONG ROUTES
Carefully Dodgng the Direct Line Of
TraVel-Big Shippers Complain of
Vexatious Delays-No Redress
From transportation Trust.

New York.-Oyerchargin is a
scource OF profitable business 10 the
express companies, according 10 testi-
mony given at the hearing in the
rooms OF the Merchants Association
before Franklin X. Lane OF the Inter
State Commerce Commission into ex-
press companies rates and methods.
A w. Ryan, an investigator for the
commission, offered figures showing
that the United States Express Com
pany collected in 1910 $28,S31 in over
charges and did not refund $6,S04 of
this. This sum represented, Mr.. Ryan
pointed out, an unjust accumulation
and was brought about because Of the
complicated system of charges and
the lack of knowledge Of the scale by
employees The interstate commerce
investigators took one days business
as an index. On Dec. %, 1909, the
United States Express Company over
charged on 1871 shipments. Mr..
Ryan's report showed, and the uncor-
rected overcharges at the days busi-
ness was $471.
The total overcharge of the Adams
Express Company in 1910 amounted to
$69,537 according to Mr.. Ryan's fig
ures, and not all of it was refunded.
The day taken as an index, Aug IS,
1909, showed uncorrected overcharges
of $2S7.
It also came out through Mr.. Ryan's
testimony that some of the express
companies at least had refused to give
the investigators access to their books
prior to 1906.
Commissioner Lane expressed sur
prise. Mr.. Ryan explained that the
reason given for the refusal was that
the commission had. no jurisdiction at
that time. The investigators protest
ed, Mr.. Ryan said, but the express
people stood by their contention and
the books were not viewed.
Maps showing the direct routes be-
tween various cities and the devious
routes which express matter follow
were put in evidence by Frederick
De Berard, Secretary of the Express
Rates Conference and statistican Of
the Merchants Exchange. These
show that the direct route between
Binghamton and Perry n. Y, is:
Bin.aamton to SILVER Springs, 154
miles; to Perry, Z miles, a total of
161 miles. The express route is:
Binghamton to Albany, 143 miles: to
Rochester, 22S miles; to Silver
Springs, so miles; to Perry, 7 miles,
total mileage OF 42S
The direct route from New Haven
to Syracuse, n. Y, he gave as 313
miles by way of Springfield and Al
bany, whereas the actual express
route is: New Haven TO New York,
70 miles; to Harrisburg, 1874 miles;
to Newark, n. Y, 242 miles; to Syra-
cuse, 80 miles total, $50 miles. The
direct route from New York to Roa-
noke, Va, is by way Of Washington
and Lynchburg, yet express matter
goes by way Of Newport News and
Norfolk, III miles longer.
AS an example of the failure of the
express companies to notify shippers
of the non-delivery Of goods, Mr. De
Berard said that the Fulton Silk Mills
of Gloversville shipped 10 New York
a consignment of silk. Two or three
weeks later a customer sent an in
quiry and it was then learned that
the shipment had not been delivered.
The agent OF the American Express
Company informed the firm that the
company was under no legal obliga.
tion to notify the shipper and added
that he had received word from the
head OF the company that il was only
through courtesy that the company
had ever notified consignors of the
non-acceptance of deliveries. His in
structions after that, the agent wrote,
were not to notify shippers at all.
Mr. De Berard told of complaints on
the delay in returning to shippers the
money collected by express companies
on goods sent G. O. ID. Formerly
they returned the cash after deduct
ing their commission. Now, he said.
they send it back in express checks,
using the mail at cost of 2 cents
This method OF return costs less and
gives the companies a longer use of
the money. The practice OF increas-
ing the price on packages where a
greater value than $50 is given. was
attacked. Maiden Lane jewelers., Mr..
De Berard said. shipped under the
$50 value limitation and insured their
shipments. preferring TO do this rath-
er than give the true value. pay the
increased charges, and then pay for
! insurance as well.