The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-07-17
WHY EXPRESS COMPANIES?
Reddick, Fla. July IL, 1914.
The Editor Ocala Banner:

i am gong " Try my DeSt " an
swer your question, "Why Express
comranies?" which appeared in a re-
cent issue of the Banner.
Because it is one of the best pay
ing businesses in existence-to their
owners.
Because the people, through their
law-making departments, submit to
it.
Let us look at the earnings of some
| of them. On page AIS in the inter-
| state commissions report,
No. 419S, it appears that one express
company has received for three years
past an average profit of 597 per cent.
upon the value of the property which
It reports as owned by it. Others
| from II to IS per cent. profit.
The Southern Express Company is
| charged with the average ratio of op
Grating income to the cost OF real
property for the three years ending
June 80, 1910, 372k per cent.
Again, on pages IL and 81, in the
second annual report of the commerce
commission, it says that the Southern
Express Company has invested $685.
| 900 in real estate and equipments,
and it's income for the same was $751;
| 694, 900, of 81 invested yielded nearly
| $40 income in n ear On page 81
it says that part of it's liability is on
| account of So, $4,000 charged to prot
it and loss On page 20 it says that
the net corporate income for 1910
was S2,111,O0O; see $4,000 actual
property Melted SPILL 900 in enc
year.
You see, Mr.. Editor, why we have
the Southern Express Company.
On pages 44S and 449 of report No.
419S, it says that Mr.. M. F. Plant has
| 1925 shares out of a total of 4S-4S7,-
2-3-76 per cent. of the whole South
ern Express Co. Mr.. Plant is a di-
rector of the Atlantic Coast Line. Mr..
| Sheldon has 500 shares, and Mr.. Shell
don is a director of the L. & n. road.
Also ON page 449 it says that under
the terms of the contract the mini
mum rate that the express company
is permitted to charge on fruit and
vegetables, etc., must be twice the
freight rate.
Some OF the owners of the rail-
road and express companies are in
terested in both, and are thereby en-
abled to get two profits out of the
transportation charges.
This is also why we have express
companies.
Here is the way the express com
pany divides with the grower:
Two shipments of 33 crates of can
taloupes to points in the north, sold
for $67.95 (good sales), express charg-
es $42.S3, leaving the shipper but
$18.25. Also one shipment of "a
crates of beans sold for Spills, north,
(low sales); express charges, $1S.72,
leaving the shipper 5000. In the
first lot the express charge was $1,29
per crate, while the shipper got 55c.;
in the second lot the express charge
was zoe. per crate and the grower got
3Rc. per crate.
The express people got full toll
and the grower almost nothing.
vvhu khnn ovprncC onnnoninCo
God deliver us from these leeches.
God help us kill this viper that is
consuming us.
On page No. 201, annual report of
the railroad commission, you will find
a statement made by the Southern
Express Company to the state rail-
road commission saying that their re-
ceipts were $4,000, expenses $685.
900, and they gained, in n year,
$2,S74,000. In making itemized state
ments of expenses they say they paid
the railroad 1881, 600, but on page 2O9
the railroad company says it received
from the express company 1919 1000,
or the railroad received just $193, 900
more from the express company than
the total express receipts for this
same time.
Queer figuring, isn't it?
Again, look at the picture ON page
Is, last report of our state railroad
commission, and you will find these
words: "The 1911 legislature appro-
priated $4,000, which amount has
been practically exhausted in audit
ing of the Southern Express Com
pany and S. A. L. books"
1 wonder what the auditors found
Railroad commissioners, tell the
people who pay the freight and your
salary, What those $4,000 revealed.
Great is the express company.
~