The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15
SHIPPERS FEAR LOSS
OF EXPRESS SERVICE
Merchants Think End Of q. s.
Company Presents Seri-
Gus Problem.
PLAN TO SAVE COMPANIES
Proposition TO Have Remaining
Concerns Act in Service
Of Railroads.

The end Of the United States Express
Company brought the financial and msr.
camille communities Of New York face
to face yesterday with the fact that the
entire express service OF the country 10
In danger Of being wiped out.
The action Of the United States CON-
pany showed that the talk Of liquidation
WAS moro than "bluff." Us Il had been
called In a number Of quarters.
Merchants. bankers and men In char1e
OF the express companies said yesterday
that the problem Of retaining the ex-
press service side by side with the parcel
post. or OF snnihilatins tho private SER
vice for the Government service to take
over what II could. was presented
In q vital way that affected directly
tho PROSPERITY Of the whole country.
There IL discussion OF a drastic change
In the method Of doing the express bust
ness. This IL being seriously considered
by officers Of the big companies.
plan liz being worked for the han
ding OF the express business OF the ooun-
try by the railroads, using the express
companies as their agents Under this
plan the express companies would con-
tinue as independent ORGANIZATIONS, to col
roads paying them for this service suf-
ficient to meet their expenses. with Q
moderate return on their investment
This revolutionary proposal. though
under consideration, has not yet reached
the point where II has taken the form OF
definite propositions to the railroads. II
was outlined yesterday by q man high In
express circles as one means OF saving
the express companies a. valuable organ
izat!ons.
Most OF tho present contracts divide
the gross receipts from express business
on so per cent. business between the
express companies and the railroads. The
express companies in addition guarantee
Che railroads n minimum amount OF bust
ness.
Express company of<aers feel that the
guarantee Is a bad arrangement that In
many cases results unfairly. tending to
influence express companies to divert traffic
from the natural routes to those with
which the companies have most favorable
contracts.
Roberts Answers Proaty.
President Roberts ~ the United States
Express Company. commenting on the re-
ported statement by former Interstate
Commerce Commissioner Prouty yesterday
that the express business Of the future
would be done by fast freight said:
1T would he impossible to handle the
pacnaeo business W i's,sn' IN 'he way
head OF one Of the largest mercantile
houses in this city was talking Of the
outlook for the express companies.
mentioned that this company would 90
OUT VI business III cohoiuons oio NOT I'M
prove. He was astounded ana would not
peneNe ~. II the express companies 70
to 20 out OF business too
nc men saiu una. IL was ho' an m
Ireauent ming WIN me n,in 70 SEND oy
oop so9os oi", ,roIn sio'Vuo 10 sio.
-" i"' w N'po' uien.
49,, ,,, ,a' TS'
&C.,. haa aa,.ar,,.as $50,
nendipy nm tho sh,nr,.r,. ana ,h,s NJ,
Worry house mad o,Iv ,wor,v', 20. -,
granh orders we're receiyed IN Nsv yorL
70 law the good, on tho conn,e,s NJ ths
Western stores.
parcel post'' said this man. Its imno..
sible. 1t can only bo done by the ex-
express companies ana they've got 10 con-
tinue In business II the inercanuie busi-
ness OF the country IL not 10 De seriously
INJURED
me pubic does not UNDERSTAND the
iu'lo'ions anu uses .. ,he eHpress ser
uer.aius spe,u am we sNe speeu' ras'
l,ss"' nay y, a." ~ ~e" ~, an OYER
s 49,, 49, p.np
49,, az n.a...,,, ,uap.,
.i -, ca ,n,,,or, n
,he, co,,,d s,and anv anonn, ~ no,rna,'
,,on ''''
..rb,s collecting seryics 4. thu heav,..,
.x,rass ~, tho rourari.s 7, "a n d,sir
Nv, ear,inys hut /, 4. What rba nmh,,n
-. r..
les tho ,uhlc ,h,nk NJ the ho,r .usr
hour ,h,, our wagon. nm In m. a.
god. dis,r,ct WIS, s,.rd idia ,yai,,n-
"a ,n,y. nackap,,, With ali ha..s n. .oor
as the bis mercantile house,, can get them
ready, Two HORSES and the ,ruck ron-
r.santin~ an invss,man, ~ say 4, 900
and +,Yo nfter ,hre.. y,..n ms, ~ ~,
al, o.. 80 hsa,a,,So -, a. ,,,-,.I'.
as q, ~ e. 80 e. .,Is,,,s. -. -
-, nv -, ,I W "p
800, 10 ,,s., VI e'o" !" "o' ''
''' nc '''' ''''