Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-23
TIE EXPRESS BUSINESS.

TIE G%FH60o oOoINeo0'
A gusher that has ceased to spout,
a bonanza gold mine that Is gradually
being worked out-such is the ex-
press business in the United States,
and such, doubtless, it will eventual.
ly become in Canada. Already some
of the smaller companies, which once
yielded enormous returns to their
stockholders, have quit while the
quitting was good" and retired from
the field. The great corporations are
still doing business, and may continue
to do SO profitably for many years to
come, but the era of monopoly and
get rich quick" returns has vanish
ed, never to return.
The express business is peculiar
ly American institution. 1t started
seventy-seyen years ago today, Feb.
%, 1889, when William +. Harnden. a
Boston Yankee, published an adver'
lsement in the New York and Bos-
ton newspapers announcing q new
venture. Harnden had been a railway
conductor, but his health was not
good, and he began cndgeling his
brains to devise some plan for making
more money with less work. He hit
upon the idea of carrying parcels be.
tween New York and Boston. AS a
railroad man, he could ride free on
the trains between those cities.
The newspaper advertisement
which was the. foundation of bust
ness which made great fortunes for
many people ran as follows: j.
William #. Harnden has made ar.
engagements with the Providence Rail-
road and the New York Eoat Com.
pany to run car through from Bos-
ton to New York, and vice versa, four
times week. He will accompany
the car himself, take care of all small
packages that may be entrusted to
his care and see them safely deliver
ed" Harnden gave his Office address
es as l Wall street, New York, and
9 Court street, Boston.
Harnden's car" was purely flight
of the imagination. but it was pro.
phetic of what was to come, when
express cars were to be operated on
all the railroads of North America.
A valise was quite large enough to
hold all the parcels entrusted to
Harnden's care on his early trips.
;Harnden lost 5000 in his venture in
the first six months. ! Then, thanks to
persistent newspapef advertising, the
tide turned. Harnden made himself
useful to the New York and Boston
newspapers by delivering to them the
latest news, in advance of the mails.
He was thus not only "the original
expressman,' but a news bureau in
embryo. The newspapers returned
the favor by literally complimenting
Harnden and his venture.
In 1910 the business had become
so profitable that Alvan Adams and
p. B. Burke started a competing eX.
press company, the sole ownership
soon devolving upon Adams, who had
been a grocer in Vermont. Harnden
extended his business to Philadel.
phia and ALBANY in 184l, and Adams
also put an Office in the Quaker City.
E. IS. Sanford, the Adams agent in
Philadelphia, also formed partner
ship with S. M. Shoemaker of Balti-
more and inaugurated an express line
to the Maryland metropolis and to
Washington. iA4arnden died before he
had been in the business nine years.
His partner, Wells, started a line be.
tween Albany and Buffalo, with Will
liam c. Fargo as his agent in the lat
ter city . The two formed a partner.
ship, Wells, Fargo & Company. Three
other companies were united in the
American Express Company, and the
National Express Company opened a
line from New York to Montreal.
Wells. Fargo & Company's California
express was launched in 1S49.
Harnden, the pioneer in the bust.
ness which made so many fortunes,
died in poverty-the usual fate of pi.
oneers.