The Washington herald., 1918-06-05
EXPRESS HEAD
ONCE DRIVER
George c. Taylor, Named
by McAdoo, Began Life
In Humble Way.


ally. that Mr.. Taylor began his ca
reer as q helper and wagon-driver In
q small country town in Wisconsin.
That, however, is not an exceptional
case. For with possibly q single ex-
ception all Of those who developed the
express business In the United States
began their careers in an humble ca
pacity. All of them worked up to po-
sitions Of responsibility and IN sew
eral cases obtained great wealth.
The one exception to this rule is
the organization Of the Wells Fargo
Express Company. That company orig
mated through the purchase by
Wells Fargo interests in San Fran
cisco Of the mail and stagecoach line
which was established by Ben Holli-
day before the Pacific railroads were
constructed. The Holiday line gain
ed celebrity and Holiday himself ac-
Quired q fortune.
George c. Taylor who has been for
some years president Of the American
Express Company, and has now been
designated by Director General Nc
Adoo as the operating head Of the
new merger, in his early days in ex-
press service made II clear to those
who employed him that he had espe-
cial qualifications for maintaining and
business which at last came to the
American Express Company.
First Company Organized.
This company was the first of the
express companies to be organized.
Its promoters did not incorporate
the company but organized under
the common law OF New York State
so that from the beginning until the
10 AA
in the nature of a joint stock COM
pany. 1t was organized in 1850 and
within q few years after organic
ing took over various minor ex-
press companies, especially in New
England. In doing that 1t served
the public, but it also established
to some extent q monopoly.
For instance an enterprising
young man OF Boston carried on ex-
press business between Boston,
Providence and Worcester. PresuIn-
ably he followed the lead OF the
originator OF the railroad and
steamboat express business. His
name was Herndon. and he was en-
ployed on the Boston and Provi-
dence Railroad in a minor capacity.
Gradually be undertook to receive
and deliver packages for merchants
or their customers in Boston and
Providence. Later the business in
creased so rapidly that II became
known as Herndon's Express, unit
ing the ownership of the American
Express Company. Herndon's and
Earl and Praw's Eastern Express
Company.
A bright lad OF the kind New
England people were accustomed to
49, m
years ago as a stage driver between
Nashau. N. H. and Exeter. He was
so faithful. that he was later EN-
ployed as a stage driver between
Nashua and Keene. To him were
committed parcels which he first re-
ceived "a a matter of free accommo-
dation, soon learning that for serv-
ice of that kind he was entitled
to some compensation. Money pack
ages in considerable amounts were
handed to him chiefly on account
of Boston bankers who had faith in
young Cheney and who knew that
the money would be surely deliver
ed at its destination.
Gradually Cheney withdrew from
the staGecoach line and established
and operated with his own hands
an express service. The business
grew Cheney was recognized not
only as a responsible but very eff
cient young man. capable Of work.
ing out satisfactorily some of the
new problems which the creation Of
the express business had raised. u
timately he sold out to the Amer
lean Express Company and having
had faith in the Northern Pacific
and the Atchison Railroad properties
was associated with those who were
promoting these railroads His for
tune became very large and at his
death his estate was inventoried at
$1,000 oo0
Adams Express Company.
Alvin Adams was born a farmers
boy in Vermont and his early life
was spent in that State. Vermont
could not keep him. for although
he had little possessions except
health. energy and some experience.
and a fine but personally trained
business Judgment, nevertheless he
business and rapidly worked his way
up. The company which bears his
name was organized four years later
than the American Express Company.
II rapidly gained profitable patron
age and was able to secure advan-
tageous contracts with various i'm
portant railroad lines. 1t expanded
through mergers and purchases Of
other companies, but, like the Amer
lean Express Company, was not in
corporated. but was organized on the
joint-stock-partnership plan. From q
small beginning and by the work of
young men who had little or nothing
but energy and good business Judg-
ment, the express business became
one Of the largest factors of Amer
lean industry.
Only recently the American Ex-
press Company gained control of the
Southern Express Company. Both
the American and the Adams Ex-
press Companies have caused to be
built skyscraping once buildings,
identified by their respective names,
which front lower Broadway.
Some of those who have COMPLAIN
ed that they are unable to get along
in life because they lack opportu-
nifty or lack influences which would
serve to push them ahead would do
we'll to read the history of the be-
ginning and growth of the various
express companies in the United
States. That history will tell the
story of the careers Of boys who
began with nothing In the way Of
money or influence and who grad
ually and surely worked their yay
ahead. in the first years of that
service with their own hands, sup
plementing their handiwork by ex-