The contracts made by express companies with railroads usually provide
that the railroad must:
1--Furnish facilities for the prompt transportation of express matter,
accompanied by express messengers, on passenger and mail trains; in
baggage and combination cars; or on special trains made up of express
cars only.
2--Turn over to the express company, i. e., give it a monopoly of, all
merchandise offered for transportation on passenger trains, except
personal baggage, dogs, corpses, etc.
3--Refuse any other express company facilities for the transportation of
express matter.
4--Grant the express company, wherever possible, space in railroad
stations, without charge where such grant causes no extra expense to the
railroad.
5--Grant free transportation to officers and employees of the express
company, and for its personal property and supplies.
6--Permit its employees at stations, etc., wherever possible, to be
agents also of the express company.
On its side, the express company must:
1--Pay the railroad an agreed percentage (usually about 50%) of the
charges levied and collected by the express company for its service of
sending matter by express.
2--Throw open its books and tariffs to the scrutiny of the railroad and
furnish the railroad whatever additional documents and records may be
necessary to determine the correctness of the sums assigned the railroad
by the express company.
3--Carry free of charge money and other matter concerned with the
business of the railroad.
4--Be responsible for any damage to the expressed goods.
5--Make its charges at least 150% of the freight charge of the railroads
for similar merchandise. (The present charges average about 300% of the
freight charges.)
6--Furnish, heat, light and man the cars necessary for the
transportation of express matter.