Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 4.djvu/499

60UTHEBN BXFBES3 CO. V. L. <& N. B. 00. 48o �these rates and privileges for several months by the dfefenclant' after it took central of the lines was, at least, so far an adop-- tien of the terms as to demand some notice in advanoe to plaintiff of the contemplated change, especially when the rail»' road was the competitor of the plaintiff in the operations affected by the change. �The general manager of the defendant says: "Under pres- ent existing circumstances I would even say that the railroads and the Louisville & Nashville Eailroad Company are able to do the express business better than any express company pos- sibly could. This is due to the consolidation of railways into great through lines. For example, the through route between New York and New Orleans via the Mobile & Montgomery Eailway is operated by two companies only, * * • whilst on the same through route smaU express companies are in existence. It would, therefore, only be necessary to have one interchange, if both railroads work their own express. Pur- ther, the railroad companies can, through their employes, to- wit, agents at different stations, train men, baggage masters, etc., do the express business at lower rates and with much more satisfaction to the public than any express company could, as in many cases the railroad companies have not to employ several employes to do the express business. When ' the express companies were first established they were a taat- ter of convenience, eaused by the many railway companies of short distances between important points, where innumerable interchanges of business would have to be made, and it would have been inconvenient to manage this business by each com- pany separately on its own line. It was then that, in con- junetion with the railways, the express lines and fast through freight lines were permitted to corne on railways under spe- cial, and in most cases exclusive eontracts, giving them ail possible inducements to establish through routes for fast freight or express business between grand commercial centers, thereby fostering Interstate commerce. These express com- panies have, under the existing exclusive eontracts with the railway companies, been enabled to establish, not only a ����