REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. *19 



Saint Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Eailway Company. 



Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad Company. 



Wabash Railway Company. 



Washington City, Virginia Midland and Great Southern Railroad 



Company. 

 W^eldon, Portsmouth and Baltimore Seaboard Railroad Company. 

 Western and Atlantic Railroad Company. 

 Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Company. 



Facilities of express companies. — At one time some inconvenience was 

 experienced in consequence of the agents of the Southern Express Com- 

 pany insisting that, under contracts with the several southern rail- 

 roads, they were entitled to the right to transfer the cans of young fish 

 to their cars, and to charge freight for the same, while at the same time 

 under their rules messengers were refused permission to accompany 

 them. This resulted on one or two occasions in the entire loss of the 

 shipment of fish; but on presenting the case to the president of the 

 company, he, with great liberality, issued the following order, which 

 answered its purpose perfectly; since which time there has been no fur- 

 her trouble of the kind. 



"Southern Express Company, 



" Superintendent's Office, 



"iVeu' Orleans, March 23, 1875. 

 "Dear Sir: Your favor of 11th March, to Mr. Shoemaker of the 

 Adams Express Company, complaining of the arrangements between it 

 and the various railroads south, whereby matter of freight is not per- 

 mitted to be taken on the passenger-trains except in charge of the mes- 

 sengers of the Southern Express Company, and that it greatly interferes 

 with your purpose of stocking the southern and southwestern Rivers 

 with fish, is before me. 



"In response I have to say that it is the desire of this company to 

 aid in that work as far as possible, and for that reason it will waive any 

 right it may have under its contracts with various railroad companies, 

 leaving the agents and messengers of your departments free to send their 

 cans or tanks of fish in any way or manner you may desire, which shall 

 be agreeable to the management of the various railway companies. 



"The agents and messengers of this company are hereby instructed 

 not to claim or interfere with the transit of your matter in question in 

 any manner you may select. 

 "Respectfully, &c., 



"H. B. PLANT, 



^'■President. 

 "Prof. S. F. Baird, 



" Washington, D. C.^ 



