GETTING AHEAD 99 



coufd ship a crate of pigeons to Chicago from Boston cheaper 

 than we could to Buffalo. All the express companies doing 

 business in the United States and Canada have the same rule, 

 which is, that between points where the single or merchandise 

 rate is two dollars or more per hundred pounds, live animals, 

 boxed, crated or caged, are charged for transportation at the 

 single or merchandise rate. Between points where the single 

 or merchandise rate is less than two dollars per hundred 

 pounds, live animals are charged the animal rate (which is 

 double the merchandise rate). Poultry (not pigeons) are 

 charged the one and one-half rate when the rate per one hun- 

 dred pounds is less than two dollars. 



In order to obtain the lowest rate of transportation, the 

 value of each pigeon must be stated by the shipper at five 

 dollars or less. 



We have seen breeders who have been shipping live-stock 

 for years and they never heard of the above rule of the 

 express companies, and also we have seen scores of express 

 agents who did not know of their own rule, but always charged 

 the animal rate on animal shipments. But the rule is found 

 in every graduated charge book of every express company 

 and the experienced expressmen and experienced shippers 

 know all about it. If the agent in your town is ignorant of 

 the rule, ask him for his graduated charge book. Many 

 express agents at local points seldom handle a pigeon ship- 

 ment and do not know how to charge for it. 



A live animal contract release, to be signed both by shipper 

 and express agent, is needed in all cases where the value of 

 each pigeon is more than five dollars. If pigeons which we 

 ship are killed in a smash -up, we can recover from the com- 

 pany. We have no hesitation, therefore, in guaranteeing the 

 safe delivery of our pigeons to customers. Our respon- 

 sibility does not end when we have given them to the express- 

 man. Our guarantee follows them as long as they are in the 

 hands of the express company. We will put them into your 

 hands safe and sound. 



Once in a while you will read of live-stock and breeding 

 associations getting together and complaining about the 

 " exorbitant rates " charged by the express companies. The 

 trouble is not with the rates of the express companies, but lies 

 wholly in the ignorance of the breeders who meet to complain. 



