GETTING AHEAD 99 
could 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. 
