THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
855 
I9()f». 
A STORY OF AN EXPRESS PACKAGE . 
One Reason for Being Thankful. 
Did you ever try to got an express company to settle 
for a lost package? If so, you will appreciate the fol¬ 
lowing history. On June i we ordered by telegraph 
2,000 pepper plants from Matawan, N. J. They were 
promptly packed and shipped by the Adams Express, 
but though days came and went, they have not been 
heard from since. VVe were unable to obtain other 
plants at that time, and the failure to deliver the pack¬ 
age caused annoyance and loss. After a week's delay 
we wrote the Adams Express Company and received a 
letter from Philadelphia stating that the matter "would 
he investigated.” After three more letters of this sort 
we received the following on August 24, 55 days after 
the package was sent: 
This matter is in (lie hands of our New York office, who 
have shown good order transfer to the National Express Co. 
1 am asking our Mr. \V. A. Cochran, Chief Clerk, New York, 
this date, for a reply. j. a. murphy. 
Superintendent. 
This looked like progress, and we wrote Mr. Coch¬ 
ran, who promptly replied as follows: 
We beg to acknowledge receipt of yours of the 25th inst., 
relative to shipment of pepper plants made June 1, 1905, 
from Matawan, N. J. We have to advise that (lie shipment 
was transferred to connecting company, and the matter 
now presents some complications that will take us several 
days to work out. We have the matter, however, grinding, 
and can assure you that the result will lie ascertained shortly 
and we will be pleased to advise you when the matter is 
cleared up. If you will kindly have a little patience we 
will let you hear from us, as the matter has not been lost 
sight Of. w. A. COCHRAN. 
Chief Clerk. 
That was well enough as far as it went, but it didn’t 
go very far, or rather it went too far, for 39 days 
passed without any further information. Not being 
quite sure what Mr. Cochran meant by “shortly” we 
wrote him again on October 4 as follows: 
I last heard from you on August 26, regarding a shipment 
of pepper plants, which was made June t. from Matawan, 
N. J. I have written seven letters. I think, about this 
shipment and in every case I have been notified that the 
matter would be “promptly investigated.” it is now 57 
days since you informed me that a “few complications had 
arisen that would take you several days to work out.” 
You state in this letter that the matter is grinding (which 
i assure you is a fact), and that you will be pleased to 
advise me when it is cleared up. You also suggest that 
if I will have a little patience i shall hear from you in due 
time. Now, I probably have more patience than anything 
else in (lie world, but the Adams Express Co. has my pepper 
plants, and I would like to exchange some of my patience 
for the price of those peppers. I am tired of waiting for 
the grinding of your machine. I do not understand what 
you mean by constantly telling me that the matter is being 
“Investigated.” if I wait for you to communicate the 
result of this grinding I shall be white-haired before the 
grist is finished. I enclose my bill for $10. to pay for the 
peppers, and I should lie very much pleased to have the 
Adams Express Co. settle the bill at once. They may then 
continue the investigations. 
This seemed to hit something, for I was informed that 
“our representative will call at once.” Sure enough, 
he came, but he knew no more about my pepper plants 
than 1 did. I did my best to give him the views of a 
dissatisfied client, and told him 1 would wait 10 days 
for further “investigation.” 1 waited 18 days and then 
wrote the following: 
I desire to call your attention to the fact that it is now 
18 days since you wrote me last. Your representative called 
and stated that you were in communication with another 
express company, and that within a few days the matter 
of the loss of my package would lie explained. 1 told him 
I would wait in days and then take further steps to "in¬ 
vestigate the matter.” It seems to me that there is abso¬ 
lutely no sense whatever in this long delay about settling 
for tills package. It is now exactly 145 days since that 
package went astray. I have been informed six different 
times that the Adams Express Co. was “looking the matter 
up.” Now is the Adams Express Co. blind, or is it true as 
1 have been told, that your policy is to do nothing, and 
in this way lire out and disgust those who try to recover 
their property? My experience with your company leads me 
to believe that the latter explanation is most probable. 
Under ordinary circumstances 1 should have given up in dis¬ 
gust after your second letter, and it would appear as though 
that is what you expect those who complain to do. I am 
not going to do this, however, as 1 have made up my mind 
that the Adams Express Co. is either going to pay for that 
package or keep hearing about it as long as I live. The 
value of tlie package amounts to little, lint this infernal 
principle of dodging a fair investigation, of attempting to 
tire out those who have a just complaint, and waving people 
aside with "we are looking it up” lias gone too far. I enclose 
another bill for $10. for those pepper plants. I intend to 
stay by the Adams Express Company in one way or another 
until this bill is paid, as it seems to me that the time has 
gone by for any gentle or decent method to collect a fair 
debt. 
We now appear to be getting down to business, and 
by return mail I received the following: 
I have your letter of the 24th inst., with further reference 
to shipment forwarded to you from Matawan, N. J,, on 
June 1st last, and in reply wish to assure you that this* 
company is not responsible for the delay in disposing of the 
matter. As agreed in the receipt accepted by you, our 
liability ceases when transfer is made to a connecting com¬ 
pany, which in this instance is the National Express Co., 
consequently we must await the result of their investigation. 
We understand from their correspondent. Mr. C. S. Potter, 
that the matter is receiving due consideration, and as soon 
as a conclusion is reached, they will communicate witli us 
regarding the adjustment of this claim, when we will at 
once advise you. In the meantime, requesting your further 
indulgence, I remain, w. a. cochran. 
Chief Clerk. 
That was just about what I had been told would 
happen; each -company would put the error on the 
other, and both dodge payment. That game is as old 
as the hills, but l purposed to stay by the Adams Ex¬ 
press Company, so 1 send the following on October 20: 
I have just received your letter of October 25th in reply 
to mine of recent date. As I wrote you previously, it is 
now 148 days since that package was lost, and it seems to 
me the height of absurdity for you to claim that it has 
taken all this time to learn where that package went to. 
No doubt you remember the old joke, which was formerly 
a favorite at the minstrel shows, with regard to why Eve 
was created. The answer was “For Adam's express com¬ 
pany." I think, now it would be a fair question to ask, 
why the earth was created and answer it in just exactly 
the same way. Your company is giving ns just the evidence 
we wanted to make it clear to tbe people why we should 
have in this country a parcels post. The absurdity of your 
position, and the criminal negligence or carelessness which 
is responsible for the loss of a package of this kind will, 
sooner or later, force the American people to establish a 
parcels post. You say the matter is receiving “due con¬ 
sideration" from Mr. l’otter. Now. in Heaven's* name, what 
do you mean by such a statement as that? Does it require 
145 days of “due consideration’ to trace up a simple matter 
of the wrong shipment of a small package? You say you 
will at once advise me when Mr. Potter communicates with 
you. AVill you lie kind enough to give me Mr. Potter’s 
personal address, and I will see if I can't quicken his means 
of communication. You request my further indulgence, but. 
my dear sir, l have no indulgence left, i have made up my 
mind that somebody is going to pay for this package. I 
hold the Adams Express Company responsible for it and 
you may rest assured that I shall keep after the Adams 
Express' Company as long as I live, and endeavor to have 
the correspondence carried on after l pass away, if nec¬ 
essary. if you have exhausted the resources of the Adams 
Express Company please give me Mr. Potter's address, and 
I will endeavor to make life enjoyable to him. 
Eleven days went by, and I had given up hope of 
that “investigation.” I was preparing to write to the 
president, vice-president and all officers and directors 
of the company in turn, when to my surprise a mes¬ 
senger came and paid me the $10. 1 shall never know 
where those pepper plants went to; that "investigation” 
will remain a dead secret, and how the two companies 
settle with each other is not for me to understand. All 
I know is that after 159 days 1 am paid for the plants. 
I shall always believe that they paid the money to get 
rid of me, and that is the only way to collect such a 
debt. The man who gives up in disgust, as they expect 
him to, might as well bid good-bye to both package and 
money. “We have much to be thankful for!” 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The annual meeting of the Amer¬ 
ican Shropshire Association will be held at the Union Stock 
iards, Chicago, during the International Show, Dec. 21. 
In carrying out the provisions of the Act of Congress 
relative to the testing of seeds of grass, clover and Alfalfa 
a special agent of the Department of Agriculture, Wash¬ 
ington, I). C., asked 1,272 seedsmen for samples of Red 
clover and Alfalfa_seeds as offered for sale by them. From 
these seedsmen 658 samples were obtained and examined. 
As a result several lots were purchased in the open market 
, 'h 10 .‘ u * n ^ * era ted, a list of the sellers appearing 
in Circular No. 14 of the Department, in which the names 
of several well-known firms are found. The adulterants are 
mostly yellow trefoil and bur clover, the highest percentage 
of adulteration reaching 45.73. In order to aid seedsmen in 
avoiding the purchase of adulterated seeds, five Department 
announces that it will examine and report promptly as to 
the presence of adulterants in any samples of seeds submit¬ 
ted tor that purpose._ 
BUSINESS BITS. 
• ^ r°’ :LT } iY book full of practical information has been 
issued by the American Poultry Advocate" and eau lie had 
in connection with a year’s subscription to that excellent 
poultry journal. This book has a title which should com¬ 
mend it— 200 Eggs a Year Per lien.” How to get them 
J? what it essays to teach. The fact that this work is in 
its fifth edition shows its popularity. Write the American 
I oultry Advocate, 04 Ilogan Block, Syracuse, N. Y. if desir¬ 
ing to take advantage of this offer. 
Whkn a manufacturer is willing to lend his machine to 
you for a month, merely to show you that it. will do the 
work he promises, there is every reason to accept his siate- 
menls without question. This is the offer made by R. F 
Bieber, ITeasurer, 1900 Washer Co., 5127 Henry Street, 
Binghamton, N. Y., in introducing the new “Gravity 
X v a slier. The 1900 Washer is already favorably known; 
friends who are using it express entire satisfaction, but the 
Gravity works on a new principle, and presents features 
which, its makers are assured, will render it verv popular. 
It you have not yet tried one of these labor savers, or If 
you have a machine that does not satisfy you write to the 
above address and let the makers tel'l you about their 
machine, and how you may borrow it for four weeks’ use. 
Evidently makers of washing machines have sound rea¬ 
sons for belief in their appliances, as shown by their entire 
readiness to send them for free trial. Dodge & ZuiII. 539a 
Clinton Street, Syracuse, N. Y., are ready to send their 
Syracuse "Easy” washer free for 30 days’ trial, freight pre¬ 
paid. This works on the principle of using air to force 
tlie suds through the cloth, which thus avoids friction yet 
gives complete cleansing. This washer is further improved 
by the use of a gasoline heater attachment, which can be 
applied under the metal tub of the washer. It is thus pos¬ 
sible to heat the water while tlie washing progresses: the 
operation may start with cold water if desired. The heater 
is readily detached when not in use. Write to the linn 
at above address; they will give valuable information con¬ 
cerning washing machines and their use. 
Looking at the advertisement of the Universal bread 
mixer, one man asked anxiously; “Say, do you think any 
patent machine can make bread and bake it inside of three 
minutes?” We explained to him that the yeast fermenta¬ 
tion and baking processes could not lie hurried but that 
the mechanical part of breadmaking—the hand kneading and 
mixing, that tires hands, wrists and shoulders, and often 
drives a tired woman to the last limit of endurance—is 
entirely done away with. In addition to this a much liner 
grain is secured, with a perfectly even texture. We have 
used this bread mixer in our own household for over two 
years, and would not be willing to keep house without it. 
It is very simple, easily cleansed, ami will quickly repav its 
price in the saving of physical energy. Write to the makers 
Landers, Frary & Clark, 4!) Commercial Street New Britain 
Conn., for their booklet about this housekeeper’s helu. and 
learn more about its virtues. 
THE MARK AND THE MOTTO 
“ The Recollection of Quality 
Remains Long After 
The Price is Forgotten*' 
Trade Mark Registered. 
The difference in worth between a 
good tool and a poor one is always 
more than tlie difference in coat. 
Counting the time wasted in constant 
sharpening and the short life of infer¬ 
ior tools, a poor tool is really more ex¬ 
pensive than a good one. 
Whenever you need a tool of any kind, 
It will pay you to buy the Keen Kutter 
brand, and have the best. All kinds of 
tools are mude under this name, and every 
kind represents the very highest quulity of 
muterial, workmanship and finish. 
Keen 
mm 
tools have been the standard of America for 30 years 
and are the only complete lino of tools ever to re¬ 
ceive an award at a great exposition—the Keen Kut¬ 
ter line being awarded the Grand Prize at tlie St. 
Louis Fair. 
Following are somo of the kinds of tools made under the 
Keen Kutter Brand: Axes, Adzes, Hammers, Hatchets,Chisels, 
Screw Drivers, Auger Bits, Files, Planes, Draw Knives, Saws, 
Tool Cabinets, Scythes, Hay Knives, Grass Hooks, Brush Hooks, 
Corn Knives, Trowels,. Pruning Shears, Tinners’ Snips, Scissors, Eye 
Hoes, Shears, Hair Clippers, Horse Shears, Razors, etc., and knives of 
all kinds. 
If your dealer does not keep Keen Kutter Tools write us 
and learn where to get them. Send for Tool Booklet. 
SIMMONS HARDWARE COMPANY, 
St. Louis, IJ. S. A. 
298 Broadway, New York. 
A. Lady can hold him. 
of the BEERY BIT 
roUH BITS IN ONE 
Cure* Kickers, Kunawiij-n, i’ullcra, 
shyer*, ole. Send for Hit on Ten 
Hay*’ Trial and circular showing 
the four distinct ways of using it. 
Prof. J.Q. Beery, Pleasant IUU, Ohio. 
.DEATH TO HEAVES 
NlfiWTON , fl Hoaee, Cnoah, Dl* 
temper and Indigestion Cure. 
A veterinary specific for wind, 
7 throat and stomach troubles. 
Strong recommends. $1.00 per 
— .can, of dealers, or Kxp. prepaid. 
The N ew ton KemedyOo., 
Toledo. Ohio. 
THE 
SMITH 
Great Western Apron 
Manure Spreader 
CDOFAftC all kinds Of manure, straw stack bottoms and commercial fertilizer regard- 
W r HtHII v less of their condition. Spreads as much in a day as 15 men can by hand. Spreads the 
largest load in 2 to 4 minutes. Makes tlie same amount of manure go three times as far and 
produce better results; makes all manure fine and Immediately available for plant food. 
Un$l_RnlUinS!URI K* DIVE forms a hopper, holds all hard enuuks in contact 
nUli-DUllUilftDLC nAKE .vith beater until thoroughly pulverized. 
EUm F C C N jjJSDfllJ 13 0110 continous apron, (not a 14 apron) therefore always ready to 
klsUkkwv Ml nUU load. You don’t have to drive a certain distance to pull it back 
'ato posh.ion alter each load or wind it back by hand; It is a great advantage in making long hauls. 
1TM F ft F I Q Ilf) CFADINft about our Endless Apron to break and cause trouble, 
lEILllk lw HU U kit Villi U it is always up out of the way of obstructions as it 
does not extend below axle. Spreads evenly from start to finish and cleans out perfectly clean. 
UOflft AMI! Clin CATE keeps manure away from beater while loading; pre- 
HUUU HitU kHU UH I k vents choking of beater and throwing out a bunch 
when starting and acts as wind shield when spreading. It has a graduating lever and can be regulated 
while in motion to spread thick or thin, 3 to 25 loads per acre. 
I mUT n ft CT fi pcause the load is nearly equally balanced on front and rear axles. 
l*IUn I UilHr I The team is as near the load as it can work. Front and rear axles are 
the same length and wheels track; beater shaft runs in ball and socket bearings, therefore no friction. 
Beater is 23 inches in diameter, seat turns over when loading. Machine turnsin its own length. 
CIU D| I PITY There are only two levers on our machine. One which raises the hood, 
dlmr LBUI I I locks it and throws the machine in gear at tlie same time. It can then 
be thrown in and out of gear without loweriug tlie hood. One lever which changes 
feed to spread thick or thin, making it so simple that a boy who can drive a team can handle it. 
CTPCftlftTU Alin niBDADII ITV is one of the most important points to be 
OlrtkilUin mHU UUltMDIkl I I considered in a manure spreader. The Great 
Western lias a good, strong, durable wheel. Extra strong spoke and rim, heavy steel tires. Strong, well 
braced box with heavy oak sill. Oak tongue, hickory doubletrees, malleable castings, gears and 
sprockets all keyed on. Galvanized hood. Every partis made extra strong, regardlessof cost. It Is 
made for the man who wants the best; made in four sizes, 30, 50, 70 and 100 bushel capacity. 
ftllAftAMTEE Should any part break, wear out or get out of order within one year wo 
UUHslMH I EC replace free of charge. Send for free catalogue, showing latest improve¬ 
ments. It tells how to apply manure to secure best results. 
SMITH MANURE SPREADER CO. 
163 Harrison Street, CHICAGO, ILL. 
