American Railway Express Company personnel files and rule books
Finding aid created by California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives staff using RecordEXPRESS
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Title: American Railway Express Company personnel files and rule books
Dates: 1918-1928
Collection Number: MS 527
Creator/Collector:
American Railway Express Company
Extent: 1 half box
Repository:
California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
Sacramento, California 95814
Abstract: Personnel files and rule books.
Language of Material: English
This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives staff
to arrange for access.
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.
American Railway Express Company personnel files and rule books. California State Railroad Museum Library and Archives
Biography/Administrative History
The American Railway Express Company was created during World War I when the federal government took over operation of the
railroads. The railroad-owned Great Northern Express Company, the Northern Express Company, the Western Express Company joined
with the privately-owned Adams Express Company, American Express Company, Wells Fargo Inc. and Southern Express Company to
form (July 1, 1918) a single express company called American Railway Express Company. George Taylor, president of American
Express Company, became president of the new company. After the war, it proved difficult to return the companies to individual
ownership. However, at the urging of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the railroads organized the Railway Express Agency
which purchased the American Railway Express Company (March 1, 1929).
•Bibliography: V.S. Roseman, RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY: AN OVERVIEW (1992).
Scope and Content of Collection
Personnel files include: applications for employment, letters of reference, and sometimes a photograph of the applicant.
There are also American Express Company rule books and ephemera.