The New York herald., 1870-02-09
CITY CA BIS.
ALL ABOUT CABS AND CAB DRIVERS.
History OF the Vehicle I'm London-Won-
ders Of tho Hanson and Four
Wlieeler-How You Get In and Out
and What You Pay-NOt Ex-
tnguishcd by Stcam-Ifan.
SONS for New York.

LONDON, Jan. Is, 1870.
"'Ansonn, SIR 7" "'Ave our-wheeler sir ~ These
are about the FIRST words greet stranger as no
gildes smoothly and almost nOiseessly up TO the
London depot OF an English railway. anu they In
troduce him at once TO that great locomotive insu
ton, the London cab. The first Impressions In relx
tion to such vehicles are wholly those OF wonder. IL
q person has never seen hanson before, be u as
tonished at the two overgrown wheels; AT the mode
OF getting in at the front doors, which requires pc
culiar dive and twist only to be acquired by prac-
tce; ut the heavy shafts run through the leather
"Dey band,n forced up by the weight OF the cab
and apparently threatening 70 lift the horse or iss
legs and throw II . cean back somersaut over the
head OF the driver at the horse itself, which is In
variaby o remarkable specimen OF bone. sprung
foreiegs and spawn; at the driver on an elevated
perch behind, with cab. fare aud horse underneath
him, a. II he we're driving out OF two story win
dow; ana lastly at the rafting pace at which the
wornout hack travels over the stones and the won
derful manner In which he winds IN ana out along
the stream OF travel and turns sharp corners at
gallop, sometimes without knocking down and run
ming over single foot passenger on the way.
The iour-wneeler is lot whit less astonishing
than the hanson at first sight. The novice would
never suppose that the close, cramped, numbering
box which comes jolting and rumbling ana creaking
ana Gathering along, apparently threatening TO
snake Itself to pieces in the road Is intended hold
or capable Of holding moro than two pas
sengers.. He Is amazed when he sees
the fat old lady who would persist IN
king the same inquiries OF the railway
guard over and over again at every station on the
road, with her three fat daughterA her tive fat
poodlcs, her one lean maid, her four bulxy band
boxes and her parrot cage oil packed inside this
most remarkable conveyance. He is more amazed
when he her three large trunks her nye carpet
bags and her maids. one wooden box and two bun.
dies pied up inside an iron frame work the roof
Of the cab. Bit hts wonder reaches climax when
he behods the diminutive skeleton OF horse which
during the process OF packing has been apparently
tossing up with Itself in its mind's eye whether to
stand up or fall down, with strong predispostion
favor OF the latter. suddenly start on ON keen
run as If 1t were showed forward by the heavy load
behind, aud leaving a curious uncsrt ainty In the
mind OF the spectator as to whether 1t Will ever
again he able 10 come to stop.
The London cabs are really On Institution, ana
Notwithstanding that they are dngy, dirty, rickety
and uncomfortable rs general rule, notwithstand-
ing that they seem constructed with a special view
10 The inconvenience and discomfort OF those who
ride IN them, thar they invountariy produce an
itchy sensation from the buggness OF their appear
ancc, and that they are usually drawn by the most
dIlapdated Looking quadrupeds that ever bore the
name OF horses London would not be London with
ont them. One can imagine nothing short OF the
stoppage OF tue Bank OF England o declaration OF
war by General Grant that would create a greater
panic IN the city than the sudden stopping oil the
cabs Tne well remembered strike OF the car and
stage drivers IN New York would be cabte 10 such
an event. There are other modes OF conveyance It
~ true. There Is The underground railroad, wnere
passenger can inhale enough fou Dir ano engine
| smoke IN a single trip 70 supply him with .gassy
smell an the nose anu gassy taste Ia the throat Tor
the next iwentyiour hours. There is tue oyerground
ralf0ad, very pleasant hut accommodating only n
very small fragment OF the city. There are the onl-
BUSES, numbering along al the rate oi three miles AN
hour MOI intending stoppages at every other street
corner witn occasional loitcrIngs and halts in tno
midde oi the bocxs 10 tout for passengers. There
nre the river boats where one can come in contact
with every kind OF filth, animate and inanmate
win lively chance or an explosion thrown in. Tor
the trlain9 cost OF one penny. But not any all
thousand Of which stand ready at all times asd Ia
all Localities to carry fare ~ good speed ano
small cos~to any part OF London
The size ana structure OF the city make these indc
pendent vehicles necessity 70 all business men,
London is 2 wilderness and the Post Once hiero-
gyphcs worse han hindostanee. IL is all very well
Tor native to travel by the beaten OF rai-
road, omnibus or steamboat; but what benent are
they to q stranger his destination should happen
10 lie any distance or the line, especially where he
has to seek directions from thick aud drawing
tongue OF cocKncy free trader In the letter IN ~
| How mucn better TO jump Into a hanson and bo
6nysn on iS %nefeyer eve one may y want 70 CO. Without
| Yorker, at least, seems wonderfully low. This
4 ID no doubt the main reason why visitors,
| literal patrons OF the favorite hanson. In
| deed, an American seldom goes round the
corner from his hotel without Jumping into one OF
| thcse convenient convcyances, and one Of the
drivers frankly remarked in a conversation q lew
days ago Lord love yer, sir. We allays knows ven
We gets Yankee under our ribbons. for ne keepa
1s st2ndin yerever he goes and Is never ever par
ticker ABOUT the fare" An American Is never two
weeks In London without complaining OF fulness,
headache, isssitude and all the Ills TO waIcn bilious
flesh Is heir and this Is probably as much attribute
| bio TO the hansom as to the wellabused London
climate The temptation OF fast and cheap ride IL
too much for him. ana consequently ne entirely
neglects tho heaithful and necessary exercise or
walking.
THE HISTORY or cABs.
This ought TO he written ~ competent hand; for
IT IS the history OF the progress Of the Engin me-
tropolis. Their origin may be traced back To the old
sedan chair In which court beauties. dRndes dow
ayers and old bcanx Of the last century used 70 be
carried about by two sturdy p0tters. As tue city
! grew and mems ideas expanded the heavy hackney
coach drawn " ,wo sleepy horses and driven By
pushed tine sedan CHAIR aside, Notwithstanding tne
indignant protest OF ladies' and gentlemen OF the old
school, VINO were horrlned at the innovation. The
necessity OF faster locom0t,on than could be attained
by hos0 ponder0us vehicles under the whips OF AMI
| mated beer barrels hidden beneash mountains
or capeS was next experienced, and the need
gave birth 70 the twowheel, singie-horse cab with
the drivers seat NJ the stde convenient for csat
Win Inc rare; q vehicle Iminortalized as havinl
been the means CT involving Mr.. Pickwlck and his
friends IN pug,l!stc enccuter the threshold or
| their adventurous career.
IL was soon demonstrated that who time migb.
be saved by using these sideseatcd cabs something
more valuable than time was In great danger OF
being iost. The horses driven In them were by no
means the surest footed or animals, and whenever
the horse fell down the fare and the driver were
necessarily pitched out on their heads The natural
desire 10 preserve life brought into use singular
sort OF trap for two persons VINO opposite 10
each other, 70 the right and icft Of the
door, which was behind the driver belny
perched on the roof OF the cab In 'front.' his legs
hanging down In close proximity TO the nind quar-.
ters OF the horse. These uncoutn affairs resembed
on small scale section OF omnibus large
enough to take the two opposite passengers hung
between Two wheels, and, indeed, they were COM
monty called "slices or a ibusn They were incon-