Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-06-02
INDEPENDENCE IOWA, FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1876.
Coaching Clubs.

The New York Graphic gives the
following account of the latest hobby
of "swell" New Workers:
This afternoon will be witnessed
the inspiring spectacle of a parade Of
the Four-in-hand Coaching Club Of
this city. The drags will be assem-
bled along the east side OF Madison
square, and the start will be made al
quarter before 4 o'clock. Eight
drags will be present, belonging re
spectively to the following owners
Mr.. Jay, Mr.. Bennett, Mr.. A. G. Rice
Mr.. Douglass, Mr.. Jerome, the Knick
erbocker Club, Mr.. Delaney Kane
and Mr.. Frederic Bronson. The
drive will be up Fifth avenue to Stet
sons at Central Park, and returning
down the avenue to Washington
square. Thence the coaches will re.
turn to the place of starting. The
rate of driving will be slow-about
six miles an hour. The ordinary rate
of driving is about ten miles an hour,
including stoppages. Mr. Jay has
brought his drag from Jerome Park
to Twenty-eighth street, a distance OF
eleven miles, in fitty-nine minutes.
The kind of horses sought after for
this service are called chuncks." p
They are "cob" built, being in a
breed by themselves. 1t is required
that they should be high steppers
with thoroughbred heads and with
bodies heavy and well put together.
Large horses are not accepted, be-
cause in the rapid action demanded
they are apt to cut themselves and
each other. All colors are acceptable,
though the popular idea of cob in
England is that he must be a roam
High speed is not wanted. Mr..
Bronson endeavored to import span
of cobs recently, but the one OF the
purest breed died on the passage
The coaches are usually constructed
after the pattern of the old English
stage coach, but all modern improve
ments in the construction of springs
and axles are adopted. They are
models Of road vehicles. The object
proposed is to give wealthy young
men enhiliarating outdoor exercise
and to bring about skill in the man.
agement as well as an improvement
in the road qualities of horses in this
country. To show the fascinating
character of the sport it is only nee
essary to state that during the whole
of the season Mr.. Delaney Kane
only gave up the reins to hired
driver on the four-in-hand route he
established in England twelve times.
The guard or "shooter of Mr..
Kane's coach that is to begin to run
daily from the Hotel Brunswick to
Pelham Bridge on May l, was guard
last season on Tunbridge Wells
coach. His name is Fownes. The
term shooter is applied to guard, OF
what we in America would call con
ductor, because in former times when
the coaches used to carry the mail he
was armed with a blunderbuss as a
protection against highwaymen. A
horn is still used, but no longer to
announce the arrival of the coach al
the various stopping places, or to
summon persons, living along the
route to receive letters and packages
Its modern purpose is to warn vebi
cles on the road to get out of the
way. A gentleman driver who ar
rives two or three minutes late at any
of the stages is called gardener
as term Of derlsion, indicating that
he is better fitted to trundle turnip.
and cabbage into market than to hold
the reins of n tour-in-hand. The
guards are always in uniform.
Mr.. Kane will have three stages
or (stopping places on his route, one
at Harlem Bridge, one at Westches
ter Village, and one at Pelham
Bridge. He will make ten miles al
hour, including stoppages, for eacl
of which three minutes is allowed
About the middle of June he will ex
tend his route to New Rochelle
whence he will start at eight O'Clock
INTO town, returning In the afternoon
In this way great many business
men desirious of bracing ride to ol
from their homes in that vicinity vii
be furnished the opportunity. a
charge will be made but not enough
to defray expenses. Twenty valuable
horses will have to be kept for thu
coach. An estimate has been made
by member of the Coaching Clul
that Mr.. Kane's enterprise-which il
entirely outside of the Club, although
Mr.. Kane is a member-will net hin
loss of about $4,000 actual outlay
not counting his own time and atten
ton.