The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-23
BROADWAY NIGHT HACKS.
SECURING THE GREAT THOROUGHFARh
IN SEARCH OF PI,EY
a Phase " city Life that Few steady q eins
citizens sea bushes. TINT Opens win
the Niaht and close. with the Morning.

hat was pulled down over his forehead. his coat
WIS open and one lapel was thrown back VIVA
festive rnkishncss, and he seemed not to know
what to do with his legs Still, he was very dig
nifcd and his half-closcd eyes failed to take in
the mingled disgust aud amusement which ms
pitinblc condition excited, Now anu tnen ne
halted with u sudden lurch. and leaning on MS
which. with his legs. formed an UNI
-teady tripod. seemed to DE calculating as to his
Then he would plunge forward
again mt fearful risk Of falling upon his face.
and begin with another series Of zigaags. He
was in Broadway. between Twenty-eiehth and
Twenty ninth streets. and was forging ahead
at the rate Of about four blocks an hour.
Slow as WIS his progress. there was CAP
drawn by a gray horse and driven by an enter
prising young hackman. that kept pace with
him. The vehicle kept close to the sidewalk.
and at every four steps the hackman called out'
Cab. sir2 Takc You nnywherel'
To these invitations the reporter seemingly
paid no heed. yet the hickman continued to
follow him as before urging his willingness to
reporter made one OF his unsteady stoppages.
put his hand in his pocket. drew out some
Efforts to count it. 4 note fell to the sidewalk.
and the reporter lurched forward TO pick itup.
was the hackman's chance. and having picked
up the note and the umbrella ana PLACED mem
IN the reporters hand with kindly soiicitude'
Better ,akeacab sirl Take YOU anywhere"
"Wherm II" hiccoughed the reporter.
"Oh. you're way M town, sir. Bettertake
cab sir. Take Won anywhere
Take me 70 QuariMm, said the reporter
4" How far p, 'QuarumP'
"ConsderaGle distance. sir: quite a ways.
Then the reporter was bundled into the cab.
where he doubled UP on the seat The driver
mounted his box. and the gray horse started on.
Iiy this time change had come over the re-
covered his brow. and his coat WINS straighteped
into proper shape. He Sat erect. too. ana MS
gaze out ., ihr window was not thal q ornnh
iy down Broadway, and not M towaIL the
Aquarium. n II should have been doing. Twice
beiweon Twcnty-ninth and Twenty sixth streets
the driver was halted by brother hackmen. The
first simply asked. What luck 2" and drove on
slowly up town but the second was more In
wv What il II ?" he asked. in manner that led
the reporter to surmise that he Indicated I'll
Another iushl" was the enterprsing young
NY ANY sugar. asked the inuulsitive hack.
Yes. | seen him countin' roll OF bills"
You're always III luck. sa!u thY inquIsi.
tive hackman. obviously. and then bo,h eans
At Twenty sixth street the reporters cat
turned toward the North river. rafting along "
Eighth avenue. There tturncd w town again.
the young hickman whisthng 10 while away the
time. Al Thirty-irst street there WAS another
turn and the cab suddenly pulled up in front OF
a gayly- lighted house near sixth avenue. Tue
reporter had scarcely time TO lapse into druhS ,
somnolcncy before the cab door opened. anu the
driver gently touched his shoulder. * WAS
hard work to waken him. but at length lie
drawlcd out. go
"Wherm |. Is thsh tn 'Quariumf'
No, SIR, TINS amt thr Aluari UNI M my l,a
here awhile and see some fun.
No said the reporter. sl"eplly take me 10
With a Cherry All right. sir. the hickman
remounted. and again the cab ratified away.
There were only a lew turns alter tnls, ana ia "a
short time the Aquarium was reached. and the
cab halted. having made the journey from
Thirtieth street and broadway to Ihirty-iith
street and Broadway ia about forty minutes.
Her" you are. sir. SAID tue driver AGAIN
shaking The reporter here YOU. are AT the
Aquarium. II look some time to rouse him.
and then there was trouhl" IN getting MIN out.
and more trouble about tue umbrella; but at
J"ngth al this WAS accomplished anu tlie
/ drunken reporter and the -nterprising young
hickman stood side by side in front oil tho
Wash 10 fareY' asked the reporter. finger
| ing his roll OF notes and looking more drunker
Well. you see you've had me long time.
/ sir and It's longi@h drive. hut guess twenty
I Don't you think two dollars and a half 10
/ pretty steep for drive of five hlocksf asked
| the Reporter strengthening up anu looking hs
sober a. "a blue rihbon man. The look on the
! lac" Of the Young hickman was a sight 10 see.
] FIRST there wn- an expression OF iucrelullty.
/ then II asionishmont. not unmxed with indlg-
1 nation: finally disgust overpowered all other
| expressions. and dropping his whip he ex-
! claimed:
a plant. swear" Then he eyed the re-
| porter curiousy TOR time. seemingly taking
! the measure Of tho man who had taken him in.
/ You re- from the license Office. supposeF
| Tho reporter did not reply.
! Well. anyhow You cant say I tried to 20
| through YOU Many driver. scein' YOU
drunk as you seemed To- he. would ha' ,iivcd for
| that Doodle Of yourn before they'd adrove you
/ three blocks. But. you see, amt on that lay"
! The honest hHckman was Good-natured. too.
and. the fare am4hly adjusted; he told the re-
porter something oi night nackman : life. . .
or course yon know you could nave me pulled
M for overcllargng, and put me To- no end OF
trouhi". ! was only doing what al, night hack;
thought You was lush, and took you out OF the
way 10 make tn" fare bigger Why. II you
| hndnt given yourself away 50 soon would ha'
| sworn that You WAS asleep in my cab two hours
rr,us ndto pny my iii. All | would ha had to
! would Won be- If you wouldn pay. how could
yoneyPlain IN. thing would be NE Jug han
| ANYTHING liked, and You would In been too IA r
| gone To- disprovr II. Then the officer would
/ he'd collar You. and you'd sleep in cell OF
course. wouldn't be grocn enough 70 appear
I against you IN court and 50 you'd get off with a
line. and your ride would cost You five or ten
dollars
" Lord no. You was one of the drunkenest
men ever seen. You didn't seem TO have no
more bon" in you than Jelly fish"
How can you tell that lush. IA you call
him, has money r.
We'll. SIR. that takes experience. You can't
Judge all men alike. An old driver don't often
get fooled, but once in Il while he builds high OH
Il good rig, and picks up Il well-dressed man
that's been cleaned ont hy the gamblers. Then
all he has 10 dc II To pocket his loss But it's the
house business that pays. That's how us nigh,
hnckmen make the best part OF our living. OF
course you understand what kind OF house
that Is, eh ; Well. II We bring trade there We
get percentage Net very big one. but still
something, Now. II you mad got out there. and
had klc k"d At Il charge of Two dollars. I'd hu
come down To one. lou can easy see why. Vi
If you had said 10 me on Broadway. | want 10 &c
20 such and such place down that street. I'd
ma tnRen you Tor a quarter. or for ten cents.
How about rOhherie- in II .sht hacks z"
Wen, there amt SO many us there used 10
Ne, and Tor the matter Of That. NOT rs many nigh
hacks. Now aud then driver j. hauled up foI
gong through man, int its hard 10 prove
anything. and so they mostly get of. One was
caught IN the ac not lonE ago, and sent up the
! river for ilNe years H. WAS an old hand. anc
/ ought To- hN' knuwed htt'r. In the war times
I whrn the solllnrs md sailors was throwinl
away th"ir money like WWar. ana when gam
th'r> ami bounty jumpers were plenty, nigh
Hohn"u used iun ~lH-hing good business
~, Il.tlrt,. hIgh h- iu cor 500 in Il night am
all ou the -,ilr,r'. Nhl. WOE used H. make So oul
lowest are! lW now Times IA hard. Some
iuN"r 'r.t" up aud down broadway all nigh