The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-12-03
THE NEW YORK OMNIBUS.
Trials and TrIumphs of Stage Drivers Ia
New York.


reporter stood on the summit of an
eminence, and as a stage paused for mo-
ment at the bottom of chasm in the pave
ment he climbed to the box seat. An ex-
press wagon was coming at full speed direct
for the stage. The driver whipped up his
horses and turned politely to the reporter
Did you say you was goin' to pay yer
tarea' he asked, disregarding the imminent
scene Of destruction.
Look out ~ cried the reporter.
The driver INDUCED in smile of pity,
and somehow the two vehicles slid by with
out touching each other. The reporter
drew out dime.
"Do you often run into things?" he ask
ed.
Not more than we can help for $l.T5 a
day." replied the driver, giving the reporter
an envelope containing two nickels for the
dime. Then he looked intently at the re-
porter. The latter put one nickel into his
pocket and then looked around inquiringly.
Where's the hole to put this into ?" he
asked, holding up the other nickel. The
driver looked around inquiringly, too.
If you can't find any better hole guess
thisll do" he remarked, exhibiting @ ca
pacious pocket. Then he stared hard Of
the off leaders ears, and pulled up his team
so suddenly that even the passengers accus
toned to travelling in New York were as
tonished by the tumble they were in. The
nickel dropped into the pocket and the
drivers stern features relaxed.
is $1.75 all you get ?" asked the repor-
Ter. "That don't sound like much"
q II faint much," replied the driver, with
commendoble candor. Even a car drive,
gets 80 a day."
How can You support n family on 81 II
day ?n asked the reporter
"Well," replied the driver with increas.
ing frankness, +" I don't know exactly how
could do it. I hear they're goin' to take
away those fare boxes. They'd make more
money if they did," he added with seeming
irrelevance. Then he drew his team MP at
the sidewalk and touched his hat in true
coachman style to portly business man
waiting on the curb The business man
got into the stage and poked five cents
through the hole in the roof to the driver,
who pocketed it and fell to moralizing.
:" don't know what's the matter with
hat man" he began in q slightly wearied
lone. Nov, he's been ridin' up with me
five years. and every time he hands me the
fare. He ought to know enough by this
time to put his fare into the box, as the sign
says" he added little aggrieved.
That's $1.85 you've made to-day" sug-
gested the reporter.
I" As much as that already?" returned the
driver, little surprised. There's 81 .85
I've made and $1.75 the company pays me !;
that's $500 SO far didn't think l was
dom SO welln
!" have heardn said the reporter, deli
cately, that there were persons employed
to test the stern integrity for which stage
drivers are noted.n
"D'ye mean spoilers ?" inquired the
driver, with wonder in his face "Why,
bless yer, there's dozens on 'em. But what
good are they? We know 'em all an the
hull eaboodle of 'em might ride from here
to Harlem and not know how many fares
| there was in the box. Hullai here We are
again." he exclaimed, as q blond young
man, dressed like clerk held up his hand
at the corner of street, with the air of one
who has suddenly determined to. ride in a
stage. Previously the driver had exhibited
Righteousness when elderly women with
bundles ran after the stage, and had shown
his sense of humor by whipping up just at
The moment when the elderly women flatter-
ed themselves that they had caught the
vehicle Now he waited for passengers who
were block away. As each one entered
he stage he looked through his observa.
.ory and chuckled. The reporter looked
through too, and saw the blond young man
busy making change for the elderly women
and depositing fares in the box.
What's he doing ?" asked the reporter,
nodding at the blond young man.
az should say" replied the driver, tax.
ing vast care not to RON into carriage
block away, that he was a showin' his
good breedin' by passin' up them fares, an
savin' them ladies' the trouble of dom il
themselves"
But he seems to put all the fares into
the box; he doesn't steal any Of them him.
SELF" pursued the reporter.
II he didn't put 'em in the box I'd fire
him out quicker n wink" replied the
driver sternly. Then he INDUCED in wink
like an eclipse of the sun and continued -.
He puts the fares all in, an the money
as well as can see, is all genyouwine but
what is it when they take it out of the box
at the depot can't say, because they don't
trust me to take it out" he said, indulging
in another prolonged wink. "All know
Is that the pennies and nickels they pay me
with are all genyouwine. An hard enough
they are to carry away. See here" he
shouted down through hole In the roof,
hain't this where you get off ?"
The blond young man thought 1t was
He had passed about half dozen fares into
he box and had probably realized nearly
thirty cents. The driver looked after him
affectionately. T" How do know but all
those fares he put in amt counterfeits ?"
he asked the reporter, with third prodig-
ious Wiuk. Dut hln huoWeu 10 tOHcn
the money. So, as was sayin', the com.
pany'd make more money If they took out
thosesboxes It's the company's loss if the
money is counterfeit, an serve 'em right"
Don't the company sometimes CON-
plain of falling off in receipts ?" asked the
reporter.
"Why should they?" asked the driver.
"When the receips fall off there's some
reason for 1t. No driver that respects him.
self d take more n he ought to. Just now
It's good stage that takes in more n 81 a
day. That's because it's hard times an the
company don't expect no more. Twas just
the same when they had that panic down in
Wall street. The receipts fell of amazin'."
---- - 90 ----