The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-10-16
The Turkish Street Ger System.


The Turk, when he gets civilized
invention, proceeds to cross it with his
old way of doing the thing till the re-
sultant is no longer either barbaric or
civilized. He has horse-car line in
Galata, but it is not the horse-car line
OF our fathers. The car itself is a
double-barreled arrangement, with
compartments for people of different
rank. The back end downstairs is
tightly shut off from the remainder. and
has closed curtains and separate door.
Here they coop up The fair odalisques,
who have been quick to catch the fash
ion OF riding from their whittier sisters.
-Four horses are used (there being SO
many hills), and they run them IN a
way that fills one accustomed only to
the sedate pace of the civilized car
horse with wonder and amazement.
There are no sidewalks in Galata, and
everybody goes in the streets. As a
consequence the first weeks casualties
OF the horse-car company included four
Armenians, three Turks, Nubian and
aGreek-children and dogs not counted.
Business was equally good the second
week. But the third they had the mis-
fortune to include Pasha. It was a
bungling piece of business, for they did
not kill the Pasha; they only mangled
him. And when he got around again
he put in his whole time working for
an injunction against the road. it was
shown in evidence that the company
did not want the Pasha or the other
people killed; that they had been at
considerable expense to dispose of them,
and further, that it had rung its bells
as by law required, and so was not re-
sponsible for the people who got in the
way. The Pasha filed his answer and
said that he had heard the bell; that
anyone not deaf could not well help
hearing it; but it was not his bell, and
be could not be expected to look out
for every slave that rang one in the pub
lie streets, Ii the slaves were to be bell
sheep for the Pashas he thought it was
time for the latter to resign. 1t was
very pretty quarrel and occupied
good deal OF Government time. But
finally compromise was reached and
an arrangement adopted which has con-
tinued in use until the present time.
The speed OF the car was not slackened
nor its right of way denied But in
consideration Of the crowded state of the
thoroughfares and the impossibility of
making the populace turn out or mind
the bells, the company was handicapped
with entrunners. Each car was provid-
ed with negro, armed with club
whip and tin-horn, whose business it
was to run some fifteen PAGES ahead on
the track blowing his horn and indus
triously clubbing the Pashas, donkeys
and small boys into opening a swath
through which the car could follow in
his wake. They are picturesque fell
lows, these outrunners, in their red
fezes and green shirts that are open
nearly to the waste. They are small
respecters of persons and their pace is
so tremendous that they are gone be-
fore vengeance could reach them. The
dogs have learned the ropes and very
few Of them now go to sleep on the
track; but the people never will learn,
and in the more crowded portions to-
day whenever a car passes, with the
scattering, and excitement, and whips,
and horns, it is more like riot than
anything know Of ConStantipaople
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.