Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-07-15
STAGE-DRFVING IN OLD DAYS.

A day or two ago, while a reporter
stood beside a. fairly -clad, sturdy old
man, looking at the laying of car
tracks on Broadway, the old man sud-
denly became communicative "About
thirty or thirty-fve years ago." said
he, "when l drove stage here, it was
the brag of New Workers that this
grand old street would never be dis
figured by horse-cars. Anything then
said in favor of such a thing would
cause a warm discussion-the negro
MINISTRIES would ridicule it in their
songs, old-style aldermen would OPP
pose it furiously and the newspapers
had lots of reasons to print against
the sacrilege. But" said the old man,
mournfully, as the concert of spike
driving sledges sent forth it's busy
music, "they are at it now for sure. I"
''I haven't driven a stage" he con-
tined, for many years, but 1T makes
a man feel a little blue to see any pro-
fession he has enjoyed swept away.
OF course stage-driving is not what it
was in my time-it has run down bad
ly, and nowit will run out completely.
1t used to be q profitable business"
said he, glancing quigzically at the re-
porter. ''There wasn't then any pat
ent locked boxes, sealed envelopes for
change, or recording bells to make a
chap feel as if he was a born culprit,
not to be trusted.
''Could we make extra money beside
our wages squarely?" said he, repeat
ing the reporters question. "Well,
yes, and no-TIl tell you, it seemed to
be generally conceded that a stage
a x,-o11lI Gl-,,nal~ 10v7,,;
and we went on the blame and game
theory So what we took was rather
winked at by the bosses. They all
got rich and didn't grumble much pro-
vided we made agood-paying turn in
for hard days work. None of us ev-
er had to leave for Canada, and the
few who are left haven't very sore con-
sciences about our financiering. A
bright driver would know how to act
Justly; if a man was greedy the bosses
would soon spot him and he would
get the 'sack'-'grand bounce believe
it is now called.
Chow could we discriminate in the
matter? Well, you see, there was
sort Of an understanding that allowed
us to consider the top of the bus our
own. There we would invite our
chums to ride free. But a good many
paving riders rode there from choice.
Some wanted to smoke on their way
up or down town; boys would ride
there at half-price; strangers, too,
wishing to see the city. We often got
good tip from a stranger who
wanted to see all he could in short
time. You see we could point out
houses and localities of interest as
well as many prominent persons who
were taking a stroll on the sidewalk.
In fine weather these fares made quite
an item of receipts. Now a portion of
such money we took for refreshments,
sick or lay-off days, and often used it
as a fund to make a day of poor rid
ing pan out satisfactorily at the Of
fee.
1.-The top of Broadway stage is a.
place Of pleasant excitement. don't
think New York can be seen to such
advantage anywhere else. Some of
the best citizens used to climb up and
have chats with us. We were all very
fond of one writer, agentleman named
Whitman, / think; Walt, we always
called him. He seemed delighted to be
on top of stage. Almost every aft
ernoon, good or bad weather, he would
come from his home, a long distance
in Brooklyn, and ride the full trip up
with one driver and down with an
other, often taking supper with us at
the upper end of the route. We liked
to answer his questions, and tell you
there were plenty of them; but he told
us lots Of things we didn't know be-
fore, and, guess, never would have
otherwise heard.
Gone of his amusements was to
learn all of our nick-names, for about
every driver had one. Helked to hear
how We got them-used to call the
stories of explanations natural come
dies and dramas or something OF that
sort,
GLOW did nicl-names get fastened to
us? Oh sometimes with reason and
sometimes without. [ was called
'Dressmaker,' but don't propose to
tell you why" Here the old driver
smiled and his eyes frightened as if
the remembrance of some bygone fir
tation had flashed upon him.
"Now, said he, "there was 'Old Can,
for instance, who, one day, had his lit
tie nephew, boy of about 5 years,
on top taking a Saturday ride. Well,
a drunken ice-cart driver came thun-
dering along, and hit Cans hind wheel
with his heavy hub, the bus veered,
the horses started, and the child lost
his hold. Can had to use both hands
to guide the team, but as the child
pitched past him heseized his extended
wrist with his teeth and kept him
from falling among the horses heels
until he brought the nags to a. stop.
Now, this exploit gave that driver the
beautiful nickname of old Cannibal =
There was a Dutch driver called Cam
phene.' He was great chapto drink;
used to carry a fiat bottle ofgin under
his oilcloth cape that was folded back
of his foot-strap. One night while he
was at supper the boys got his bottle,
emptied it, and filled it with a burn
ing-fuid that we used to light the
stages with. When he came out and