The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-07-01
Maxim: Hope in adversely,
Pear in prosperity.
OMNIBUS HORSES in PARIS.

Slipping and Falling on the Streets
Three Distinct Periods OF Existence.
A few days ago while sitting in the
reading-room of the American exchange
here, and idly watching the busy rush of
vehicles passing to and fro along the
Boulevard dies Papucines, l overheard
some Americans commenting on the pc
cularities of French vehicles and horses
observable from that view.
why are those horses allowed to slip
and fall so much? haven't the owners
care enough to get them rough-shod this
icy weather 2" asked an American.
They are not allowed to rough-shoe
horses used on the Paris Streets" was
the reply. "The streets are cemented,
you see, and the shoes would cut them
to pieces. All the horse-shoes are fiat,
without any points to grip the ground.
No wonder they slip, but you know in
France beauty is the main consideration,
utility and comfort are minor matters.
By the way, have you observed the en-
tire absence of buggies2 You never see
phaeton buggy in Paris. There are a
few high buggies and what we call road
wagons, but nearly all the vehicles are
carriages. But what magnificent horses
you see here!"
"The beasts they drive in the cabs, for
instance, replied the other laughing, as he
pointed to "cocher" numerically bella
boring delapidated specimen of wish-I-
had-some-oats.
"Oh, no! of course don't mean those
broken-down relics used by the cab COM
panies. They are not fit for cart horses
in America, and the men who starve
them and then whip them all day long
ought to be treated in the same way I'M
til they learn some mercy. was not re-
ferring to them, however. You know in
Paris horse has three distinct periods of
existence, just as in America a cat has
nine lives. He is born aristocratic and
dies O. pauper; or, rather, like a criminal.
First, when about five years old; he is
bought by the omnibus company, and
"What! Do you call an omnibus horse
an aristocrat?"
"Most assursdly, in Paris. There are
not better fed, better groomed, nor bet
ter treated horses in the world than the
Paris omnibus horse. Seei look at that
team of three plump, strong, healthy
Percherons trotting three abreast with
that omnibus, which is exactly filed with
passengers. But don't interrupt me now
until 1 get through my classification.
The first period of a horses life is his
easiest and happiest, when from
cared for by the Paris Omnibus
monopoly. Then after Re has passed
twelve or possibly fourteen years he is sold
to one of the cab companies. These cab
companies own large number of cabs
and accompanying outfits, which they
rent to drivers for from 12 to 10 francs a
day. Under certain police regulations
then the drivers are allowed to make as
much money as they can with these cabs,
but at the end of each day must pay the
rent of the outfit. They are allowed to
charge a franc and half go cents for
every trip or francs an hour, and of
course the harder they beat their horses
the more trips they can make, and as
they do not own the horses themselves,
they have no mercy. The cab company
does not undertake to prevent this tor
ture. 1t would be powerless to do SO,
and the police authorities never interfere.
Then when the horse has been nearly
beaten to death, the cab company sells
it to the butchers who drive 1.-THE last
trip-to the horse abbatoirs where it is
knocked in the head with long ham,
mer. The first blow fells it to the ground
and makes a little hole through the fore
head. Then a rope is attached to its
hind legs and the dead horse shows up,
skinned and carved, and you may eat
piece of that aged beast which has just
fallen down there, tomorrow for your
dinner, and imagine you are dining on
roast beef"
"Oh pshaw, that is all nonsense. They
don't eat horse flesh anywhere. That is
Certainly only newspaper story"
Don't they? well it has only been a
few weeks since visited the horse
abbatoirs and saw them kill the horses
the sorriest lot of beasts ever saw-and
then when / returned l asked for horse
steak at the hotel where 1 was stop
ping. The waiter looked astonished at
my request, and told me that horse meat
was used only at the cheap restaurants
and by workingmen, for it brings only
seven sous Gents a pound. But told
him wanted to try it, and he finally
pretended to send out for one, and when
it came ate it and then saw that l had
been eating horse meat several days,
supposing it was only extra coarse beef.
OF course the best restaurants do not
keep it, but it is great deal more COM
monty used than you think in Paris, and
has been, ever since the German siege
Z