, 1886-05-21
OMNIBUS HORSES N PARIS.


\ few DAYS ago while sitting in the
reading-room of the American exchange
here, and idly watching tho busy rush OF
vehicles passing to and fro along tie
Boulevard DIES Papucines, l overheard
some Americans commenting on the pc
culiarities of French vehicles and horses
observable from that view.
why are those horses allowed to slip
and fall so much? haven't the n
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 buggies? Yon never see
a phaeton buggy in Paris. There are n
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 a ~cocher" numerically bella
boring a delapidated specimen of wish-I-
had-some-oats.
"Oh, no! of course , don't mean these
bro%ken-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 thom, however. You KNOWN
Paris a horse has three distinct periods of
existence, just as in America a cat has
nine lives. lie is born aristocratic and
dies n 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?N
Most assuredly. in Paris. There are
not better fed, better groomed, nor bet
ter treated horses in the world than the
Paris omnibus horse. Sect look at that
team of three plump, strong, healthy
PerclIerons trottIng three abreast with
that omnibus. which is exactly filled with
passengers. But dont interrupt me now
until | get through my classification.
The first period of a horses life is his
easiest and happiest, when from
about 8 to IL years &c age, he is
cared for by the Paris Omnibus
monopoly. Then after he has passed
twelve or possibly fourteen years he is sold
t. one of Che cab companies. These cab
companies own a large number Of cabs
and accompanying outfits, which they
rent to drivers for from - to Is francs a
day. Under certain police regulations
then the drivers are allowed to make as
much money rs they can with these cabs.
but at the end of each day nus pay the
rent of the outfit. They are allowed to
charge a franc and n i.alf t3O cents for
every trip or , francs an hour, and of
course the harder they beat their horses
the more trips they can make, and rs
they do not own the horses themselves
they nave no mercy. The cab company
does rot undertake to prevent this tor
tnre. II would be powerless to do so,
and the police authorities never interfere.
Then when the horse has been nearly
beaten to death, tho cab company sells
1t to the butchers who drive 1.-THE last
trip--to the horse abbatoirs where II is
knocked IN the head with a long ham
mer. lhe INST blow Tells 1t TO the ground
and makes II little hole through the fore
heal. Then II rope Is attached to ITS
nina legs anu the dead horse SHOWS up
skinned and carved, II you may eat n