Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-22

The business men of large villages where
there is no place to leave a horse excepting
the hitching posts in the streets, or the hotels
or livery stables will find way of i'm
proving trade suggested in tho following &c
count of the way these things are d,ns in
the city of Kalamazoo, Mic.
Some years ago a Kalamazoo gentleman,
after noticing the exposure of teams coming
to the city, especially in cold or stormy
weather, determined to give the farmers al
opportunity to make their horses comfortable
during their stay. So he purchased land
just of the principal street and proceeded
with his undertaking. He was made the sub
ject of many jokes from all quarters for his
foolish enterprise" but he went on and car
ried out his plan aud to-day there is nothing
in the city of Kalamazoo so popular with
country people coming to the city on bust
ness, az the farmers sheds.
Well what are they2
Well suppose you live in the vicinity of
Kalamazoo. You drive into the city with
your wife and daughter to trade. You turn
from the principal street through an alley,
and you are at the farmers sheds On the
right is a waiting room, well furnished and
comfortably warmed, supplied with hooks for
overcoats and hats, and wardrobes, and apart
ments for ladies' wraps in another room are
tables and a restaurant as you pass into the
yard is a tank of water for horses. You
drive up to platform of the waiting room,
you aud your ladies alght by simply stepping
on the platform; you hand a dime to an at
tendant hostler and he takes your horse and
buggy to an empty stall to stand until you
call, giving him all needed attention Give
two dimes, and your horse is not only attend
ed, but fed In either case you are entitled
to the privileges of the waiting-Toom, which
includes tables where you may partake Of
your own lunch, free, or for low rate you
have an ample bill of fare to choose from a.
you may desire. When you choose, you and
yours go out on the street, transact your bus
mess, do all your errands, and return to tn,
shed waiting-room. 1t is needless to say tina
much sociality is apparent here farmers anC
their ladies here often meet and make many
acquaintsncos. On the two days l was Their,
it was really surprising how the 157 shed
seemed to be chiefly full.
On Sundays the church-goers use thes
sheds. As a matter of course ladies arraug,
their toilets, leave their extra wraps, and oil
their return from church they take a warn
soapstone, get thoroughly warm, and find i
much peasanter than formerly, before thes
sheds were offered. A portion of these shed
have doors and locks, so if man comes il
and desires perfect safety from thieves he Cal
have it.
How much such a convenience enchance
business. How often farmers drive into Kal
amazoo for business when they might no
without the accommodations at the sheds
How much church attendance is increased b.
the hospitsble provisions of the farmers
sheds.
| was glad to learn that so humane an in
stitution had proved very profitable one, a
well as being very popular one. Aud tn
idea was strongly impressed upon my min
that it might be wisely copied by some q
oar interior cities and large towns in Ne,
England.-P. M. Augur in Conn. Farmer.