Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-12-01
STYLES OF VEHICLES.

Gaudy Wagons, Gay Dog-Carts, Pretty
Mail-Carts and Rich Buck-Boards.
"The taste ofmen of fashion," said
the head of famous carriage firm,
s'runs in favor of heavy vehicles.
Years ago we lay awake nights devising
methods of decreasing the weight of
the stylish wagon for gentleman's use.
Now we devote our time to increasing
the weight. The dashing young swell
about town years ago prided himself
upon the skeleton-like build of his
buggy That was the proper vehicle
then, and the more web-like and fragile
the wheels and the smaller the body
the more stylish it was considered.
Imagine swell of to-day driving a
buggy He'd as soon think of an ash
cart. We never make one for city use
now, but it's still an admirable vehicle
for the country. Nowhere in the world
has it been improved upon, and it is
now being very generally adopted in
Russia and England. They favor high,
easyswinging buggies over there, apd
only use them in the country.
''After New YORK men discarded the
buggy they turned their affections for
time upon phaetons, but those were
soon resigned to the ladies, and a
modification of the English dog cart
came in. Within year there was a
veritable craze for dog carts. Several
were imported from London, and they
fixed the taste for heavy equipages
among the millionaires' sons of New
York The dog cart was originally
used for all sorts of bard service in the
English provinces. 1t was made very
strong, so as to resist the wear and tear
of years; the wheels were of great size.
to roll over inequalities in the country
roads, and it was used as hack vehicle,
on which half dozen youngsters and
as many hampers would be loaded to
60 to meet or picnic. 1t is odd
that such an uncouth and uncomfort-
able vehicle should have held sway so
long. A mans first drive in big dog
cart invariably left him with a lame
neck, so tiresome was the bobbing back
and forth. The dog cart is, however, not
now as fashionable as the Stanhope gig.
Many varieties of gigs are affected by
young men who devote themselves to
show and good form in the Park. The
gigs are a bit lighter and more elegant
than the carts.
.'Tandem driving came in and went
out with the dog cart craze. | know
of only three tandems in all New Z ork
now, and they are not driven by ac-
knowledged leaders, but by men
anxious to get position in the world of
fashion. A very great many of our
wealthy families now use dog carts,
single and in tandem, at their country
places, but never bring them to New
York. Another vehicle which has sud-
denly fallen into great favor in the
country where there are fashionable
city people is the blackboard not the
rusty old-time vehicle exactly, but
something very much like it. Come
this way and I'll show you some Of
them"
After walking through almost solid
block of magnifcently finished car
riages in the great warehouse, and
going up two stories in the elevator to
where a battalion of smaller carriages
stood, the reporter saw a lot of buck
boards that would make the eyes of
primeval backwoodsmen start from
their heads if they could see them.
Many of them were in white wood, with
silver inishings and gay awnings. The
wheels were polished and big, and they
were made for two, four, and six
persons. There were two single buck
boards with an odd rumble for the
groom over the rear axle. One very
handsomely finished blackboard had
the box seat raised high in the air.
The pole was heavy and the gear ar
ranged for four-in-hand. The high
seat was necessary for the driver to
see over his horses. It was curious
and far from attractive-looking vehicle.
but it showed how a fashion may be
overdone.
THE blackboard is very popular in
the mountains" continued the manu-
facturer, ''and we ship good many to
the seaside, too. The style does not
impress me very favorably, for my
feet always 90 to sleep when [ ride in
blackboard. "
''What is the favorite vehicle among
men in town this year?"
''Among the leaders it is unquestion-
ably the mail cart, or carriage, although
the T cart still has its admirers. The
mail cart is very heavy and substantial
in build, with four wheels, one seat,
with fold-in seat behind, and hood.
orcover, that is never raised. Itshould
be driven to heavy horses with plenty
of action. Pole chains are usually in
order with mail chariot. They mako
lot of noise, but man who drives a
well-appointed outfit is not afraid to be
seen.-M 2. San.