The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-03-17
Our @lio.
MEN AND BEASTS OF BURDEN.
Quaint and Curi0us Ways OF Moving
IOusehOld Goods on the Continent
of Europe.


From the Philadelphia Sunday Times.
They have a funny way Of moving goods
in Russia. | remember one day seeing
a procession Of men going through the
street with the household effects of we'll
known family Four of them had the
piano resting on their shoulders, while a
range was carried by two others. Then
followed men in single file with tables,
mirrors, trunks, wash-boilers, tubs, bed
clothing and other goods on their heads.
Wagons are seldom employed in hauling
articles from one part of the city to another
A Russian transfer or freight man carries
around under his arm head pad about
the size of the crown of large cap. 1t
is. usually made of leather and stuffed
with hair or hay, is soft and generally four
inches thick. On plate attached to his
coat lapel is word of Russian announcing
that he is an expressman. He has no
cart, horse or help. This man, single.
handed and alone, contracts to remove
every character of goods as rapidly and
safely as if they were in charge of the
great express companies Of the large
American cities. He associates with him,
if there is heavy furniture or haste in
the work, number of his confreres, and
the men, sometimes to the aggregate of
score, simply walk into the house, pick
up. the goods and carry them out and to
their destination in a twinkle There is
no groaning, packing, raising and adjust
ing about drays or wagons. When the
men get their loads on their heads they
start out in Indian file and make little
procession through the city They never
90 down any unfrequented street, as they
would lose an opportunity of advertising
their trade. A Russian thinks no more of
picking up warm cooking stove, placing
it on his head and walking couple of
miles with it without rest than an Amer
lean would of carrying an extra overcoat.
At Genoa, the principle part of Italy, |
saw a moving scene which almost rivaled
those have viewed in Russia. A dimin-
utive donkey was the vehicle Of transfer.
The dear little thing was scarcely larger
than six-weeks old calf, and its ears were
of greater length and breadth than those
of any ass | have ever seen In the United
States. Across its back was frame of
wood and straps quite as capacious as
hay-rack for a two-horse wagon. The
goods were packed on in something like
this order: Centre, dining-room and writ
ing tables; bookcase, two stoves, three
mattresses, two trunks and four or five
satchels, refrigerator, a cabinet, half
dozen pictures in frames, a mandolin, two
accordeons and violin, two wardrobes,
bed clothing and the personal clothing
nda sbrick-a-brac of the entire household.
On the head Of the donkey were tied
a bundle of newspapers and books and
roll of music, so that | had to stop and
take long, careful survey of the moving
load before could discover what furnish
ed the motive power Immediately in the
rear Of this household moving scene, which
is the usual thing, came another donkey,
which was used as retail vehicle for milk
and fruits. On its back also was large
frame. On the frame were adjusted sew
eral heavy cans of milk, dozen baskets of
fruits and the various measures and a pair
of scales used in the trade. Two minutes
later / saw train Of dozen donkeys
loaded with iron for the improvement OF
the street railway. The iron was tied
across the donkeys backs the long way,
and the load would have been considered
a good load for two horses in America, It
is not uncommon to see donkey carrying
a load of railroad bars weighing 1900
pounds, ton is not small wagon load in
most countries.
Speaking of railroad iron for the street
tramways at Genoa, must tell you what
kind treetrailway they really have there.
l was on street car one morning in Genoa,
going out tows7dthe barracks. 1t was single
track and no switches were in sight, yet |
saw pretty soon another car coming on the
same track and directly toward US, On
it came, at rapid run, till the two cars
were within one hundred feet Of each other.
The movement was not slackened, and |
began to fear there would be a collision,
when the car sat in suddenly turned off
the track and went round the other.
After humping along short distance on
the boylddrs it rap on the track again,
never lessening its speed, and with the
same Indifference on the part Of the driver
and conductor that would be maintained
had there been no other car in sight I
thought this a very strange and unusual
movement, and began to conclude It was
to avoid delay and to meet an emergency,
when the car oane TO an abrupt corner of
the street. Instead Of keeping on the