San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-14

profftabIs business In the world, but we make
a living, and that's more than some neopsa
can say. No. can't afford a stable Of my
own, so board my horses They cost me
SIS per month, and shoeing and repairs TO
wheels and springs and such things, not
counting paint, come to SOS more. So you
see have TO make 500 month before l can
get cent for myself or my SON
ave have the regular trade Of two or three
good houses down town, and pick UP extra
jobs as they happen to come along. It's
poor week don't make S75, and that is not
so much when you remember the risks | run.
IL horse gets sick or dies am out Just sc
much capital, and they will get sick and die
Just like people. We do all sorts Of work, ex.
cept moving peoples furniture. That's 9
special business, and big prices they charge
for it, too, though they don't make a great
deal of money after all, for they're idle hall
the time.
WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK.
1.-THE trouble truck driver has nobody
knows except them that's in the business
Them car drivers is the worst. They thinl
they own the whole street and are as sassy a
the devil. You bet we like to worry 'em.
It's awful fun to drive right in ahead Of
car when the driver thinks We are going t<
stop and let him pass. You see they don't
have any poles, and there's nothing to pro
tect their teams, SO they have TO swing them
around, while we go on, laughing.
"The law says street cars have the right OF
way, but it's just as easy to get the best Of
the cars as not Ii car drivers were less
sassy and didn't act as though they were the
whole company, they'd have an easier time.
But truck drivers have their feelings just like
other men, and we pay taxes, which car
drivers don't, SO you see we're bound to have
our share of the streets. 1t seems easy enough
to stop heavily loaded truck, but just you
try it and see. Then we are often pushed for
time and want to catch a steamer or be on
hand in time to unload before the pier gate
closes Then just as you come to a car track
along comes a car and blocks the way. II
you want an inch or two the car driver gets
suddenly deaf or wants to talk to the con-
ductor, all the time keeping his eye open for
break in the line, and then he kicks his brake
pin and splurges along careless of everybody,
knowing that we don't dare spoil his pretty
paint with a jam. If we do the company
soon has our number and we get more law
than we want until we settle up.
"Some people never seem to know how to
cross street They start off all right, and
Just when we have calculated to go behind
them away they so back again right under
the horses noses, and imagine we did it on
purpose. The women are the worst Not
one in hundred knows we are watching for
them, and we get ali the blame, just as If we
wanted to run over the little dears.
KEEPING TRUCKS IN THE STREET.
1.-THE greatest hardship we have is about
our trucks. There isn't room in New York
to house them, even if we could stand the
cost, so they have to be left in the street.
Sometimes we get the privilege for nothing,
but / have to pay a man IS month to leave
my trucks in front Of his door. We lose q
good deal by keeping them in the street, for
the iron rusts, the paint peels off and thu
whole thing wears out more quickly. On
the whole, trucking isn't what it's cracked up
to be, and it's not over and above profitable
when you take everything into calculation.
mo, don't know how many truckmer
shere are in this city, though l understand
there are l7,324 of them. do know there's
an ALFRED lot of 'em, and it sometimes
bothers me where they all come from. have
stood for six hOurs-at so cents an hour time
pay-at the end of a string which ran all the
way from the foot of Desbrosses street up to
Canal street, and along South Fifth avenue
as far as Houston street Every once in a
while there would be a movement, but il
took me three hours once to go distance Of
twelve blocks. When the season is brisk we
are lucky to get rid of two loads day, and
that's what makes trucking so expensive &c
merchants. II the road was clear and there
were no blockades we could do twice the
work and at half the cost
Il don't know just what it costs to ship
goods for it all depends on the weight. II
the goods are light we can take big loads and
fill car in no time, but | do most of my
work for the hardware houses, and bulk
don't count. We are often out sixteen hours
at a stretch, and have at times taken my
horses out and sent them to the stable for feed
and rest at night while slept rolled up in a
blanket on top Of my load. That was when
we got in a string at nightfall and wanted to
ship early in the morning, SO as to get of an
other load before noon.
80 you see trucking isn't the easiest bust
ness man can turn his hand to, though I've
been in it since l was a boy, and drove for my
father just as my boy does for me- We work
early and late, and are responsible for the
goods in our possession. But somebody has
to do it, SO here | am handling the reins and
breaking my back handling cases big and
heavy enough for an elephant to tackle. I'm
now waiting to reach the Fall River steamer,
but the Lord only knows whether I'll make
it or not, for the SUMS going down, and they
pull out into the stream at sharp, merchan-
disc or no merchandise New York Herald
Empress Elizabeth.
Tho story Of tho N, er,-iao,. of tho rracapt