The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-03-14
LIFE SHORT AND HARD.
How Car Horses I'm New York Are Bought,
Patched up and Worn Out.

81 should not have thought it would
have paid to work cripples," / re-
marked to the driver of Third ave-
nue. car on which rode down town a
few evenings since. l referred to the
near horses hind legs. one of which
was ornamented with n huge flannel
bandage, while the other foot seemed
in the dim light swollen to an abnor-
NAL size, and TO be parting from the
leg at the hook.
Hes not lame" returned the driver
affably. That's Il boot he's got on his
near foot. He's had a quarter crack
and the thrush, too. but he came out
of the hospital week ago, and it
don't seem TO trouble him much. This
road don't work lame horses. just as
soon us they show any signs OF weak
ness they are sent to the hospital and
the best veterinary surgeons in the
country patches 'em up"
Il suppose the hospital is nearly al
ways well filled" / suggested.
! ''Why, of course it is" said the
driver. This works terrible hard on
a horse, mainly because of these cursed
long trips and they're not pushed hard
J
few years"
How long does horse last at this
work?" / inquired.
Three years, about" was the reply.
"Some of 'em go on for five years with
patching up, but that's the extreme
length of time that they will pull cars.
When they have been about two years
at the work their feet get so sore they
have TO he turned out. This company
has Il stock farm in the country where
they are taken, their hoofs are pared,
and after running around awhile on
the soft ground they get hard and fit
to come back TO the stones again for
time
"Where do railroad horses come
frOm?" l asked.
MOSTLY from the West,n said the
driver, as he put the brake on hard
and came to d standstill while the
original fat lady from Bowery muse
um was hoisted on the car andpaid her
cents like a mortal of ordinary avoirdu-
pois. But they buy horses all over, "
he resumed, as the car started again
after a huge straining of the unlucky
uuadrupeds who felt the increased
weight.
mo, there are not many really sound
horses coming into car stables. The
buyers in the west take a carload OF
horses, and. after picking out few
good, sound, business horses, selects q
lot of good horses with just some tritie
wrong with them, which he calls
s.streeters, and sends them on to the
city for the car companies. Then 9
lot of horses are picked up cheap be-
cause they have some small ailment ol
blemish which the veterinaries succeed
in curing. They build 'em up, as you
might say, as good as sound 'uns."
''HOw are the green young Western
horses broken into car wOrkp" wa'
the next query. and the driver hall
sighed as he replied. '.Why, right her,
in the cars. Haven't you ever noticed
team working with a pole in addition
to the traces? We always work greer
horse with an old one. and the pol,
keeps him straight and prevents hin
kicking over very bad. But it's
tough Job sometimes. Green horse
are awful scared of the elevated road
They'll keep looking up and starin!
. all around to find out where the nois
comes from. and sometimes they'll
just stand still and shiver with fright.
How long does it take to get then
! used to it?"
"Oh, about two weeks. A car hors
ought to'be pretty handy at the end o
that time. lL'll take 'em six weeks o
two months to know the bell, but afte
that they'll obey the bell, quicker tina
green driver. you'll see a ne'
man fail to put the brake on quic
enough sometimes when the bell ring;
. but his horses will stop and the ca
will run right up on 'enl. Horses al
\ quick enough TO learn, but l CUES
their days are nearly over. Electricit
is bound /" do away with them"