Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-06-19
HORSES FOR DELIVERY.
PRIVATE TURNcuTs RivALLED BY
TIE DRY GOODS TEAMS.

THE DRY GOODS TEAMS.
Merchants in New York Seek to Make
Display If Horse Flesh While Serving
Their Customers - Some Fine Coach
Horses Come from Dry Goods stores.
stylishly dressed young woman tripped
down the stairs Of brownstone house on
Madison avenue the other day and walked
to the curb. where her brougham was await
ing her. A footman listened to her orders
attentively and then climbed up to the box
| alongside the coachnan. The handsome
pair Of bays arched their necks and started
off on a trot with a grace which showed
that they were team worth owning. Just
as they were starting off another team
drove up, door or two away. These two
were a well matched pair as well, and
looked every whit as well fed and sleek as
the others. But instead of drawing
brougham they were attached to a delivery
wagon of one Of the big dry goods stores.
Their driver eyed the other team narrowly.
s'By George!'' he said, turning to his as
sistant, that's the very same team which
the boss sold to Soand-so, the banker, last
week, and 4 good sum he got for them too.
I'd know those horses anywhere, for have
driven them myself for the last six months,
and would never forget that step. They'll
attract more attention. perhaps, than they
did in this rig, but Pll wager they won't
get any better treatment than when we
had them"
The driver of the dry goods wagon was
right, and the young woman who was
driving behind the pair of bays was all I'M
conscious that the horses Of which she was
so proud had been engaged the week before
in the plebeian business of delivering bum
dies around town.
VALUE OF HORSES IN BUSINESS.
They had been bought by her father for
a round 81 200, and only the coachman was
in the secret as to where they came from.
The fact that they had been work" horses
might have spoiled their beauty in her
eyes, but if she ever does find out the Sc
cret she can console herself by the fact
that hers is not the only team to be seen on
Fifth avenue which has come from the
same source.
Several of the big dry goods stores have
horses among their stock which will chal-
lenge comparison with the better class of
carriage horses owned by wealthy indi-
yiduals In no other business is the quail
ity of horse flesh higher than in the dry
goods business. The rivalry has been SO
sharp among the more pretentious estab-
iishments that it hasn't stopped at the
bargain counter One or two of the
wealthiest of the dry goods men hit upon
u plan a few years ago to attract attention
to their stores. The general delivery sys-
| TEN had been in vogue for some time, and
! it occurred to one of the dry goods kings
| that if his goods were delivered in style to
! his fashionable customers the impression
/ made would be a valuable one to him.
t So he provided his wagon with driver
and footman in livery and bought a mum
Der of fine horses at big prices. He got the
best harness that the market could afford,
and his rigs did make the impression that
he had calculated on. Other houses fol-
lowed his example, until now the store
keeper that wants to get fashionable Gus
tom expects, as amatter of course, to make
his deliveries with Il proper amount of
style. Otherwise he knows that he stands
a good chance of being left behind in the
race. The stables of these dry goods
houses form a big item of expense, for
MANY of them are models in their way, and
the horses are well cared for.
A firm on Twenty-third street have al
ways taken an especial pride in the he rises
they use, and the superintendent Of tbei,
big stable says that of the lis ho.cses, owned
by the firm not one has bee.i bought fol
less than $500. The head Of. the firm doe.
the buying himself, and every horse which
his superintendent picks cut must b,
brought around to him for approval.
EXCELLENT CARE GIVEN
The dry goods nan takes as much cart
in selecting his business horses as he doe
in choosing team for his private use TIL,
reporter went through the stables in com
pany with Superintendent Denmead, wht
knows every one of the ninety-five horse
in it by name, and is justly proud Of tn,
establishment over which he presides. The
ground floor, into which the teams ar
driven from the street, is covered will
| cement, which is always kept clean. Oh
!. the floor above are the stalls, and it was
very tempting array of horsedesh which
they contained.
:. 'tThose horses,' said Mr. Denmead
e couldn't be cared for whit better in
j private stable. They are groomed just a
regularly, and we employ veterinar,
whose business it is to be On the watch TO
the slightest ailnent. As a general thin!
we buy them in the New York market, ant
frequently the dealers, when they have
horse which they think will suit us, SEM
it around here on trial. We pay all tn
way from $500 to $50, and we even got
pair once which cost 5000 piece. Tha
was an unusual price. though. although
we have sold our horses as high as that
It would surprise you if should give yo1
u the names of some OF the private familie
- who drive out behind horses that have bee
y bought of us.
/ Every few days some one is dropping II
10 trying to get one OR more Of our horse
'e from US. Sometimes we will hit upon
~ specially well matched pair. and then Oh
II Of our customers who has caught sight
u them will try to bargain for their sal
+ Here the horses are better housed tina
IN many poor family in New York, and we
= groomed and well fed as they are they ca
IS naturally stand the work much better tina
they otherwise might. Almost all of tn
horses come from the west, although FEY
are raised in the state"
f. In one of the six box stalls reserved as
mr. hospital for the horses that may fall i
tv stood a black horse, which looked just q
70 young as his companions.
10 ''That horse" said the superintendent
"a as he patted his flank atfectionately, sis
~ years DID, although he don't look da
na over Is. He has served the house sine
~ 1879 and now in his old age he is pensione
80 off. He never does any hard work, an
:, the orders are to care for him just as we
- as any of the others until he dies. Ne