Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-16
That Inattentive 1erdic Driver.

To the Editor of The Evening Star;
A day or two ago took occasion to complain
through the columns of your paper of fragrant
case of inattention and neglect Of duty on the
part Of the driver of herdic, my complaint
being occasioned by the deliberate and culpa-
BILE negligence of the driver in passing me by in
the street when l had signaled him to stop.
My object in making the above affair public
was for the bona fde purpose of, if
possible. remedying an existing evil and
not to visit an injustice upon an entire class of
men, many of whom l am aware are efficient
and deserving. and all of whom beyond a
shadow of doubt earn their money by dint OF
considerable hard labor. In your issue Of yes
himself IS. d. L." seeks to undo the
effect of my former communication
and to destroy the point and
spirit of my remarks, by consti-
tCting himself the self-appointed champion Of
all herdic drivers and attempting by a long
winded explanation and summary of the trying
duties of herdic drivers in general to justify a
particular driver in an oiTeEse to winch he Is.
ID. L. was not witness.
1t is difficult TO conceive Just what object
as. D. L." could nave had in interfering in
this matter beyond desire to NEEDLE III what
does not concern him. but, however this may
bel desire to reiterate my statements formerly
made that the evil of which l complained was
an actual occurrence, witnessed by several per-
sons and could no. possibly have been con-
strued by 4 person viewing the circumstance
to be anything else than "a case of culpable
negligence OH the part of the driver of the
coach. Mr.. IS. ID. L." intiicts upon us n very
touching accoun: of the poor" herdic drivers
many trials. his manifold duties &c. and by
this, as said before in effect attempts to ex-
cuse him for any and all offenSes which he may
see fit to commit in the discharge of same.
Mr.. IS ID. L." may, for all l know. have at
one time or other been herdic driver him.
SELF which in part will excuse him for his re-
markable and unlookcd-for effuslon, but all
can say is that if he did not make a better at
tempt at discharging the trying and distressing
duties of this office than the man who sat on
the box of the carriage which l essaycd to stop
then the road is we'll rid of Mr. IS. ID. L"
IS. ID. l." also states that he has resided on
18th street, on the line of the herdics, for the
past six years, and during this period seems to
have formed very fattering opinion of the
consideration and efficiency of the drivers of
these vehicles. Though this fact has no bearing
upon the occurrence OF which l complained in
your Thursday afternoons issue. allow me to
state that have resided on 18th street for the
past fourteen years and have noticed many
similar cases of violation of the rules of the
herdic company, which provide that every
driver shall keep sharp outlook for passen-
gers and, unless his coach is full, stop when
sisnaled to from the street and not put an in
tending passenger to the alternative of
either walking to his destination or jump
ing onto the roof Of the coach.
II IS. d. l." has never seen any OF these &C.
currences then his optical development must
be as defective as that of the individual at
tached to the herdc formerly mentioned, and.
to use his own euphonious expression, he evil
IDENTIFY did not keep his eyes peeled"
The hypothesis with which Mr.. IS. d. L."
closes his remarks and the far-fetched theory
which he advances in explanation of a driver
misdoings are of SO absurd character as to
carry with them their own refutatiOn.
OSWALD n. BURKE.