The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-03-10
THE HACKMEN'S APPEAL.
Unique Document Addressed to the Mayor,
Council and Board Of Public Works.

We, the expressmen and backmen in the
city of Indiana polls most respectfully ap-
peal to the Mayor, the Council and the
Board of Public Works to take our cause
into consideration and see what you can do
in regard to giving US q regular place to
stand with our wagons and hacks. We had
q regular place for years. given to US by
the Republican party. but We are sorry to
say that it has been taken away from us
by the DEM We do not understand
why we should be dealt with in this way
tire atment of us. after we, with our friends.
stood manfully by you to get the high Of
fees you hold. for which you receive big
pay. Now you know and We know that
election times will come again. and
if we and our friends would turn
our backs against you. you would not like
it very we'll; therefore we don't want to be
driven to this, and you can prevent it il
you want to. You could have reserved a
place for us to stand if you had only de-
manded it of these street con tractors. who
would willingly allow US place to sta nd
and take the contracts gu bject to this
it for them. but YOU forgot that any ex-
pressmen or hackmen lived in the city, or
else you did not care whether we lived or
not so you gave US away" and took our
liberties from us. So now we have to move
whenever those contractors or anybody
else says so. We are driven around from
place to place as though we were
q lot of cattle. We are men like
other men. and Taxpayers here
Fop hal
license regularly. Our way of making a
living for our families ia an honest way;
we onght to be allowed that privilege. and
you know that our wagons and hacks are
needed every day bv the people for different
purposes. Just now there Is much talk
against the expTessmen and hackmeD, to
the effect that they destroy the streets. We
say that we do not destroy the streets. We
can tell you who do destroy the street, but
You don't say nothing about them. and they
don't pay license. Please look at w ashing-
ton and the other I'm proved streets, FROM one
end to the other, from morning till night.
on all sides of the streets; please look
from Illinois street to Delaware. and you
will see all kinds of wagons and rigs stand
ing three and four deep. which makes IL
almost impossible to drive by. You don't
say nothing about them and they pay no
license. Please look at the big pork.
wagons, the ice- wagons. the stone-wagons
ana ali the other big wagons. which haul
tons at load-these destroy and cut the
streets up and not us, and you don't say
anything to them; they pay no license.
No, 1t IS the poor expressmen and hackmen
that have TO bear ali the blame of the
streets being torn up You have driven
the poor hackmen around like n lot of lost
sheep; you have driven them into O dark
avenue, away from the eyes of the public.
standing In the cutters and amongst tho
boulders with their fine and valuable
hacks which cost each of them several
hundred dollars, and you know that they.
with their hacks. are needed every day by
the people for funerals and other purposes.
and they cannot get to stand where they
ought TO, where they could be seen and
found by the people
Now, if you are going to improve all the
streets. what are you going to do with MS.
or where are you going TO drive usf We
would like to know. This is tho answer:
protection; they will call and see us, and
say to us: Move on, boys; 60 West and
grow mp with the country" We must
obey: we dare not say move have no pro-
lection. SO We must move on from corner
to corner until we get to the river. and
then push US in and drown us out all to.
gether. Another slur We have to take:
Men and women passing by call out.
Hello. boys; they have run YOU away
again, have theyf What are they going to
do with you now--drive you out of the
city" We have to answer and say; "Yes.
it looks like that is what they intend to
do" Another thing we have 10 take 10 that
where we stand the business people como
out and look upon US as though We
were double-headed monsters shaving no
right to live here, and tell us that We OBJ
struct the view of their business. We
know this is so, but how can we help itf
We have no place to 60 to, and We must
try to make living some way for our
selves and our fami les. The people tell rs.
and We know it, and you know it, that the
public squares are the right places tor us to
stand; and you have full power at your
command to grant us this privilege II you
want to do so. Then we would all have
room enough, and be out of the way, and
we would not obstruct the business view
of any body's place. " q should be treated
like men of authority treat men of our &C.
not, but We hope We will be soon. We do
not ask anything unfair of you; We don't
run after your coat tails to get IS here and
$40 there. and tell you we have this ward
and that ward in our pockets for you, in
order To get good jobs from you. What we
ask Of you wont cost you anything,
and you have full power to grant
us this if you want to deal fairly.
lmpostors. We appeal to you as gentle
men and good citizens, and We would like
TO be known as snch. We have spoken
here because 1t looked as though nobody
cared anything much about us. so we
thought We would brace MP and say some
thing ourselves. We would like TO ask all
ladies and gentlemen to read our appeal
and explanation of our condition, and we
ask public sympathy. for all that we havo
said here is truth. plain to be understood
by all reasonable people. and if any man
disputes any tnlng we have said let him fol-
low Ne up In the papers, and he will hear
from Us again.
Now. Mr.. Mayor. the Council and the
Board of Public Works. We ask you to
please TO take our appeal and give it fair
and reasonable consideration. and don't
postpone it and put it off. and then forget
us. like you did when you gave the first
street contracts to those men. We hope
you will rsmem Der US from now on; there
fore, be fair with us now. and give us some
regular place to stand with our rigs, In or
der that we may be able to make an hon.
eat living for ourselves and our families.
This is all that we ask of YOU and we
promise you that we will most respectfully
thank you for il. THOMAS j. WHITE.
Sun Spots and the Aurora Borealis.