Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-11-07
QUEER VEHICLES AT ATLANTA.
Nearly Everything on Wheels Has
Been Fitted up for Passengers.

Atlanta, Nov. 3.-The transportation
! to and from the exposition grounds
has been and is all that could be de-
sired. The Fourteenth street car line,
at one fare, lis fine, and bJIsSes run
every three minutes for five cents.
Everything on wheels has a flag on it
and this bit of information is in red
and white letters a foot high: ITO
the exposition, &C. Some of the queer
est wagons ever seen have hoop poles
over the top, covered with canvas, or
namented with a bit of colored bunt-
ing, and a man to collect fares. Some
times there's q breakdown; no one is
hurt, everyone laughs, the wheel or
axle is patched up, the bugle sounds
and away they 60, the accident only
contributing that much more sport to
the journey. On Cleveland day the
funniest cOntrapdiOnS imaginable
were out gathering up people for the
fair grounds. One was an old butcher
wagon, wearing a coat of red and fly
ing flags. 1t was drawn by two coun-
try mules, whose ridiculous appear
ance was only increased by the vari-
cOlOIed paper caps ON their heads.
The harness was patched UP with old
rope and chains, and with every step
there followed a mighty Jingle Many
had glanced at it and laughed They
wanted to get in, but did not care to
ne the first passenger, all being in the
same state of mind nhewagon stood
empty, while the boy walked up and
down, doing his best to get some one
to step IN his vehicle. Finally a crowd
IF bellies and beauX from Washing
ton came out of a gTaystoEe hotel A
leader IL Washington society glanced
1T the turnout, her eyes 'uWinkle,1. and
she said: ''Girls, look at that, l am
leader. follow me-" In two minutes
the conveyance was filled and the
mules in a jog trot to the fair. The
lame boy who is sole owner of this
wagon spent his last quarter in dec
Grating CO it, but from that day he
has been repaid many times over, and
all owing ito the first passengers.
Another wagon is an OK ca~t, one of
ullc Olli- ullllelS 1TOLl JllG IDdckiWO OF
Georgia. 1t is, as are all we'll dec
GRATED with flags and bunting and
drawn by two mules and one OK. In
front sits a white-haired darkey, who
claims to have known George Wash
ingtOn. His clothes are patches
nothing else. Patches upon patches
from collar to foot Of trousers. He
has a happy, smiling face, and Ibis
eyes twinkle at the sight of every pas
senger. He is we'll in keeping with
the queer turnout He draws a
crowd with the songs he sings. ac-
cUmpanied by his banjo, and enter
tainS them all the way to the fair.
Perhaps the most unique convey
ance to tine exposition lis large push
cart, drawn by four Slim, little ne
gl'0es. A faded flag flies in front and
in the rear of the cart and a very
small flag sticks up from the crown of
their ragged STRAW hats. The little
fellows trot all the way, without stop
ping to bow. They grin at everyone
they meet, frequently sing, and Offers,
whistle. Of course their passengers
are always children. from whom they
only demand three cents. They cut
rates negro day and did a surprising
ly fine business. To every one of
them it was three miles Of real fun.