New-York tribune., 1896-05-10
~. OF THE HANSON CAB.
VEHICLE WIDELY POPULAR AND
TIE GROWING MORE so.

,rAnrD-RrBpER TIRES AN IMPORTANT 'A'-
.on-ruE DRIVERS ORIGINAL. FEARS
AND FINAL CONVICTION.
soue twenty years since the first
II met with a mixed welcome in the
hanson" NsvYork So mixed was this recep-
streets -.o, that the vehicle which had for so
ton !" .,r,a heen a fixed institution in the thor
long =, London and Paris was here voted
ousn.a uneouivocally. 1t looked unstable and
> i' ..r,caturists found in 1t fruitfui heiu ior
the ca , To :he average American. who
w.. w.. upon progress as sort OF mui''phcauon'
p'". ...,o.vheeled carriage appeared 10 oe s'ep
'n' ''n,ord rather than forward ana MOI even
baek"a' ..o, a. was English" suffced to keep 1t
'Ds .o,ntenance with the public, II TOOK hu"
:, wears for the rough edges Oh pre!uu,oe
De- o0 and a good many more 10 orlhs 'he
10 W." oab 70 the high state or popularity anu
nAn'o ss public conveyance that II enjoys
smc'e"' THAT IT is popular is demonstrated IN
@''a. ,,d,v increasing number employed In
tne the words of one of the leading car
fsc' .,rfacturers when asked about IT, say
nAse -, will of It, the hanson cab has come 10
what you VIII u ~
stay" ,s. "1 do not know exactly
o0H.. natter was at the start. Primarily IT
~A'. .s,s TO pu, 1t down in part to the pre,uolce
"~..,cans generally against all two-wheeieo
and there was some reason III thiS.
Se'' the ever present fear Of results In
I" horse falling on slippery pavement
c*~..,,,ne c* driver and the occupants OF the
su' ,,.o the mud People seemed to think
CAV vere safer in a four-wheeled carriage
"s' ...re were you may remember, VINO
Vne'' A. ,h,ns might rear back on Itself and
'ss's horse into the cab 1t took time to dispei
fph ~. Notions; but they have been dispelled.
hsse ,ook out upon upper Broadway and
anu ,,s line OF carriages passing up ana
.'.n am sure that more than 5o per cent are
oo"A p,ding in them people can see and be
As.n As something they cannot accomplish IN .he
seen carriage. Yes. 1 suppose the being
Wv" "r mart Of it has weight with the women 1or
.n that love Of admiration is one of their
charming peculiarities.
FOR PRIVATE STABLES.
.rhese cabs are coming more ana more INTO
.,r,r with the livery stables. l have in mihd
.,w very energetic young carriage puiiuer VI
:, aooua,ntacce who is rapidly completing an
.-s.r ,or nine of them for single stable.
80, many are owned. too. by private IN
s,,aro,s We build good many OF the inner
Ltd On nrvate orders. and they are fitted up as
,.,asone,v as any of the more pretentlous
,.,,ces They are vastly more convenient lot
~ r,nds NJ uses for instance than proughaii'
"a srce the rubber tire has come into such
-.,.-o, uss their permanencc is absolutely
go Iook AT the catJtards about the city 1
- -o fully one-half of the vehicles there are
:. ,ha hanson variety The old time hack OF
csh Is disappearing. and the majority Oh 'ne
-, ore nroviding themselves with the
haneoms
rs. MOS. % them buy their vehicles from out
u,own makers. A good many come from towns
m in Connecticut They cost from sooo ~ COW
whereas a strictly high-class one LOT pi'Na'.
vii cost 81 300 and from that down 10 'A'oVV -''
s,apsr grade. A good deal depends upon '"0
INTERIOR appointments. AS l nave susees
"A, 10 carriage is absolutely complete no" ui''
h~ns equipped with the rubber tire. riioi W
Mlne of its introduction. one OF the s'o"s
keJons TO the general use OF the Hanso' 49,
vas the noise 1t made rursoling over 'he pave
uent. You couldn't hear yoursen speaA a'
Times Then at times, on rougn Dioch pa'ie'
he riding was tresome. for the passenger was
itched about like boat In heaVy sea. vi
ourse the condition Of the city streets mas pee"
astlv improved OF late years. so that ohe may
,de with more than comparative comfort almost
,vvhare on the avenues. The crosstown streets
NIGH, ne improved in numberless instances pu'.
ar the matter Of that an experienced driver Will
,oage the bad places, using the main cross
streets"
VALUE OF THE RUBBER TIRE
.r,a ruhher tire has been the greatest benefit.
|, 7 remember rightly, that was German IN
,sr,,on and was used on the royal carriages IN
psr,,n &C long ago as 1866. The tires were not
durable then because the art Of vulcanizing rub
hsr had mt reached a high state Of perfection
Tho idea WAS introduced into this country by
New-York firm. representative of It, then
rouny man went abroad to finish his education,
both in languages and in the inner secrets OF the
carr,a ya- building trade, and saw the rubber tire
for the first time With that intuitive knowiedse
q, ,ha fitness Of things for which American me-
chanics are noted. he saw it was good thihg'
although he recognized the common point of
weakness the lack Of durability. He brought
some examples Of the invention home WIN hiii''
! do not think that the firm made any effort 10
monopollze the use of the tire On the contrary
It is my recollection that they threw it wide open
for the builders generally.
Now you can't patent rubber tire. You can
ee made secure In the use Of particular shape Oh
tire. or in the use of particularly prepared
wheel and style Of growing. but the rubber ana
the general idea canno. be tied up by any one.
30 II Is that the tire has come into general use
ana more so now than ever before. In fact' SO
extensively s 1t employed that none OF our irs'-
.,a's builders think Of counting on anything else
.nan rubber tiring II saves the carriage 1t Is
ieSs wearing on the horses. and the nerves OF the
occupant are preserved TO a green old age. other
'"ihss being equal No. the wheel does not have
~ oe specially made for the tire. 1t can be fitted
" any wheel at any time Thus IL comes about
'aa' as soon as one Of the old-fashioned car
'ases is sent 10 the shop for repairs OF any kind
Hfequest Is sent along that rubber tires be placed
OF the wheels"
THE TIRES OF SOLID RUBBER.
Al all Instances aside from racing vehicles
,nese t'res are solid. The pneumatic tire is not