The evening times., 1896-01-08
Hundreds Of Stable Boys, Rub
bers and Others in Need.
SOME HARD LUCK SCENES
The Shutting Dow n OF the Tracks Cast
the Followers Upon Their Slender
Many Are Living on
Their Wit and Other Peoples
"wads"-Horses Short of Feed.

what you's talkin' about, niger? Yo
didn't want no six. 1t war an eight
"You's a lie, black TRASH. ] frowed
six and takes de browns, seer and suit
ing the action TO the word the diminutiv
little darky, who ''frowed de six grabbe
the dice and the few pennies I hal occasiOne'
the TOW and scooted around the end o
one of the stables at Alexander Island, witt
the other imp of darkness in hot pursuit
1t was just at the break OF dawn tha
the crap game broke up in 4 discussion a
| to whether Rastus had come OUT will
an eight or a six, and Tom Faiahecl
breakfast bell broke on the fitness o
the morning air with the clearness OF
church chimes on a bright Christmas MORT
ing.
The little darkies who had such a dis
cussion over the possession OF a few pennies
had formed part OF group Of stable boys
rubb bers and touts who We're huddled together
around Il small fire under the caves OF one
OF the stables. They were earnestly en-
/ gagged in a discussion or the ail-important
question OF how and where they were to
get their morning meal. .--
The few pennies, or, as the stable boys
term them, browns, - represented '.grut
| stake" to whoever had the good fortune 10
win them out in the game, so ii is hardly to
be wondered at that the little chaps were
eager TO get hold Of them.
TOUR OF INVESTIGATION.
| The Times reporter had turned out in the
| small hours OF the morning and separat ting
| the decidedly chilly atmosphere OF an extra
cold January morning with his anatomy had
! gone to the race track situated Just across
the Potomac for the purpose of investiga ting
the truth or falsity Of the report that the
| men and boys who are stranded al that place
were all but starving to death.
while the reports were found to he
somewhat exaggerated, there is, neyerthe-
| less, Il vast amount of suffering ancnc man
| and beast owing to lack of food and fuel.
Many OF the stable hands are already liv-
ing on one meal 4 day. and at this juncture
| the races have suspended operations Cnly
few days. How much worse VIII their
condition be in the course OF few weeks
visit was paid to Tom FaIlahee's
kitchen. Tom is the angel OF the track
He feeds hundreds Of the stable boys, rub
bcrs, trainers aud jockeys, and during the
racing season derives a very handsome
Income from the proceeds OF the Kitchen
sTAKED FOR A MEAL.
Just at present. however, Tom is run
ming a sort of Central Union Mission on his
own hook. While The Times man was
standing talking To him no less than half
dozen boys came up and asked him If he
could stake them to 4 meal" Not one OF
them met with a refusal.
Good Lord" said Tom, when questioned
as to how he could make the business pay
when he gave so much away. I'm not K
ing a cent; losing money right straight
along but a fellow can't refuse Il chap u
meal HI might he on the pork train my
Self some OF these days.
why" continued Fallahee, there's
nearly five thousand dollars owed me right
ere on this track for feeding these ere
people. They hain't got nothing, and hfll
bet ten cents 10 n thousand dollars that hi
never get old of one 'aIf OF it,
Tom may not get old of one .alf of the
five thousand, but it's dollars 10 dough-
nuts that he will never want for a meal. in
case he should go broke. as long as the stable
boys at the Island can shoot craps and
stake him.
From Toms place 4 little skirmish was
made through the surrounding stables. and
on allsides the same condition of want was
q
those at the track to be reduced to point
where it is absolutely impossible for them
to get their daily food.
VERY LITTLE MONEY.
There is a strain of brotherly love running
through the veins of the thoroughbred turf
follower that will not let one OF them stand
by and see one Of their number suffer SO
long as there is a cent in the entire gang.
They will give away their last cent, and
then when the next meal time comes around
will go out. and ten chances to one, find
some one who will do likewise with them
Their resources Will not stand the strain
very long, however, as there was very lit
tie money distributed among the stables
when the track closed down. The day will
soon come when they are all reduced TO
the same level. No one will have a cent
and the misery and suffering will begin in
earnest.
The suffering from exposure has not been
very great up to the present time. There is
plenty of brushwoOd right at the edge OF
the track and roaring fires are continually
kept going. The stable hands gather round
these after they are through with their
charges in the morning and sit and spin
yarns about the good old days at the
Gut, where everybody had the coin and
bottles We're opened after each race"
Many of the owners have reduced the
working force of their stables at least one
half, and il is these men and boys suddenly
thrown out of employment who are the
greatest sufferers. They 4 re many OF them
willing to work for their food and shelter
alone. but the expense of feeding them is
more than the owners can stand, and as
much as they hate TO do so, they are forced
to turn them away.
HORSES ARE SUFFERING.
The most pitiable phase of the frost
With the men it is bad enough, but they |
can jump out and hustle for themselves, |
and. if actually reduced to it, can come to |
town and beg enough to make a meal. |
With the dumb animals it is different. |
Many of them don't get half enough to eat; |
in fact. some few are living off a quart OF |
oats now and then when the man who has |
them in charge can so out and borrow it |
from some charita bic horseman who is more |
fortunate than they.
At Jack Whites stable the man in charge |
said that day did not pass that he did |
not feed anywhere from two to six horses
outside of his own string. When men come |
10 him and tell him that such and such a |
horse is actually starving To death for
lack of food he cannot help but throw open |
his feed box and tell them to help them
selves.
Coming over from the track, a dozen or
so stable hands We're seen loafing around |