The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-12-24
coAcHMENs SECRET CODE.
How Drivers of Chicago Rigs Commit
 nicate With One Another.

nicate With One Another. Signalling has become a fine art in war; so it has among the private coach men of the wealthy residents of Chica- go. One of the first things coachman must learn is to look dignified. If his employer should find or hear him | speaking to fellow -coachman while on the boulevard there would be sign | hung on the stable door: "Coachman wanted" Even though he wears skin- | tight trousers, a coat shining with all | the lustre of score of brass buttons and plug hat with peacock feather on the side, he is still human The coachman has friends and he wants to exchange greetings with them. | The club of coachmen of this city IS well known for it's society affairs gwen once year in the shape of grand pail. While they are waiting the arrival or the ball they hold meetings and discuss coach varnish, toe clips and silver mar ness. At one of the gatherings or meet ings a few months ago the coachmen turned to discussing the Morse system of telegraphing.
 q say, you fellows" exclaimed one of the party as he jumped to his feet. Il have an idea It is a capital one, don't you know?"
 Now, what is getting through youse, James," said a coachman with red face and the character of County Cork on his face.
 why, it's this, Patrick, my boy" re- piled the first driver. You know that Harold will not allow us to speak to each other on the street. Nor will Pot ter or Phil, and, in fact, none of the ] boys Now, my scheme is this: Why can we not turn this Morse mans sys tenn of wire talking into the coachmans s system of whip talking?'
 The suggestion at first was in a com plicated form, but James managed to make his scheme clear. and to-day "coachmen talk" with their long whips can be seen daily on any of the streets | of Chicago. To the person unacquaint- ed with the code, the flashing of whips, describing odd circles and a liberal arm play. would seem nothing more than mere fancy movements on the part of the dignifed driver But to the hun dred or more drivers who understand what a fellow -coachman means when he gives three rapid whirls of his whip ! with two short cracks at the end, it is all very simple The three whrls of the whip from right to left, with the short chacks of the whip mean this to the man who understands it:
 I'm up against it. Out with the young one returning fifty or more calls. Sympathy wanted"
 If there is time for an answer the coachman who has been addressed may return his answer with two long up and down movements of his arm, with the whip, and then four cross cuts of the lash This means, We are shopping, l late luncheon and last act at matinee" '"
 Driving down Michigan avenue three carriages may be close together. Some times the drivers manage to keep the carriages side by side This is when the occupants keep a close watch on their | coachmen and if they but dare nod their heads their positions are in dan- ger
 One of the coachmen employed by a well-known resident of the Lake Shore Drive told a reporter for the Chronicle that the secret code was known to but a hundred drivers. The grooms of the stables do not know the private signals and those that do know them are bound to keep them secret One of the inter- esting whip signals is made in the fol- lowing manner: The driver grasps his whip few inches from the butt, sweeps it back and forth in a graceful manner seven times, drops the long lash in a dropping manner. and then pushes the whip up and down a score of times in a violent manner. This means:
 "The old man out last night Plenty on board Wife cried, then hot. Fired Molly, head girl, because ice water did not reach him in time. Regular h. to pay"
 The art is used more at receptions. While the occupants of the carriages are in the house the coachmen line up along the street and carry on their small talk.
 At the best" said one of the coach men, i've are a lot held down by strict orders. We are not allowed to bow or speak on the street If We do we lose our positions or receive a warning that the next time it happens it will be all off. We got up this code partly for our own amusement and then we can really talk. We have about two hundred sig nals. and we have had them printed Each member of the Coachmen's Sig mailing Association has a copy of the rules It is dead easy to fool the old | l,f ,ifl1a