New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21
THE COACHMEN'S SECRET CODE.
HOW DRIVERS OF CHICAGO RIGS COM
MUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
From The Chicago Chronicle.

From the chicago Chronicle.
Signalling has become fine art In war: so It has
among the private coachmen Of the wealthy resi-
dents of Chicago. one Of the first things coach
poyer should find or hear him, speaking to a
feow-coachman while on the boulevard there
S TS n o" though he Sn
tight trousers. coat shining with all the lustre OF
a 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 ex-
change greetings with them.
The club Of coachmen of this city is we'll known
Sr of ba WSe sy the
arrival Of the ball they hold meetings and discuss
coach varnsh toe clips and silver harness At one
Of the gatherings or meetings a few m9nths ago
the coachmen turned to discussing the Morse sys-
Il say, you fellows. exclaimed of the party
as he jumped to his feet. Il have an idea 1t is
Now. what is getting through yOgse. James"
SSd or o w,'h hs q f face race ana inc
why. Is this Patrick NY boy" replied the first
Potter Phil. and, in fact, none Of the boys.
Now. my scheme is this: Why can We not turn
this Morse mans system Of wire talking into the
coachmans system of whip talking?
form aar but james managed to make his scheme
Gear and to-day "coachmen talk" with their long
whips can be seen daily on any OF the streets OF
Chicago. TO the person unacquainted with the the
e1d lis berai arm play Would seem Nothing more
/ than mere fancy movements on the part OF the
| ers who understand what fellow-coachman means
when he gives three rapid whrls Of his whip with
r PIE The three whirs Of the whip from right to
left with the short cracks Of the whip. mean
this to the man who understands II;
| I'm up against It, out with the young one re-
turning nifty more calls. sympathy wanted
II there Is time for 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 cuts OF the lash:
| This means. We are shopping, late Nlncneon ana
last act at Matinee
| Driving down Michigan-ave. three carriages may
| be close together. Sometimes the drivers manage
| to keep tie carriages side by side. This Is when
| a
| men and II they but dare nod their heads their
positions are in danger.
| one Of the coachmen employed by n well-known
| resident Of the Lake Shore Drive told reporter
| TO but n hundred drivers. The grooms or the
stables DO not know the private signals ana those
| that do know them bound TO keep them secret
| one OF the interesting whip signals IL made IN
the following manner: Inc driver Srasps ms "hip2
a few inches from the butt sweeps II back and
forth In graceful manner seven times drops
the long lash In a dropping manner, ana then
pushes the whip up and down score or times In
| a violent manner. This means:
The old out last night Plenty on board-
| Wife cried then hot. Fired Molly, head girl
because ice water did not reach him In time. Regu-
lar h to pay 49,, ,
Tho art is used ut receptions; Whue
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 coachmen. we
are n lot held down by strict orders. we are
not allowed to bow or speak on the street: III we
the next time II happens ii VIII be all on we sos
w this code partly for our own amusement ana
then we can really talk We have about Two nun
dred signals. and we have had them printed; Eacn
has n copy OF the rules. II Is dead easy 10 ioo'
the old now.