The times., 1899-03-26
NIGHT-LINERS OF
TIE METROPOLIS
Interesting Nocturnal Jehus
of the Nations Capital.
Unique Among the Cabmen of All
Great Cities.
Generally Honest and Valuable
Friends of Policcmen-A Drivers
Phantom Fare.

| Should pedestrian on Pennsylvania
Avenue at any time during the small hours
of the morning chance to halt for a space
on corner he would Immediately be as
sailed by at least half dozen ramshackle
coaches, approaching from as many direc-
tions, and the drivers Of these coaches
would all but force him to enter one of the
shaky vehicles and ride. 1t matters not
whether the pedestrian wishes to ride or
no. The energetic Jehus would insist that
an immediate trip was the only hope for
salvation. and furthermore, would under
take to inform the belated citizen as to
where and where not he must ride.
These are the strange mockeries of
rapid transit known as "night-liners."
There are night cabs and hacks in other
cities, but the ''night-liner'' is peculiar
to Washington. Here and here alone ex-
lists the real article, and the history Of but
one night in the experience of a might
liner would make such legend as would
startle the nation.
There are nearly 200 of these might
liners in the city. How their owners exc
out an existence no man save those of the
craft may say but they do exc out a good
living and ofttiInes wax rich and fat. Only
the most disreputable looking derelicts of
hacks ard cabs are pressed into this serv-
ice, as they prove stylish enough for the
line of trafiiS engaged in. The gallant
steeds which provide motive power are a
motley collection of the breed known as
'boneyards." The jehus themselves are
as odd as their vehicles, and are, with but
very few exceptions, colored men, with all
the patience and daring instilled by years
of this experience.
Ready for Any Service.
Fa,- o,1--
Drained for the ''night-liner" to engage in.
No collection of fighting 'drunks" was ever
too rough for cargo. No aggregation of
painted females is too loud for the jehu's
taste, and with an innate faculty which
makes him blind, deaf and dumb when lack
of these senses is necessary, he is ever the
henchman of his fares.
Few of the out -and-out liners have any
regular stand. They prowl up and down
Pennsylvania Avenue all night long with
the steed asleep and the jehu on the alert.
After midnight the liner takes full posses
sion of the city, and, while keeping within
the bounds of the law makes use of many
strange prerogatives which permit him to
chase pedestrians along the street while in
ducements to ride are held forth with great
persisteney. This is continued until the
jehu spies some other stray soul, when he
begin new line of argument.
The better class of might liners have
stands at the parks along Pennsylvania
Avenue in front of the new city postoffice,
and at some OF the hotels. Any celebrant
desiring "hot time need only fall into
the hands of one of the drivers who will
show him the town and whole menagerie
of elephants. Some OF the jehus relate
racy tales Of experiences with Representa-
\
Much campaign material might also be pro-
cured from this source.
The "night-liner' is handy after-mid-
night Aladdin's lamp. If you wish drink,
ask the night liner" If you wish a po-
liceman the jehu can get one in ten sec
onds. II you wish to avoid one of the blue
coats, again may the jehu be found ham
dy and as a promoter of midnight revel-
ries he is astar. The regions south of the
new city postoflice are wide open to this
centaur, and he has carte blanche every
where He seldom gets beaten by fare,
and should any gay cat" as he terms the
would be sport. attempt to get out of pay
ing a fare, the latter is at once taken to
the first precinct station.
The liner" has his uses, however. He
is trusted by the police and is often val
liable ally. He has been known to return
almost every article left in his possession,
although he seldom gets any reward. His
receipts for any one night can hardly be
averaged. Sometimes he cannot get IS
cents, while when business is good and he
goes up against some red-hot sports he
can show from $50 to $50 as the receipts
for the night During the recent billiards
the liners" coined money and seemed not
to mind the severe weather.
A GhOsty Fare.
os a. al old nj
possessed a rocky cab and the remains of
a horse. related an amusing experience
when asked TO tell something about his
life.
well, sab, said he, "the strangest 'spe-
rience l had wus las summer I'm stand
in here near the Pennsylvania depot one
night when four gentlemens comes an
sez. Pop, whut'l y take t drive us out
on the Bladensburg road?' Well. SEE /.
seem business is poor. I'll take y'all out
fer three dollars. Alright, sez they, an
they git in nah fix.
Wall, l brung them out an when we
wus near to dis hear Olivet cimitary,
WHARF they buries dead folks, the gentle
mans seq, We git out here, pop. Now.
you wait here tell we comes back an you
kin carry us back to the city. Alright. sez
l. but don't keep me an my animile
a-waitin' long So they goes eff en- |
waits. En- | waits an waits en- | doan see
ner hear nothin. En- it wus dark night.
Sho's I'm a-standin' here it wus powerful
dark.
Now | amt skeered or nothin', but |
don't like foolin' round where dead 70 ks
is on bad night en- I begins t get lone
some. En- I hears noises like ghostes
makes an ! amt skeered yit. En- | sings
en- mex hoodoo charms. Then | goes down
the road aways iist fer company an | left
nah horse up yander.
so | comes back, en- who's thar but one
of the gentlemans. En- he seZ, Git on d
box, pop, fer the speerits is sholly out
this night. 'Whut dat | say, en- git on
in a hurry. Sho' is seZ he. Ma goodness,
look adar sez he en- | look, en- 'clar to
God dar wus speerit staining out on the
road and a-wavin' its arms En- / doan
wait fer no talk wifi dat man, | tol' you
that, ner | doan wait fer no fare. I'm a
nyin' man. | am, en- | don't stop tell gifts
en- the city, neither.
Wall. when l gets on the Avenue look
benin en- | doan see no speerit. En- it
wus mos A o'clock en- ma nerves wus
scanlOus. So | goes in a saloon t. git me
drink OF gin. En- when l come out a
niger come L me en- sez. Pop youall's
fares has got out en- went off, en- they wus
lafffn' at you.
Man, you crazy. sez 1; I amt he'd no
fares, lessen dey wus speerits.' They done
got out jes the same, sez he. Now | tole
you this, sab, en- it's trufe: / done carried
a load OF speerits from dat cimitary en-
doan know it. Man, | doan fool roun' no
more dead folks, en- l lose So that-a-
night"
Other liners relate strange revelries of
their fares and the tales would make a
thick volume of hair-raising adventure In
one case liner tried to wake a fare up
after long ride and found the man dead
In auniher case AYheRa the liner took mn