New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-08-17
LONG ISLAM STAGE DRIVERS.
MANY TYPES TO BE SEEN AT THE VARIOUS
RESORTS OF THE REGION.


The weary traveller along the Long Island Rail-
road seldom thinks a. the start how important
person the stage driver becomes by the end Of the
journey After any number OF hours hot car.
in a strange town. perhaps. with some heavy bag
gage. and. for the moment literally 10 place to
lay ones head. the man the stage assumes i'm
meuse proportions He seems ID wise a walking
book OF living knowledge. very mentor, upon
whom depends happiness and success II is there
fore very important matter thlt one is put Under
the spell OF kindly who is truly wise and
has malice against one. Stage drivers are
peculiar people. They grow settled in their optu-
ions They become most firmly rooted IN self
confidence. much depends on the invariableness
OF their trips that they look upon themselves
Indispensable adjunCts OF sOciety's wellbei1g
doubt they are Some grow 70 know their vii
lagos very we'll others don't. Some take great
delight in educating strangers Others don't Some
Ike talk Others don't In short, drivers
human beings and vary as 70 agreeableness
and efficiency on The same grounds as most men
vary.
IL is interesting watch how they change IN
general makeup and character the further the rail-
road gets from New-York- Near the city, where
the rush = greater and the strangers many
and always changing. the first and last requisite
in stage driver is business He must be on the
lookout for passengers. lose no time. waste
words and never miss train one realizes there
driver the front seat VINO gets 70 the
desired E,lac, last though il may necessarily
beyond thar there is nothing more nothing human.
II is all a matter Of business
\ little further away, nearer the Great South
Bay. the stagrmeu still conventional. usually
uniformed. and though somewhat freer with in
formation officials every inch OF them. But get as
far as Babylon or SayviIe or PatcFoe-Ie and the
personnel d 5he stage drivers has undergone a
change. We at last coming upon men-indi-
vtduaIs who drive stages Ito any part OF the
town" and independently Very rarely are uni
ton merely FOR the summer They are not oTui-
nary servants OF hotels They know the town they
live in. and can give historical inforula t0n L9I
here's an old bay captain who knows tAe 0oCIo ION
OF Great south like the written WOrI5 IN an Opgi
book He can begUile the moments TIL a late tralh
sturdy man. man with voice that cou!d 90
service for = toghorn. He jokes with MS ltL.9@
n,T nor xaa M he LOOKS 70 tba pleasure Of
the arrivals with scarcely word. over there y a
little man. dressed UP in SeTnI-UnIfOIm, the driver
of the largest stage to The best hotel OF the place
He knows everybody and everybody knows him
He seems To unity the whole company OF sCrSy
drivers. Not from him may BE- seen suFll
fellow. with detective eyes and slow mounting Of
words though he suspected ms ltsseLls{SI a Jr
would not for the world give away any UNIQUE III
formation ,--,...,,.,.-,. s.,1,,., ., - NOT
until one arrives the heart OF the island that tns
most amusing and interesting stage , dri!eTS ai
T5 are OF kind with the best traditions
Of counfrv life Like cartridges and quails. they
are OF the color with the IandsCa Pc. ND NJ
are wagons or old fashioned carriases strong: oa
worth just about $ 80 at auction Inc nor S 5ys
might bring $40 piece But II IS the drrXelS ~
are considering. and they are worth IL ne! .5s'.
excellent men. With ponderous deberation ~ thS q
realize Your needs after awhile. Before al bss1
naSsed a great many invaluable facts nave 80
iaarned one Of these drivers young LaHle Sts
low who was weaver Has cruz So is
co"sst"nt rnmDanfons on the front seat Neu 80
as goodhearted. kind and likely ttG ',.tt5 +or
he smokes too many cigars as neeG % -. a l,jnq
He has a gift of patience that would pen. h 81
He drives we'll and becomes a friend as wen a. @
driver. ,,--- ,r.r,+ the island
Is Charlie" the kindest man ON the S.., t, tIi
He drives fndefa bly,. from eaT.y ~ .,sr
late in the evening But his never r:li-eu bjs
his quick perception of passenger Isi5 an
raodY holm his cheerful salutatiOr 10 a Irlehdes
tb ,,a ttjtias and many more make him type OF
the hest of the stage drivers