The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-30
CABS FOR LONDON TOWN.
Popular Demand Being Made for the
 Return of Four-W -WheeIers.

London Telegraph.
 While the hanson cab has always had large circle of admirers no one ever wasted breath in eulogy of that prehis- toric fourwheeled conveyance which is contemptuously known as the "growler " The surprise. indeed. of several genera tions has been that, so far as this partic- ular vehicle is concerned, the law of evo- lution has apparently come to stand still. Now and again, 1t is true. the Lon doner may chance to come across four wheeler which has some claims to smart ness, but its appearance only serves to emphasize the rarity of type. A ram shackle box slung on doubtful springs with roof of wondrous possibilities for the carriage of luggage. and an interior capable of infiicting exquisite torture on the cramped limbs of the passengers-this is the four-wheeler which still holds the field. As rule too. the antiquity of the vehicle is adequately matched by the age of the horse, although it would be ungen- erous to assume that there still survives such an animal as excited the amazement of MT. Pickwick-the horse which was upheld by t1Ie shafts. Anyhow, the four wheeler has a reputation for safety rath- CT than for speed To any one whose time is worth fourpence an hour it rep resents an impossible means of convey ance
 It is probable that, apart from it's use fulness as a sort of pantechnicon van, the genus ''growler" would long since have been swept off the streets As it is, it must be accepted as a necessary evil especially in the holiday season. All the same the Londoner wonders why the greatest city in the world should be be- reft of those dapper quick travelling four wheelers which other capitals boast. Thpra PariG coupes broughams. and its victorias, light and well horsed, They move just as swift ly as a hanson, and sometimes a good deal faster. The occupants perhaps es- teem themselves considerably safer with four wheels under the vehicle Into the bargain they get cosiness and comfort in the case of the coupe, and light and air. to say nothing of elegance in the case of the victoria. In London it appears to be assumed that Open-air conveyance is out of the question, but the popularity of the garden seats on omnibuses is a standing proof to the contrary Our eli mate, after all, is not very much worse than that of Paris, and if the victoria is popular means of conveyance In the French capital during the summer months there seems no reason why 1t should not be equally acceptable here At present 1t Is more than permissible for ladies to uSe HdHS"ihS' put IT they also had the opportunity of hailing a victoria can 1t be. doubted in what direction they would exercise the option? Mere consideration for their skirts would determine the problem.
 Besides. blink as we may. there is n growing uneasiness in the pubIic mind as to the safety of hansoms. This is no. the fault of the driver. but of the road maker. When the hanson was intro duced, a London horse could dig its heels into honest macadam. Now if is a choice between asphalt and hard wood pavement. and it is not easy to say which presents the most danger after a slisht shower of rain. The surTace becomes as slippery as ice. and the horse. shod in steel, must perforce skate or slide. Lon