The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-11
THE RUSSIAN JEHU
The isvoshtchIk Owns His Own Outfit and
Is Farmer for Part OF
-. the Year.
London Field.


The cab driver of Russian towns diff
fers in many ways from our own Jehu,
in the matter of having a ready
answer, which does not turn away wrath,
for both friend and, foe, he seems to be
closely related. There are no large cab
owners, and, If those of the tram COM
panies be excepted, no large stables in
either Moscow or st. Petersburg, and al
most every driver owns or has at least
a share in the lot he drives Although at
first sight cab driving in the capitals of
the empire can hardly be considered as a
village industry, yet In Russia it is con-
sidered as such. The ''isvoshtchiks, as
the hymen are called, are nearly always
members Of far distant village comrnunes,
who spend the whole or part Of the year
at town work, but who remit the greater
portion Of their earnings to- their native
place, and themselves return to it when
agricultural work or fishing is at a premi-
um, and when city work or health gives
out. This connection between farmer
and factory hand, townsman and tiller of
the soil, is characteristic Of all Russian
industry; 1t is no uncommon sight to see
a cottor or linen factory empty during
harvest. The coachman of the city is
generally a member of a peasant family
whose males outnumber the females, so
that some of the former are forced to for
sake the allotment, which proves INSULT
cient to provide support or labor for them
all, and turn to the town for a living
He comes to the busy center, learns his
way about It., buys droshky, a small but
not uncomfortable vehicle on runners,
and four-wheeled chaise of about the
same size for summer use, takes out a
license from the police and makes start.
His horse (for unlike the London brother,
he seldom has more than one) he brings
with him from the farm or, perhaps, to be
literal, it brings him; and often the pos
session Of the animal is the reason of the
drivers change of fortunes and of scene.
This isvoshtchik is a strange object as
he sits on the narrow board which serves
him as a seat at the front of his droshky,
clothed in a long blue gown which
reaches to the ground, is heavily quilted
with down, and tied in. at the waist with
a. strap or ornamental cord and heavy
sheepskin cap over his ears. He lives a
nonadic life, seldom having any fixed
residence or stable in the town, and Is
thus often to be seen asleep in his drosh-
ky, while his horse feeds at the public
troughs, which the local authorities put
UP in almost every side street. One may
see him, when he has put down passen-
ger and earned his fare, go to the nearest
! corn merchant, buy just sufficient hay
| and corn for one meal for his horse and
place it in the manger. Then he gets fod-
der for himself from the ambulant ven
ders Of black bread, tresca (odoriferous
codfsh) and weak, milkless tea, who stand
at the corner of most Russian streets, anc
afterward he sleeps peaceably in his
| sledge, until his horse be rested and fl
for another journey. Then on he goe:
again, UNTIL some hours later, he re-
peats the process at the other end of the
town. At night he plays BOX and Cox
with his partner, with whom he forms {
limited liability company At a fixed tim,
he must meet him in some tavern yard
take out his own tired horse and surren
der the droshky. The second man, who's
horse is fresh, now takes his twelve hour
and at the appointed time in the mornin.
must meet in the same tavern. After
week they change over, the night mai
! taking the day work and vice versa; thu
one vehicle, with no lodgings or stable
for the men rest in the pothouse, tn
horses in the yard or sheds adjoining it
supports two men whose sole object Il
life is to earn and save enough to enabl
them to leave the city and return to tn
land, the mistress Of every mujik's affec
tions.
i The isvoshtchik Is an excellent exampl
Of that absence of fixity of tariff which /
so prevalent throughout Russia, for
the matter Of charges he is a law unit
himself. When you show signs of want
Ing a droshky all the drivers within ha
assemble and bid one against the othe
| III tIlS CuSlOLis IAlS one VIII take you fC
so much, that one for less and so on On
takes ones choice a good, fast hors
and smart sleigh at good price, or ba
one for fraction of it. Should one, how
ever, select a poor looking beast, the DIR
: vers left behind will make encouragin
remarks as one drives away. HE
lame, He stumbles,' "The driver
j, drunk" they will shout In chorus unit
one is out of earshot One natural resu
5 Of this elastic system is that the old la
of supply and demand makes itself fel
!; for while fares are low during slac
r hours. they are apt, at close of play or be
ginning of storm to at once s'rise sever
|. points,
. The isvoshtchik is not bad coachma1
> generally driving with very tight re-
and somewhat furiously He shouts
everything In his way, and constantly .,
courages his not unwilling little stef
: : with such remarks as Now, yanka III
: tie john, earn your dinner 1T is n,
il far. The day is cold s.At the end the
i are food and rest 7 God is good,
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