Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-13
HAoKMEN W GID DAYS
THEIR LOT WAS HAPPIER THAN
THOSE OF 1HE PRESENT.
Not 1nfrequently They Were wined
and Dined in Easements Of
PrivataHobses.

"In the early fNesIafld before-there
was much more enjoyment in my old bust
ness believe, than IN later years." said a
retired hackman Of this city; land tn nix,
taken all in ALL haekmen were more re-
spected and better treated as class The
business then was not SO cut up In proper
ton to the population we were numerous
enough, though limis ted in number, for the
service of the public. There were but few
instances / can recall when If a hackman
had good team, was accommodating and
paid strict attention to business that he was
not able to. support family comfortably
and some knew not only did so, but owned
fine teams and their own homes and much
other property. One of my old associa ties
is living comfortably with an income from
an estate whose value requires six figures
and ten years ago a retired Washington
jehu died leaving equally as valuable estate
1.-THE only objection had to the business
was that to faithfully attend to it left nc
time for my own. They were not always
men OF the best in the business, for, like
other avocations, the business was not con-
fined to one class. and some could be re-
garded good only when actually driving
and even of those who followed the business
mostly at night there were all grades OF
character to be found.
II started to say something of the enjoy.
ment of the life It's true most persons il
society had their own teams, but there was
always more or less demand for the public
hack, and we had our innings in more ways
than merely dropping and taking up pas
sengers and collecting fares. Sometimes
particularly in inclfment weather, were the
jehus treated like human beings, and 1 re-
call some occasions when in the dinine
rooms and saloons there were fine parties
the hackmen were called below and gener.
ouSly refreshed at the instance Of the host
Sometimes We were surprised by full din.
ner, including liquors and cigars.
Foreign Minister'S Kindness.
"a foreign minister at the West End one
evening opened his house to society, giving
farewell ball to a more than ordinarily
large number, and at the same time his
steward entertained. the hackmen below
stairs. When his successor arrived a few
weeks later many changes were made in his
household, and the custom of entertaining
the hackmen with something warm on
cold night was not observed. The conse
quence was that when the new minister
gave his first entertainment the hackmer
were out in the cold, and 1t was one of the
coolest that l ever experienced To SEE
through the windows the gay company In
full enjoyment while we were beating ou,
arms to keep up circulation was too much
and 1t Is tamely expressed when I saw we
crumbled. While budding together, stamp.
Ing our feet, one of our number appeared
with an armful of bottles for which rush
was made, and with copious draughts al
were soon warmed up and hilariously drunk
Few cared how the liquor was procured
but all suspected what was the fact, fol-
old Peacock, as he was. called from the
painting on his carriage, was not above
getting liquor In any manner. When the
party broke up there was some difficulty
for the guests to get into their own car
riages, and one of the haekmen when told
to drive up closer for lady, sang out:
lie, Let her jump; she can make it.
This was about the most disorderly
scene that l witnessed on such an occasion
The minister in question, returning to the
custom of his predecessor in treating the
hackmen, many good time we had below
stairs" -.a, -