Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-23


 the hdBse still holds his own and in- stead of being relegated to the rear, as some folks predicted when they saw the bicycle and similar modes of streets, he is more Of favorite now than ever before in Waterbury, and as 8 result the demand for him is so great the dealers cannot meet it. The same thing is true with reference to good horsemen. They belong to a class in themselves and the reliable ones are so thoroughly appreciated by their employers that they rarely make a change. There is nothing wonder full about this The man who holds the ribbons behind a spirited pair of horses occupies a posfNon something similar to that of the conductor of a railroad train and needs tx know his business and give it his WI ,le atten- ton while he is at it. If he does not do this, something is sure to go wrong. In other words, man prac- tically trusts his life and that of his family to his coachman when all take seats in carriage and the liveried servant is told to move on. No doubt this Is the principal reason why every body is so particular about the char acter of the help he employs to handle horses. To feel easy in ones office he must necessarily have a lot of confidence in his hired man when he knows his wife and children are being whirled along as rapidly as horse7esh can carry them in some other part of the town and their safe ty depending upon the skill. presence of mind and reliability of the driver. Why. as matter of fact, the coach man Is almost one of the family and in addition to knowing all tbe curves In the horse business he must also be a pretty decent fellow, else he will not remain long anywhere.
 At the present time there are about forty or fifty people in Waterbury who drive double and keep ceachmen, but the number of citizens who have single teams Is so large that no daily paper could think of mentioning them.
 William Scovill was the rst to keep a span and employ a coachman in Waterbury. He lived on North Main street, near the site of Thomas Kel- Tvs bakery, and kept beautiful gar den that extended back to Phoenix avenue on the east and north to Ab- bolt avenue. Later he removed to what is now the present residence of Mrs A. s. Chase cn Prospect street. Henry Bronson was his coachman, but he did other work as well, it being 2 common thing to see him turning his hand to almost anything about the premises &
 The oldest coachman :n Waterbury at the present time in point Of service is Thomas kilduff. who has been at the business for the past thirty-two years with tho Elton family. At an carly age MT kilduff eviDced n desire to care for horses, and when only a. shaver he secured a position with J. S. Elton and held it continuously since. The family keeps several, car riage and saddle horses ard Tom is just as much at home astride the mayors favorite charger as seated behind a pair of fast steppers He is said to have been able to divine the thoughts of every horse the Eltons owned during the years he has been in their employ, and while all look upon him as having no peer ill the profession, still it is with the women
 
 secure from harm when out for a ride when Tom is at the helm as they do at home in the drawing room. Mir Kilduff was with the Eltons when the present mayor, John r. El- ton. wouldn't exchange bag of mar bles for the office of chief mag agistrate of Waterbury. aud his pockets were freauently converted into receiving vaults for tops and notions belonging to the youngster. who later on was to make temporary roadway through d political organization which appeared to be impregnable at the time
 Gustave Johnson is another trusted coachman in the employ of the Eltons. He has been with the family for the past five or six years.
 John B. Meyer, coachman for Mrs c. NJ. Platt. comes next to MT Kilduff i'll point of con tinuous service, being in the employ of the Platts for thirty years. It is needless to add that MT Never is a faithful man. for nothing ltllt steady applica ton to his duties and a fitness to perform them creditably could, have inspired such continued confidence on the part of his employers.
 James DOnabue. whose face is so familiar to epople who had occasion to know the Parson eQuipage that he is often mistaken for the owner of the outfit. has been with the family for twenty-five or tlirty years. and is probably one Of the best known men in his line in Waterbury. They call him ''Jim,' and those who know him intimately claim that he can get as much work out of a horsa as any man in the stare without the animal knowing it The Parsons formerly lived on West Main street. but since the death of MT Par sons they have removed to Prospe0t street. and 1t goes without saying that "Jini' Donahue went with them.
 John Johnson. the man whom so many mistake for brother of IF. S. Chase, is not related to Mir Chase at all. although they have been to- gether so long both would feel quite lonesome in case somethine should ha npen which would send them along different routes. MT Johnson has