Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-03

:
I'm - y FORTH S,Sls,, ss"'s $; ss9':
osity. Scarcely a Washingtonian. either.
who on at least one such occasion has
not had his own curiosity aroused and
has become one of the circle. advancing
with the invariable query. What's the
matter?"
Sometimes an accident has occurred,
hut more frequently some one has fallen
into the tolls, and. guarded by non
chalantly silent bluecoat, is awaiting the
arrival of 1.-The wagon" In such cases,
for some inexplicable reason. you forget
your business engagement, which seemed'
70 pressing five minutes before, and stand
aimlessly there, until with clatter of
hoofs and the ringing of a gong, the
patrol wagon dashes up, the prisoner is
bundled inside, and with a fndl clahS vi
warming the wagon is off on its way I"
1he station house. Then, mayhap, you IN
Gulgo in an unSpoken sympathy for the
unfortunate one, and proceed to forget ali
about the entire occurrence Certainly not
one in a hundred such spectators ever
wastes a thought on the driver or lhaI
patrol, If, indeed, the latter Is nonceo AT
all.
Truly the duties of a patrol wagon
driver are as varied they are multi
tudinouS, but as general RUE he 10
''unwept, unhonored and unsuhS- nc
plaining ever ready to assist wherever
and whenever help is needed, and seeks
reward.
Curious 10 spend night with pa
troll driver a reporter for The Star sew
eraI evenings ago requested the privilege
Of accompanying the man VINO pliots
them in at d downtown precinct
Il have no objection to your going.
he replied But I can't guarantee you
safety any more than L can an interest
ing time
At sunset the driver fed the horses
each precinct usually has two-raked
down their beds and then lighted the
lamps ON the front of the patroi wagon
Now I'm ready" remarked the driver
III won't be long before we gel INTO
harness and have the wheels spinning
continually. There isn't much rest for
either me or the horse, but we are used
II ii now. I have spent twenty years
driving the wagon, and Ia rather DC on
he seat with the horse all ahre ana
fighting for his head than to be loillnS
aroUnu the station or in the bunkroom-
We got to be one place or the other'
because no one knows when the wagon
will be wanted or what it will be wanted
for.
As he entered the stable with bucket
of water for the horses the gong in the
bunkroom began to clanG.
instantly both animals began to snort,
Come out of there, Dick" shouted the
driver, setting the bucket of water on the
concrete floor of the stable
A large bay horse, with his mouth filed
with food and oats dripping to the foor'
hacked out of the stall and bounded To-
ward the door. his ears standing Stfalshl
UD and his eyes abaze.
SeiZing the ring on the halter which the
animal always wears. the driver ran to-
ward the wagon. Without guidance the
animal backed in under the shafts, and
an instant later the suspended harness
fell upon his back.
Jump on the seat quick" said the
driver Wen be off i'll minute.
Go get EN-. Dick urged the driver,
as he sprang to the seat and seized the
TeinS.
With the excited animal galloping at
full speed. the patrol wagon ratified over
the cobbiestoneS down the alley and turn
cd abruptly into the street A few sec
onds later the wagon was III front OF the
station. policeman armed with club
came out of the station house AS ne
jumped into the wagon he shouted 'Ihlr-
1y-one" This means the number of the
patrol box from which the call for the
wagon had come. By long experience the
driver knew where the box was located.
Pounding his foot on the bell tap and
holding the horse back with all his
strength, the driver hurried through the
streets skillfully keeping the vehicle out
of collision with other conveyanceS and
avoiding accidents with bicyclsts and
pedestrians. who scurried excitedly from
one side of the street to the other The
reporter chung to the seat with both
hands, apprehenSive OF his safety. IL
may appear to the casual observer that
patrol wagon runs along smoothly over
the asphalt at an even speed, but such
is not the case. The animal drawing
the wagon travels in leaps and bounds.
The wagon is jerked ahead according to
The length of these leaps. Although
driver can sit perfectly still on the seat
without fear of danger from the motion
ri the conveyance, the uninitlated Is con
Stantly ioStled first against the broad
shoulders of the man behind the reins
and then against the iron supports OF the
cover of the wagon, receiving bruises all
the while. Curves are rounded at fuil
speed, and one wonders why the wagon
does not stand up on one end. but 1t
keeps its balance perfectly. Now and
then the wagon crosses the car tracks
at top speed the rear of the vehicle is
swcrVed around so far to the right or left
Of the front truck that it is difficult TO
conceive how the conveyance remains
intact
After spirited run, throughout which
the driver had the heavy leather reins
wrapped around his steel-like wrists, the
painting horse was halted at the southern
extreme of the White Lot. The police
man jumped out of the wagon and went
:" the patrol box. a park Waterman.
holding q man by the collar, advanced
toward the wagon.
Charge him with violating the parking
equations" said the Waterman. This
Is the third time in week he has walked
across the grass after being warned
The prisoner stepped into the wagon.
The policeman slammed the door and
shouted Go ahead" The driver guided
the praucing animal TO the station.
That's d sample of some of the runs
have" remarked the driver after
backing the horse and wagon into the
shed adjoining the stable. Cant tell
what We'll get we have to make one
run fast another" he continued.
tnhitChing the sweating horse, the driver
started back 20 the stable, but before he
reached The door a policeman came out
OF the rear entrance of the station and
shouted, Wagon at New York avenue and
9Th street"
What's the matter up there, drunk
inquired the driver.
Don't know" replied the policeman,
who was ready for the trip. They didn't
say. All know is they want 1t quick
The horse was quickly turned around
and again backed into the shafts In
less time than il takes 10 tell it the animal
was again hitched to the wagon and was
rscing down the alley on the second run