The Washington times., 1919-09-14
BY THEODORE TILLER.


Mister Charley. does you min eff
All goes to stable and gifts another
hoss? Ole Sally done about played
out"
A weather-beaten, black face stuck
itself under the -far-fIung canopy OF
an old-fashioned cab, Victoria type.
Mister Charley sat erect, rubbed his
eyes. and asked:
"How's that?T
The query was repeated, and an un-
derstanding grin overspread the fea-
lures Of the cabman as he laid hand
on one of the high wheels.
What time is it," asked Mister
Charley-and this is a true story and
Charley is a real parsonage.
ITS a quarter to seben o'clock.
You's been a riding nearly all. night.
You tole me just to dribe you ,aroun'
and not to stop. Nah hoss is nearly
daid; it's long past daylight"
Mister Charley told the colored cab
man to drive him home and turn in
at the stable.
Back In HalcyOn Days.
This happened in the morning of
one of the good old days when the
prohibition movement was considered
a joke; when the automobile was an
experiment, and when gentlemen,
from statesmen and diplomats to all
night FOUNDERS and visiting tourists
in the nations capital. summoned
might hawk" to start upon the home
ward way ...
And this brings this narrative down
to the point that the cabman, the
might liner" and the might hawk"
will soon pass in Washington. There
is a note or tragedy in the announce
ment that, scarcely more than two
dozen have renewed their licenses for
the next year.
There is on the payroll of the Ma
tional' Press Club today an old. old
eolOred man called "Uncle Tom
Probably not one member out OF fifty
knows his last name. Just, for the
records sake il is Garter" Late at
night he putters around and cleans
up, sweeping here and there, polish
ing the brass ornaments or rubbing
the mahogany woodwork. Now and
then he brings black coffee to the
men Of the morning newspaper bu-
resus as they drop in for an after
midnight chat.
1t is congenial work to "Uncle
I Tom" because his habits are noe
/ turnRl. He comes on with the night
crew and stays until the eastern sky
turns from black to red and another
day is added to the sum total Of his
experience.
ia PensiOner.
He is a virtual pensioner of the
u fellows who have ridden home behind
/ him and his decrepit but faithful
mare. That was in the mornings of
/ the yesteryear, before the automo-
biles and the taxicabs, with their
speed and raucous horns, chased from
Capital streets and bouIevards the
n cabmen OF our fathers.
There Is a great stretch from the
days of the "low-necked" cab to the
supremacy OF the automobile. Leav-
ing for the moment "Uncle Tom" with
/! his memories. we come upon this
statement by Wade H. Coombs, super
intendent Of licenses for the District
Of Columbia:
"Oniy twenty-seven licenses for
/ horse-drawn vehicles have been issued
in Washington since July l. Three or
I four years ago more than four hun
/ dred licenses were Issued during July
: alone for these vehicles"
| Here one has concretely the story
! OF the passing OF the cab; the virtual
/ exit into the vale of forgotten things
/ OF these sturdy stand-bys OF slow
riding populace.
! Could Tell Many Tales.
What tales these cabmen Of the
yesterday might tell IL they would!
/ Most of the drivers. like their fares"
have taken the last ride behind q
4 faithful nag. They have CROSSED
over" as Uncle Joe" Cannon would
say, to the realm OF the last tollmas-
ter. and have blanketed their horses
| for an eternal night.
Old-timers around Washington re-
call the days and nights when there
| wasn't a 'fiivver" on the streets. The
"night-liner" was the monarch OF the
midnight hour. The cushioned seats
| Of his cab were commodious and con-
ducive to repose and momentary slum-
/ Der. Men who had dined well sum-
moned him, thickly gave an address,
climbed inside, and went leisurely to
sleep.
Not that everyone who rode in
cabs had been an intemperate diner.
Yet before wartime prohibition be-
came effective and the eighteenth
amendment was submitted to the
States, any cabby will testify that
the wine that flowed at banQuets. and
the other liquids on the mahogany
shelving beyond the swinging doors
of the corner saloon, made a fellow
soothing motion OF "sea-going
hack"
When a "fare" entered in those
days Uncle Tom" and his kind
cIucked to a knowing nag and start
ed homeward. or parkward, or down
on the banks OF the Potomac. or any
where else the fanciful patron desir-
ed to go. II the man in the back
seat was rather incOheTent' the cab
man merely drove until he received
definite terminal orders.
Generous With Pay.
"Uncle Tom" says that most OF
them paid generously. u knowed
| few who wanted to ride all night for
a quarter" says Uncle TOm.' but
most OF the white gentlemen didn't
kick on the price. Sometimes they
would be broke, but ! knowed most
OF 'em and collected the next day, or
next time I saw them. Sometimes they
wouldn't remember about the ride,
! but they'd take my word for what
happened.
las l remembers now, newspaper
men was wore liberal pay than some
OF these here members of Congress
and statesmen. Very seldom ! had