Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-04-02
Razing Of Livery Barn
Emphasizes New Era
ADVENT OF AUTOMOBILES RE-
MOVES coLoRFUL CENTER OF
oLD-TIME MEMORIES

One of the Eagle River landmarks
that is being taken down this week,
is the old livery barn on Wall street,
owned by S. w. Smith, who will dis
pose of the large amount of building
material in it and leave the lot free
for modern building purposes. It's fate
is the same that has befallen thous-
ands of other village livery barns, and
this particular one had not been used
for it's original purpose to any ex-
tent since the automobile became the
main means of transportation. 1t will,
be missed however, by farmers and
others who drive teams to town and
most of all by drivers going to and
from the woods with their teams each
fall and spring.
Many who recall the days when
the livery barns and teams filled an
important place in the business and
social life of every community, feel
pangs Of regret because of the realiza-
ton that those days are gone forever
~ 1Ac5nC PAdCC LII J11O AO1 SOlCSS Ccll-
riage," that at the time of it's appear
ance was the derision of every livery
barn owner and all the men working
there. The barn was one of the bust
ness centers in town and frequently
employed more help than any other
concern. AS a source of information
it was the best in town, with teams
coming in every hour Of the day from
all the towns within driving distance
Now millions of car owners enjoy
talking Of the merits of the different
makes Of cars, gas mileage, tire SER
vice records and other parts of the
modern car but they are no more
enthusiastic than the old time drivers
and regular patrons were in discus
sing the dispositions, endurance quail
tiles and so on, of the bay gcldings,
known all over town as "i'eta ma
Tom, or the gray mares called "Kr
and Lady" The loss of one Of well
matched team from collie or csher ali
ment, created II CHI more talk than
the sight of a .lls-Royce doe; today.
Ii the team was broke up by trade,
the owner Of the barn genera. knew
why he ulsmsic hed the team a1d
sooner q. later fife other T. ow al
too.
The choicest teams and rigs were
engaged weeks in advance for Mem
orial Day, Fourth of July, Circus day
and Fair time, and the applicant had
to be known to the barn owner for
his ability to handle horses in bad
places such as street parades, can
non firecrackers and brass bands, or
else he stood a poor chance of get
ting anything ivlier than the bus and
stage teams. The young depot agent
and store clerks always wanted the
best rigs on Sunday afternoon to take
their girls out riding and some of
them could never understand how it
was that this or that team had been
out with the doctor all night and had
simply got to have some rest. AS a
IuIC, Tue IduSy, rough lOOhlHS DUCK
skin and his mate were never chosen
by the bloods when wanting to take
the belle of the town out for ride or
to the neighboring town dance, but it
was the team invariably hooked up
by the regular drivers when from SO
to 80 miles of road had to be covered
quick. The trunk wagon team was a
necessary part of every large barn
and two weeks trips were not unus-
ual for them and their driver. Near
ly every barn kept a good looking
pair of blacks known as the hearse
team and made the easy drives be-
cause they could not stand long drives
even with the best Of drivers. Some
barn owners always kept high and
fast stepping span of well bred trot-
ters for their private use and to try
to take a little conceit out of some
other liveryman at fair time when
the best matched driving team con-
tests were held These are some of
the memories recalled by the old tim
ers in most towns when they see the
old livery barns passing out of exis-
tence and sight.