Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1875 — “M. Quad” and the Niagara Hackmen. [ARTICLE]

“M. Quad” and the Niagara Hackmen.

A dozen different people said to me, “Look out for the hacKmen!” So when I reached Niagara I looked out for them. Looking out of the car window-1 saw them. There were twenty-seven of them in a soldierly line, every man’s mouth open, eyes rolling and right arm waving around. As I stepped on the platform twentysix of the twenty-seven came at me, while the other one attended to the remainder of the passengers. They danced around me, yelled at me, clawed at me, and when I got out of the crowd and off the steps I felt as if I had been throw-n over a fenqe. It w-as only- two blocks to the Clifton House, and while I was certain in my own mind that I could somehow manage to drag my body that distance after resting all night those hackmen differed w ith me. Theyw-alked beside me, they followed after me, they blocked the path, and each one vehemently assured me that I ought to ride. Even when within thirty steps of the hotel one of the drivers held his carriage door open and shouted to me:

“Getright in! Take you to the hotel for tw-o dollars —only two dollars!” I didn’t stop long in Canada. I couldn’t get dinner at the hotel because I wanted to cross fifteen minutes before the regular dinner hour. I couldn’t get a room because I couldn’t get dinner. I couldn’t get a cup of coffee because I couldn’t get a room. The hotel bootblack w-ouldn’t black my boots because 1 couldn’t get a cup of coffee; and it was a great relief to me to find that the man at the end of the foot-bridge was willing to take toll from me. I half suspected that he would refuse to let me cross because I couldn’t get my boots blacked. While crossing the bridge I should have been struck by the mightiness of the cataract if I had not been struck by the forewheel of an omnibus. When the hide has been rubbed off a man’s leg fofa space of two square inches I defy him to feel for tlienext ten minutes as if he cared twocents whether N iagara Falls poured over a cliff or crawled through a mill-race. The hackmen made my accident the pretext for rushing at me again, and they offered to convey me to the International Hotel, a distance of fifty rods, for “Five dollars.” “Four dollars.” “ Three dollars.” “ Two dollars.” “ One dollar.” “Gentlemen,” I replied, as soon as I could get in a word, “lam going to walk that fifty rods or fall dead in the road. If I die divide my money evenly between you and throw my body over the bridg^!” They drove slowly and kept a constant watch on me, and when they realized that I was about to accomplish the herculean feat they set up a mad yelling, and drove around the square so as to head me off at the hotel door. They didn’t get hold of me again for an hour, as I had the only key to my room, but when I appeared on the veranda a hackinan approached and inquired: “ Have a hack?”' “No, sir.” “ Have a carriage?” “ No, sir.” “ Have a vehicle?” “ No, sir.” “ Have a laundy ?” “No, sir.” “ Have a barouche ?” “No, sir.” I , “ Have an omnibus?” “No, sir.” “Have a gig?” “No, sir.” ..“Have a wagon?” * - No, sir.” * >« “ Have a sulky?” H 1 "No, sir.” “Have a wheelbarrow?” r \ “No,' sir.” » t

“ Have a hand-sled ?” “No, sir.” He looked at me and sighed and fell back for the next man to advance. — N.. Y Graphic.