April 17, 2025
FIRST TWO WHEELERS ARE HERE.
Promoters Have Troubles Intro-
ducing the Hansom Cab.
An epoch in the history of Kansas City was made yesterday with the appearance of a real hansom cab, one of two just imported of those two-wheeled, lofty vehicles in which the driver rides way up in back and holds the reins over the roof and the two passengers sit behind locked doors.
The denouement was made yesterday afternoon when a prominent society woman who lives on West Armour boulevard engaged the vehicle to drive home from a reception given by another prominent society woman on Brooklyn avenue.
At the outset the carriage washer at the livery barn, the enterprise of whose manager brought the equipages to this city, refused to have anythingthing to do with them.
"Have I got to wash them things all summer?" he asked when he first saw the cab yesterday. "Not me. Gimme my money and I'm gone." And he went.
The question of livery for the driver was still to be solved. Twelve pairs of moleskin breeches were brought out. Harry Lasco, the "Cabby," tried on several pairs and then lost his nerve.
"Please let me wear regular trousers," he said. "I know I'll feel queer enough up there on the seat of that thing, as it is. The hat and coat are all right. I don't mind them so much, but the pants."
Lasco's troubles began when he reached Main street. Small boys followed and howled at him. Obliged to wait to allow a car to pass, a crowd gathered quickly and it was some minutes before he could proceed. On the way back from the reception after driving several parties up and down the boulevard, he found the most unfrequented streets and returned to the barn without a mishap. The promoters of the hansom cab have purchased twelve heavy coach horses.
Labels: animals, Brooklyn avenue, clothing, Main street
