D. AND J. BACON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11714, 23 April 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

D. AND J. BACON.

I/IVERY, BAIT, AND LETTING

STABLES.

Vn a district so picturesque as that snr- ■ i-ounding Dunedin, it is a matter of importance to-residents, .and especially to the travelling public, to know where they can obtain a good horse for riding or driving. On. every, side Nature has been liberal in creating , delightful scenes of green hills, homesteads cosily set in deep valleys, vill/iiges scattered on-hillside or plain, a winding estuary with a hundred quaint lines, capes, ,_,^,and bays, and long stretches of beach laved ' by-the surf of the Pacific. The visitor, not •— content' with listless ■ (Peregrinations about the city, loves to view these' goodly places, and they cannot "do better than call on Messrs D. and J. Bacon to obtain quiet backs,- or fashionable vehicles and spirited "horses. Business men as well as pleasnreseekers require turns-out to convey them to th.eir customers, and hence wisely regulated livery, bait, and letting stables are at once a necessity and a boon m any city. The horse was wisely deified by some of the ancients ; and let enthusiasts prate as they \rill of the bicycle, the wheel can never offer the same attractions as this noble quad.ruped, whose career in battle, on the hunting iield, at race meetings, or in commercial uses has ever proved him to be the faithful friend of man. It is no wonder that the desirable animal ■is unconsciously worshipped by. the British public, and that livery, bait, and letting stables.such as those of Messrs D. and J. Bacon are popular- resorts. The Messrs Bacon, whose, stables are situated in Great King street, have been connected with this business for 32 years, and arc one of the oldest firms in the line in New Zealand. Tin original proprietors were Mr David and "Mr John Bacon, but the latter retired about 12 months ago, leaving Mr David in sole jiussession. This gentleman was born in Essex, England, and was brought np to ■tanning pursuits. In 1858. when 17 years \)i agi=, he came to this colony, and before establishing this business was engaged in lightering the harbour with a vessel owned ' .by himself. But Mr Bacon had been associated with horses all Ms life, and ifc was wot long before he devoted himself to a •business in which they played a leading Vart. What. Mr David Bacon does not. know of, the quadruped is hardly worth learning. He is a keen and sure judge of horseflesh, and in his stables he has an un- . -usually high class of animals for riding or driving, some of which are worth a considerable sum of money. The stables of D. and J. Bacon occupy a quarter of an acre in. Great King street, and are magnificently The management, during the many years that the firm has been in business, have brought their stables to a high state of perfection, and the horses could hardly be housed in more comfortable quarters or the vehicles be better protected when not in \ia:e. 'The centre floor of the stables is of concrete, inclined so as to drain iiatuvally, and is scrupulously clean. This quality, of cleanliness is a feature of the premises, and should be taken .as an example by similar business men. The horse boxes are commodious, and the gtmeral accommodation for the horses has been excellent!}' ar-ranged-to simplify feeding, cleansing," etc. The offices front Great-King street, and at ■the rear is a two-storey building, the top floor of which is used as the buggy house. .This is served by a Aydraulic lift, upon which the vehicles are placed and carried up out of the way of dust and injurious gases to the closely-siiiit-in' house. Visitors will observe that all 33..md J. Bacon's vehicles are in good - orcl'dr—^,faot which is partly due to this arrEhgement. The exhalations from a stable "ire apt to eat away :the paint on vehicles, aid hence one freAuentty observes a worn-wt appearance iv

livery-stable conveyances. It can be said that D. and J. Bacon have as superior a class of vehicles as of horses, including .four-horse drags, phaetons, waggonettes, Brudleys, buggies, dogcarts, etc.. They are fashion-' able and in excellent crder. Mr Bacon has gone to a deal of trouble to obtain a line1 and. serviceable class of horses for his stables, and among tho 25 to 30 which he has in constant use are magnificent pairs, single-harness horses, and hacks. One pair of bright bays are of splendid quality, free, dashing, and devoid of vice. A writer in the Times a few months ago paid a high tribute to Mr Bacon's judgment in getting horses- for his stables, pointing to them as the bsst representatives for, this use in Dunedin. ' He declared that everything was of superior merit, price not being a consideration. The public gets the advantage of this selection, and shonld not be slow to show'their appreciation of it. Mr Bacon buys and sells horses. He make? a, speciality in supplying wedding carriages and drags, doing the business therein in Dunedin. Those who enjoy a ride can obtain very fine hacks for ladies or gentlemen. Mr Bacon imports all his own saddlery and harness, and also soils to the public- havmg a permanent circle of customers in this branch, cle. imports saddles, bridles, single, and double iiarn«ss=. whips, waterproof coats and rugs, and horse clothing of all descriptions from such well-known Birmingham hmifes as Hill and H-.irtridge, Charles 'Grealrex, Butier Bros., and Hfiuwficld Goodman, and imports also from American maunffietm-ers. We have written enough to show tho superior stamp of business conducted by ]). and J. Bacon, who are to be-confidently re commended to the pleasure-seeker and commexcial man.