The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-11-14
ereat meetlng Of oabmen and Haokmen


and drivers of this city was held, pursuant to pub
lie notice, Tuesday evening, at Arthur O'DonnelPs
Ballroom, corner of Circus and POydras streets.
There were between three and four hundred per-
sons present. The meeting was called to order
about halt-past seven o'clock, by Richard Condor,
Esq, being nominated as President, l.. B. Mack,
as Vice President, and William Boylan as Secre-
tary.
There being loud calls for Col G. W. Christy,
who it was generally understood had been specially
invited to address the meeting, that gentleman
came forward and spoke as follows:
Mr.. President and gentlemen Ihave undertaken
the task of addressing you on the important sub
iect which has called you together on very short
notice. 1t is proposed, by many influential mem- |
bers of your profession to form an association of the
Cabmen and Hackmen of this city, and it is pro- |
posed by doing, to promote the Interests OF hard
working and deserving class of the aboring and in
dustrial classes of this community. II society il
self were not bound together by similar ties al |
though upon larger scale, we might seek for hap
piness in vain in this world. Ii | am rightly in
formed there are about 400 or 500 of your profess
sion in the city of New Orleans, who are ever liza
BILE to vast injuries from quite inferior teto, not
perhaps in all exceeding fifty fellows, whom you
very properly designate by the term Rats. They
are for the most part Northerners, who, because
they happen to possess the price of a horse and
| cab, consider they have right to come into this
city, where they have no interest at stake, and
| make money legitmalely or illegitimately.
One can easily tell those fellows, for they will
not let gentlemen pass repass without annoying
| them with their impertnent opportunities, while
your respectable cabman politely seeks recogni-
ton of the services which he feels he can honestly
| and fairly render you. But here, where true po-
likeness is much appreciated, they, it seems,
some times find it hard to exist upon their own
hook and So in order to enable them to go back
| to the North, when NewOreans begins to get
little too hot for them from the fact OF the public
becoming too well acquainted with their persons,
| what do they do? Why, they connect themselves
| with one. two, three. bows, as the
be- whose duty it is to obstruct every one they
meet, especially stranger, and if they can ascer-
tain that his business leads him to any part OF the
city, agree with him to bring him there for nifty or
probably twenty five cents. Pleased with the pro-
Posal the dupe jumps into the cab, and at the end
of his journey tenders the amount of the fare agreed
upon He is then told with sneer, that he
can't come that" and 50 so demanded. 1t is in
vain he says he has agreed for twenty-five or fifty
| cents. lie must submit to the lmposlton Tor the
reason that he has to pay out two or three bully
rats their portion Of the plumber OF the unwary
passenger
Gentlemen, Continued Col Christy,) have had
experience myself that way. Fearful of ever again
being duped, the victim will rather submit a
hundred Inconvenience than trust himself again
to the tender mercies OF cab-driver. Thus it is
that the honest and legitimate traffic of the pro-
ession is diminished-l will venture to say, to be-
low one-tourth of what it ought to be in such city
as this. Imposed upon, the passenger, when po-
ltely asked to enter one of your vehicles, angrily
| replies, "D-n it, won't ride at alp'-so much is
your reputation injured by the malprachces of these
rats. daughter, and cries of you're right.) l
advise you, them single out yourselves from these
contemplate few, and prove yourselves the legti-
mate cab-men of NewOrleans. Cries OF we'll
do that.O
There is another set of "rats," Continued the
| ColoneD who are known as " Levee Rats" Their
existence is even more injurious to your interests.
! Steamers are daily arriving crowds of strangers
, | land upon the Levee-particularly a number Of
Californians, full of money. The moment the boat
+ arrives, a crowd of Levee rats IN connection
with the other rats, tell the passengers that they
4 will be robbed-runed :" and they recommend a
dray, wheebarrow, rather than run this chance.
And is not all such work calculated to injure your
d reputation, and detraud you Of your egl innate
earnings?
If you permit continuance of such NAL prac-
tees, It's your own fault Do away with them,
and you will increase, not only your reputation, but
your traffic 30 or so per cent. at least. man
would ride fifty times for he does now, if the
cabs of your city were all under the New Orleans
Cab Society" friend of mine, an American,
who has lately returned from Paris, tells me that
the one price, system works well there. For
e instance, twenty. five cents ride Of certain dis
s lance, within certain time, if you will. This
rate may not be large enough, but whatever the
rate may be, let it be laid down by the Municipal
authorities. II any one attempted to impose an
!, extra charge, let him be reported at the police
| office and let him be fined lose his license, il
you will. If the tariff imposed by your Municipal
Councils were too SMALL your association requiring
l. its increase, would not be turned deaf to
at the Council would not refuse to establish
i. remunsrating tariff By this, and other means, tC
E. be yet devised by your association, you would soon
y get rid of your wharf, Levee and bull rats. Form
yourselves into society," take list of numbers
e cabs belonging to the members OF your association
= | if any wrong be done, you remedy it.
Every craft has its mstOrtunes, Continued the
4 speaker) but let me, in conclusion, urge upon you
/ the necessity of forming society for your own
!, mutual benefit at the present hour-say % cents
e member; and more particularly, to provide your.
selves and families against the probable effects OF
e dark day. The speaker, at the conclusion of hi
address, was welcomed by the hearty plaudits 0
, | the meeting.
q A committee of twelve was then appointed t.
draft bylaws, ETC., and report progress at the mex
= | meeting.
The following resolutions were then introduced
e | and adopted unanimously.
! Moved by Nathaniel Jenkins, seconded by vii
/. liam Boylan
Rssoyved That Society, to be composed of the Cab an
fIackmen of New Orleans, be formed aud that CON
ittee Of twelve be named by the Chairman draft by law
report of their proceedings, to be submitted this
Tuesday evening next November 49, at the present pae
Il u CoRmttse Named-NathanieI Jenkins German
- | John McChrystaI, William BoyaG, L. b. Mack, -
Noon ssne Williams Cs oam
IL Moved by William Quaile seconded by Jane
4 Stanley,
ResoEUsd That the thanks Of this meeting due and
dered Col. q. W. Chsy for his delivery Of the eoquer
lie delivered by him.
1t A vote of thanks was then unanimously passe
II | to Col. Christy
,r Moved by - Thompson, seconded by Mala
! chi Noon,
esolged That the above resolutions and address be pull
shsd in the Delta Pcayune, Crescent and True Delta.
[Signed,l RICHARD CONDOR, Chairman.
WILLIAM BoYLAN, Secretary. mold 1t
1t