The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-29

use 1t. Unless, therefore, material reduction
In price is made by the American manufac
turers, 1t is clear that they will soon be driven
out Of their own market.
metropolitan Reforms-Abnte tho Hack and
Car Nuisnnces.
There Is no stronger argument to prove the
necessity Of cheap cab system in this city
than the fact that our citizens support hundreds
OF hacks rather than do without some more ex-
elusive conveyances than the cars and stages.
Our hacks are neither cheap nor comfortable.
The legal rates OF fare are exorbitant; but the
hackmcn are not content with the legal rates.
According to law they must keep card stating
the legitimate price per mile and per hour con-
spicuously posted inside their vohicIes; but
who ever saw such card, except by accident
The card is somewhere in the carriage, ready
to be produced OF the call Of the police, but 1t
Is hidden under the seat or behind the cush-
ions, so as to be invisible to the passenger, or
else it Is ingeniously dirtied and torn across 80
as to be illegible. A score of hacks stand in
front Of the City Hall; hundred policemen
pass and repass them daily; but we have yet to
boar of policeman looking in at one of the
hack doors unexpectedly, and arresting the
hackman for not having his list Of rates posted
conspicuously inside. The police do not do
their duty; the hackmen take advantage Of this
neglect, and the result is a general, systematic
swindle.
During the day the hacks are slow and dear,
aud the drivers shabby, impairment and extor-
Tomato; but when night comes the beauties
of our present system Of cOnveyances- are still
more fully developed. Then the regular hacks
arc Superseded by what are called "night owls"
These are old, fasty, rusty, rickety vehicles,
smelling strongly Of gin, tobacco, psrspiration
and disease. They are used during the day for
poor funerals end for carrying smallpox,
cholera and other patients to the hospitals.
One Of them is sufficient to infect whole
block. The drivers seem to be selected for
their ability to drink bad whiskcy, chew cheap
tobacco and knock down any person who OBJ
jects to their demands, and each Of them is
generally accompanied by enother ruffian who
rides on the box, assists in the bullying and
divides tho spoiis. These fellows have their
own way about ebsrges. They sleep inside their
coaches, like n spider in his web, until be-
lated victim comes along, and then sasten upon
him renorselessly. Hc is lucky II he escapes
by paying four times the legal fare for his ride
and does not lose his watch and his pocket
book He Is luckier still II he be able to
smoke cigar TO preserve himself from conta.
gion. All this could be reraedied by more
rigid police inspection, and especially by the
adoption Of the Paris plan Of requiring every
driver TO hand his passenger card upon which
are plainly printed the legal rates and the exact
distances to the various parts Of the city.
We are glad to see that movements are
being made towards the Introduction Of cabs
here, and ere sure that the enterprise, IL prop
erly managed, will be successful. The peo-
pie who pstronizs such conveysnces are mer-
chants on their way to and from business
travellers entering and leaving the city; ladie.
upon shopping or calling excursions; person,
going to or returning from balls, parties and
the theatres; gentlemen in hurry TO keep APP
pointmsats. Room for two persona IL all thai
Is required; for larger parties can take car
risges at the livery stables. To employ two
horses and . great, numbering coach 70 carry
one or two persons about town "a waste o.
time, money, horseaesh and space. The small
one-hose cabs win cos. less and charge less
they will 60 faster, and they will not occupy
so much room in our overcrowded stre,ts q
course they viii do away with the hacks; hui
nobody can complain Of that except those
lcecbes. the hackn,sn. The omnibuses viii
also be superseded; bu, they are practically
out Of date now, since street cars are monopo
LIKING al our main avenues and even intrudini
upon lower Broadway. II 10 mistake, how
ever, for the car companies 10 suppose that ths
cabs will interfere with their business. III,
csbs will only accommodate the surplus city
travel and leave room in the ca!s for the hun
dreds Of people who Ere unable 10 hang 81
70 tho straps or The platforms and are con
sequsntly compelled 10 walk. reduction Il
the car fares may be necessary, and We shall
insist upon very important reforms In the man
sgcment Of the car compsniss: but 20 far y
the number OF passengers b concerned III
cabs win mako no percepdble difference.
10, therefore, 40 foolish ~ u 10 useless for III
car companies to oppose The cab system. GU
people submit to ipsults, inconveniences and
annoy snces In our present conveysAcss tha
would cause popular revolution 10 any othe
country, and they are determined 10 bav'
something better II they are obliged 10 tear al
the rails In the streets in order 10 bring Oh,
monopolisss 10 terms.
L
MORE POLITICAL TURMOIL IN INV ORLEANS
1t is reported fross New Orleans that Cover
nor Wells and Judge Howell, who claims TO b.
President OF the Constitutional Convention O
1864, arc about reconvcning that body