The New York herald., 1867-02-26
THE noMELY FEATURES OF NEW YORK

tcIlfgcuco Omces-HRckmen and Their Swim
dies, &c.
Limited as Is the growth Of the metropolis TO the narrow
island which its nt little settlement was made and
little the public ambition tend to extending the
city limits beyond the Insignificant boundary or division
line formed By the Harlem river would startle the
nonresident 70 learn the OF the business carried
In the way OF transporting passengers through its
narrow and crowded limits together with the number Of
men dependent the carng OF loads of merchandise
or baggage to and FRO Eight miles is about the extent
Of the city proper in length, ana its greatest width
about three miles. But within this comparatively
row space human beings crushed and crowded
together in dwellings which with view
TO the greatest economy OF packed into
that uprear their proportions far skyward with
floor floor densely packed with the families Of the
poor, while oven the wealthy crowd their mansions
together within the limits of the oustng city, that they
may share the life breathess whr of business and
pleasure that in area and which all
the stirring from this unnecessary aggregation OF
the masses while green fields and spacious village plots
invite their settlement in the suburbs But SO peo
pie congregae and to meet their wants the ransporta
ton business its limits necessarily be-
Is carried on extent that is only eqnaed by tho
numbers II serves; and in its routine 1t clogs and
blockades the Of passage with vehicle process
sons almost equal to the gay numbers Of pedestrians
that throng the footways in the narrow streets But
restricted its limits idea Of the business and
population Of the confined district be gained from
remarking the number of hackney coaches that whrl
about the crowded centre Of the city, or these there
,426 licensed coaches and hacks with 44s hack
drivers These latter the regular Jehus who
brave the rgor Of the bitter nights of winter the
burning heat OF MONDAY in summer Long before day
break they crowd about the railroad dep0ts and steam
boat landings; late at night their vehicles are to
and far into the morning hours they do
service In transporting company TO and from balls and
parties. Since, hasIbeen In the statement made
above, there are only twenty-five drivers in Of
the number Of coaches licensed, may be readily
dersood that this business is not the most agreeable
easiest imaginable
The omnbuses licensed in the city number only three
hundred and the adoption OF the racar system of
transportation having reduced greatly within several
years past. The number Of licensed drivers, however
stated at six hundred and twelve or over three hum
dred in Of the number Of vehicles to be driven
Tho salaries paid To 20 many thus employed
sariiy meagre, but it Is stated in explanation that the
drivers free to knock down at their pleasure and
by such TO add their small salaries until they
attain in many cases very profitable figures This
truth or faIsi,y Of which is ler for the drivers them
selves 10 determine. AT ali events, such n salary is
paid TO such drivers who forced from their position
the duties Of conductor CASHIER steers
man aud mouey changer, is Of such small proportions
10 be calculated to tempt the man to sca especially
if be has family dependent on his labor for support
The street cars, which have, during several years
lately past absorbed greater portion OF the passe.
tho active centre, the city settlement In this city
we have one thousand eight hundred cars and many
drivers and conductors Tais nv number OF cas- should
give into the city treasury 500 O00 but snch is
actually realized from tem iew only Of The rah
paying for license. rho Second, Thru and Forth
and HUDSON river routes pay no lccpse fee w1Qe
the Sixth Serenth Eighth and Ninth avenue routes do
The Belt' road, which cue res the city, has handrei
Bleecker street Crossown,' East broadway ana Cor.
Iaudt street lines pay licenses; aud thus
that the corporations that do their utmost towards
ko0
in good condition.
OF express wagons belonging 70 single individuals ire
specve Of the numbers owned by largo companies there
are 1000 licensed These latter figures aiono give
idea OF tho great business Of he city, and yet only afford
'. q q The S.s z Say m
streets Tperc are 600 licensed DIRT carts, which
chiefly used for cang sand rubbish rocks, in which
service they Indispensable to the house builder or
public carts in addition thesc however thorc arc
this city - Less than SOFA licensed These employed
kept constantly tho move crowded and busling
Or vsnaes q Vegetables and fruits employing carts or
therc are oo6 kinding wood pcdlcrs' wagons there
are $40, and charcoal carts 200, licensed In addition
232 public porers carts There 81 licensed
intelligence offices furnishing servants the families
of citizens 800 junk shops, where juvenc thieves
docks s. There arc also Isl junk boais and s5s junk
carts or pawnbrokers' establishments there are 72.
These statistics make up in their present shape The de-
tails which would DO likely 10 strike the visitor only
family in bis rapid birdscye view OF the city, and yet
they do not by any means make up all OF the homely
features OF the metropolis. There many Others
moro securely hidden beneath the hustle Of the city life.
and which do not argue SO well for the CITY, Among
these the dens thieves tho fences The leagues OF
burglars the gangs Of counteccrs aud the extensive
trade they carry might be dealt with at lengn and
could not FL. treated with radical analysis, 70
OF tho affairs OF the metropolis are for the most
part, only superficial and casual
The hack regulations have been made OF necessity
very strict Past experience has necesstacd stern
srct,e on the part OF the authorities in order
hackn,en readily manifested skill and Illegal
action that threatened 10 do permanent injury TO tho
ssindlcd public Numbers were not for some time dis
playe ed on the hacks, the drivers obteratng them
shortly after obtaining their Licenses in
order that they might carry on their ir-
an nordnate risk OF detection, suffering an accoun
ability future for thcir acts Thus unknown they
wS hev
fore the very eyes Of the police and even employed
in several known instances BY the murderer TO convey
whence IL could be safely launched uneasy grave
beneath the deep waters Of the bay or rivers Feeling
strangers especially, NJ the most barefsced manner
drive Of quarter of mile necesaitacd frequently the
payment Of 90 faro on the part q the ssran n
jusce was utterly poworless from the fact that his
vehicle bore distinctive number or designation, and
the hundreds Of It's class that crowded in the streets
But the grnning Jehus' harvest seeson Of triumph
SacR esus,ns ordinances - the police ana now
only seldom tbas the shrcwd and least honest
ones chucklc the successful result OF their
swindng tricks Now II Ia rendered obligatory every
driver bear himself 40 we'll as on his coach the
number Of his license, we'll 70 keep posted up in
bis vehicle card bearing the following statement Of the
Csms
For one passenger, mile or loss.
For each additional passenger, in same coach 37K
For one passenger any distance exceeding one mile
and less than two miles
For each additional passenger same distance ~ the
II the number OF the coach be mot shown the out
side and the Of faro the inside OF the vehicle the
passenger s obliged by law 10 pay any fare. The
stranger in the city he's simply 70 refer 70 the card bear
ing the Of fare and detcrmine what tho amount
should be- according the distance travelled but In case
charged moro he can pay under protest. and bring
the account by reporting his number and max
ing complaint the Twenty sixth police precinct M tho
City Hall Under those regulations, which are rRidy
enforced by the police the hackmen ~ may be readily
imagined do not find II easy or BY a-y means sale
operation attempt any extensive swnale their
sengers although, owing 10 tho reluctance OF the de-
fauded make complaints, they even now escape the
consequences Of thcir ascaity much more frequently
,nan thcv ahould conaidernr