New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-03

of the entire body of hack-owners and drivers
remains to be seen. The obstacles are neisher
few nor trivial and not the least among these'
we fear, must be reckOned the circumstance
that the Mayor of New-YOrk is empowered by
the charter to appoint the stands to which the
cabs must confne themselves. The cuttle-ish
prosp of Tammany, we need hardly say, III
cludes the hack interests of the city within Its
all.embracing reach, and we have already had
Indications of how angrily any interference OF
this kind is liable TO be resisted.
But let the suffering community nope 1or
the best and, in thus hoping, may we not
lool, for certain improvements even upon lie
plan nut forward by the Cab Company Inc
fares. according to the present schedule are
not adjusted in the manner which experience
elsewhere shows to be most satisfactory 10Y
all parties. They are based upon an lnprac-
ticoble system The English custom OF charg-
ing according to distance can never DC strictly
adhered to. Who can tell when ne HAS 'i",
eIed exactly mile or two miles, Town resi-
dents would often be at loss, ana suahsoiS
vop,d always be completely at the mercy Oh
drivers. Even in London the system OF hllie
rates is productive of endless confusion nc
souabblcs between cabby and his rare may NC
dIycrting enough in the pages or fuhch' put
tbey are by no means agreeable to encounter
The privilege of engaging vehicles by tlme
hardly meets the difficulty. Drivers are enti-
fled 20 move at a reduced speed when mus
hired, and it is quite unnecessary 10 say
that they take full advantage OF their OPP
nortunjtjcs. OF late years the practice has
arisen of taking cabs 10y tho hour
and bribing drivers to rapid time by
slight advance upon the prescribed payment
The fare in London is two shillings per hour
For two and sixpence, the cabman Will under
take to proceed as brisllly as If engaged by
tbe mile. Even on these terms, however, IL
skillfui and quick-witted, he can secure MS
advantage by selecting partially obstructed
thoroughfares and, by thus impeding MS own
progress, can increase his remuneration. rev
who have undertaken of an afternoon 10 rue
from the Bank of England to Charng Cross, Tor
example, have escaped this exaspcrating in1lc-
ton.
The most judicious plan to adopt i'll New
York with such notifications as might become
necessary, would he that which generally pre-
walls upon the Continent The vehicle Is paiu
for by the COURSE" and the fare is the sane,
within certain limits, whether the route he
long or short BY this condition, all question
or dispute concerning distance is obviated'
The receipts of the carriage companies average
about the same as those where the mile-rates
are maintained, and passengers likewise hnd
that the cost to themselves is neither more nor
less than in England, while the convenience Is
much greater Above all, it is for the drivers
| own interest to reach his destination in the
shortest possible time, which, to the majority
of the public, is the principal consideration
This is the system best adapted to New-iork
1t wonld not interfere.wth the employment OF
cabs by time as well, and it would go further
than any other single feature to recommend
the enterprise to immediate popularity.