Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-08

ABUSES of the hack service in Phil
adelphia, have arrested attention and
produced an ordinance reported tothe
Select Council relating to hackney
carriages" This is a matter which is
better regulated in the European citits
than in our own, and is a matter
which should be attended to here,
so as to both give proper regulations
and secure their enforcement. As
interesting in this quarter as well as
in Philadelphia, we subjoin the fol-
lowing from the Ledger, which may
suggest some reforms to our City
Council, and particularly that which
relates to the means Of enforcing
proper regulations. They will not
be often enough put in force when
travellers are precipitated to stop to
enter complaints and prove abuse.
The Ledger says:
Instead Of system and regulation
there is confusion and unlimited
license for CXtOrtiJn, until it has come
TO be a common understanding with a
great many people not TO employ
hacks at all, on the ground that en-
gaging a hack is simply making con-
tract for a quarrel, unless the passen-
ger quietly submits TO whatever eXac-
lion the driver chooses to make. This
applies I'd American cities in general,
and it is therefore gratifying to notice
that the Philadelphia Councils are
proposing q measure Of reform. The
pending ordinance, however, does not
20 very far towards effective remedies
for the evils so long complained of.
The first section requires the driver OF
a hack to furnish the passenger with a
card, containing the number Of his
hack and OF his license, the name OF
the owner, the location Of his stable,
and of the Mayors Office, and the
rates of fare, all 10 be legibly printed.
The second and third sections charge
high cOnstables with the duty of visit
ing the hack stands and stables, Of see
ing that the hacks are in proper order
rs 10 their harness and horses, and
that they do not Obstruct the streets,
and authorizes them 10 order the hacks
away if not in proper order, if the
horses are unruly. if the hacks ubstruct
the streets, or if the drivers are intOX-
icated. Sections four and five provide
penalties for waiting for hire any
where but on the regular stands, au-
thOriZe the police to arrest the drivers
under SuCH circumstances, and de
clare that any driver or owner of a
hack who shall be twice convicted be-
fore any Alderman of violating any
Of the Ordinaces relating to hackney
carriages, shall be deprived of his
license.
This ordinance stops a long way
short of what is required, although it
is good enough as far as it goes. The
police are authorized to arrest any
hack driver who is found waiting for
hire anywhere but at the regular
stands, but they are not charged with
any such duty in case OF cOmplaint for
eXtOrtiOn beyond the established
rates OF fare. So far as a remedy for
that evil is concerned, there is moth
ing but a reference 20 the Mayors Of
fee TO settle q dispute with a driver.
Neither citizens nor strangers should
be required to undergo any such in
convenience. The policeman should
be authorized and required to prevent
illegal charges on the spot, when ap-
pCaled to, and iithe hackman still in
sists upon his eXtUrtiOn, then the pO-
iiccman Is a witness, and the pIssen-
ger need not be detained. The. mat
ter is a. capable Of satisfactory regula-
ton here a. il is in London, Paris or
Berlin. In those cities an %overcharge
or a dispute j. an exceptional thing,
and fit occurs at all, an appeal to a
policeman settles il at once In Lon
don, the hackmen are required TO
have an authorized stable OF fares"
which not only includes the charges
by the mile and by the hour, but also
the distances from the stands and pub
lie places TO the railway stations and
all other prominent points in the me-
t~rOpOlitan district. The fare is a shil-
ling a mile; this covers the charge for
one, two or three persons. If there
are more than three persons, sixpence
extra is charged for each additional
person. For any distance exceeding
a mile, siXpence extra for each addi-
tiOnal mile. BY the hour, the charge
Is two shillings an hour, for one or
two persons; for each additional per-
son siXpence extra. Everything is set
down in this " table of fares" charges
for children, for luggage, etc. There
Is scarcely any room lett for honest
dispute, and the hackmcn rarely at
tempt abuse or extOrtiOn. The cards
proposed in the ordinance for our
hackmen should provide for the same
particulars. In Paris the regulations
are even better than in London,
the fares being rather less, the
" cOachers' or cabmen being under
better discipline, aud the details being
more infinitely provided for. There
the cabman is required TO hand the
passenger his card, as proposed in the
pending ordinance for Philadelphia,
but the card will be Of no use here,
unless accompanied by the Paris reg
ulati0ns for enforcing the ordinance.
The charges in Paris are adjusted on
the basis ola franc 90 cents for about
a mile, or two francs an hour. In
Berlin, The hackmcn are furnished
with printed receipts, for all amounts,
and when a passenger pays his fare
the driver is bound 10 hand him "a re-
for the amount paid. This is
evidence against him in any dispute,
and as a consequence eXtoTtiOn is al
,u11f unkDOWu.