The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-01

Vhe New cabs
The cheap cab movement having already
become so popular it is not surprising to
learn that the problem Of how cheap cabs
were to be obtained is soon to be solved in q
practical way and on q sound business basis.
The travelling public has SO long suffered
under the barefaced extortions Of cab drivers
and owners that the prospect of speedy re-
lief is very pleasant one. Accustomed as
we have been to being compelled to pay for
the temporary use of a cab in New York n
sum equivalent to the fare to Philadelphia
or Baltimore, the advent of the cheap We
hicles will be hailed with enthusiasm and
delight So remarkable change will at first
appear strange, but there now appears to be
no doubt of the fact, for the managers of the
American District Telegraph Company, act
ing on the suggestions made by the HERALD,
have SO far completed their arrangements
with the New York Transfer Company and
other owners that they will in few days
place at the disposal Of the public some two
hundred cabs at low rates.
The arrangement by which so desirable q
reform is secured is simply q combination
between the telegraph company and several
large owners Of cabs. These vehicles are all
ready for use, and the combination made APP
pears to be one that can do nll that is prom
ised. The District Telegraph Company will
furnish at any time, day or night, and in any
part of the city, cab for from thirty-seven
to fifty cents per mile. These cabs can be
called for on the signal machines in hotels,
theatres, public institutions, private offices
and dwellings. signal on the machine
brings a messenger of the company, who
fixes the rate of compensation, and the
driver will not be allowed to collect anything,
consequently there can be no extortion.
Under this arrangement cab can be secured
at the City Hall, for instance, and the pas
senger 60 to Union square for less than a
dollar, with corresponding prices for other
localities.
So far, SO good. The promises made by
the telegraph company, if carried out faith
fully and to the letter, will not only render
the company more useful and popular,
but the cab business will be at the
same time profitable to the owners and
pleasant to the public. But the new COM
bination must understand that unless their
cabs are really run on q reasonable tariff of
prices they will fail to supply the necessary
want, and fall into disuse as have the
present class of such vehicles. Cheap
ness and regularity should be the car
dinal principles of the new system Any
departure from these rules will be fatal to
the enterprise and we shall be rs bad off as
ever. The reputation of the telegraph COM
pany, however, is such that any promise it
may make will, no doubt, be fulfilled there
fore we shall look for these new cabs with
much interest, for it is one step at least in
the right direction.
After these cheap cabs are at work the
Board of Aldermen should revise the exist
ing ordinances, and so amend them that the
business of cab driving may be thrown open
to active competition. Let us have no moro
privileged" owners, and place oil cabs,
whether they belong to the telegraph COM
pany or to anybody else, under strict SUPER
vision. Then the whole question will be
settled satisfactorily and not only will the
travelling. public be benefited, but the cab
owners themselves will find that they have
hitherto been injuring their business by the
system Of extortion so long practised by
them and their employees.