The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-08
SOMETHING LONG NEEDED.
The New orb Cab Compnnv'c Plan for Cheap
and Comfortable Transportation.

The organization of cab system which
promises to be great convenience TO the gem
erai public IL announced In the advertising col
umns OF THE SUN. The Commissioners appoint
ed by the Secretary of State TO open the books
Of subscription are gentlemen well known as re-
sponsioe aud public spirited citizens, aud there
is no doubt that through their efforts there VIII
soon be added to the comfort Of the netropo-
liz that long needed one, safe, cheap and non
est Cab service. $500
Tho New York Cab COMPANY, with william
Orton. President Of the Wes crn Union Iele-
graph COMPANY. at its head, have purchased OF
Mr.. Louis Won lIoven the inventor. the right 70
use mia uatent fare controller ana Indicator, an
ingenious cuntrivance designed to be a con
slant check upon he driver. and making u I'M
possible Tor MIN TO cneat either the passenger
or the company. Ii Is 50 smule that under any
circumstances the passenger hy Us aid can tell
the ex ,ct amount of fare he must u ~ and tho
comp nv can ascertain not only how much
money the driver has received, hut the number
of hirings for winch he nas been paid, ana the
exact tt1e during which the cab has been en-
gaccd turirR the day.
Tie controller aud indicator occupies but
outside. when the ID Is IDLE. IA u small glass
disc bearing the words ITO hire When the
y ssenger caters the vehicle, the sien Is turued
down by tbs driver, anu in,medi,tslv IN front
OF tue pu~sen niger appears clock giving the cor.
rect time Underneath the clock IS a printed
schedule 81 prices which, In PM idelphia,
where tho fystem has been IN use FOR wear, are
- cen for quarter OF an hnuI, 80 cents Tor
gers II the driver ncglects TO turn down the
sign, the - sssHlrr Is confronted with the print
ed admuntion. " Look for the ciOrh.' When
he applies to the driver for Information in
regard to the tlmeriece, that functionary
promptly turns down tho sign and tho
clock appcars. Attached 90 this appara-
tus is control clock. The occupant
sees nothing OF ~. except the dial In 'front.' OF
bin. he other part Is Il dill with two different
circles, around which three hands reVOlve. The
inner circle shows the hours and quarters during
wnich the ciTiIage Is engaged. Inc outer circle
l. G!Ni0ed INTO forty eight purts, Gnu registers
the motley received. ana there must necessarily
be Sn exact correspondence between The records
OF tlWy bY the quarter OF an hour and OF money
by tbs quarter OF a dollar. Another dial regis
ters the number OF hiriugs. When the Dass-n
pays his fare the driver rings a gong Tor every
quarter OF a dollar received and at zach ring the
hand the outer circle moves forward one
space. He then turns up the sign. To Hire
OF the b.ck clock forward one SPACE. THIS shows
one hiring, and the M ovemeut 3 OBS the control
clock, which has now recorded the time the
sign was turned down. the amount Of money re-
ceived. the limo Of the trip, and the number OF
the hiring.
Should the driver neglect to register the
money received, or fail to turn down the sign
ITO Hire" his dereliction is Immediately made
manifest, Tor the control clock shows the time
he was III service and his money must cOrre-
spond with his tnc, quarter tor quarter ana
he cannot display his sigu dishonesty without
being called 10 tIsk by the passenger who Is
vainy searching for the clock. In short, these
inward checks upon the outer man are beyond
| his control. ana he must be honest in spite OF
| himself.
The new cabs are TO be OF the coupe style, up
holstered In silk. and while IN service they Will
! appear to the outsider like private cabs. the
more. since the drivers are to be neatly hveried.