Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-05-13
NEW YORK HACK t
A Reduction, and What ii Prom
Uses Hackmen and People.
New York Herald, sth.l

New York Herald, otn'l
Under the new ordinance the charge
for conveying one or four passengers
not exceeding two miles is 81; for each
additional mile 80 cents, and any dis
lance oyer five miles at the rate of 90
cents per mile. Under the old ordi-
nance the fare was 81 for one mile.
For two and not exceedingthree miles
the charge under the new ordi-
nance is $l.50; it was formerly -.
For carrying passengers any distance
over FIVE miles the present rate is 90
cents per mile. Under the old law it
was 75.cents. The old ordinance au-
thorized a charge of$l.50 per hour for
the use of a carriage; under the new
law the rate is 81. The license fee,
under the new ordinance, for coaches,
has been reduced from s. to So; re-
newals, $3.50. For cabs or one horse
vehicles, the license fee has been fixed
at 81 instead Of 50, as formerly, while
a renewal is granted for 81. The IL
censes Of drivers, which were hereto
fore 81, have been reduced to 80 cents
a year. In accordance with the above
reduced rate Of fares, a passenger can
now ride from the Grand Central de-
pot to Wall street for 81, while under
the old law the hack driver was likely
to demand 81 for the same SER
vice. Notwithstanding the remem
berance of such halcyon days as those
alluded to, the landowners, having
before their eyes the judicious sample
set them by the proprietOrs of the
Broadway line of ~stages-who wisely
concluded that it was better TO carry
full loads at five cent fares than con-
template the running of empty omni-
buses while attempting to charge
double that amount-believe that they
will be the gamers through increased
fares at the reduced rates.
Marshal John Tyler Kelly, who has
charge of the License Bureau, says
that there has been a slight increase
in the demand for hackney coach Ii
censes since the new ordinance was
signed by the mayor. He does not.
however, think that the change made
will have any ~perceptible effect on the
number of public c%onveyances. The
number of licensed coaches in the city
last year was 900 and of cabs 573.
HACK OWNERS VIEWS.
Mr.. Thomas Boylston, secretary Of
the Public Hack Owners Association,
having been asked by a Herald re-
porter as to the probable effect of the
new ordinance on the hackney coach
business, replied I'VE don't know
yet that remains to be seen. We
offer the public at a reduced rate of
fare, the cheapest, | believe, in any
city in the United States. The hack
owners are we'll satisfied with the
change, as they believe that the
reduced rate of fare will in
duce more people to ride than
heretofore. You see, under the new
ordinance, four passengers can ride
from the Herald Office to Fourteenth
street for 81, whereas under the old
law the fare was $1.50. There is a
general reduction of fare from twenty
Eve to thirty-three per cent, aud if we
find this new sale of prices remuner-
alive we intend to make a still further
reduction in the rates for carriage
hire"
A hack driver while waiting for a
fare on Broadway, opposite the City
Hall park, on being asked what he
thought of the new ordinance, said:
"0h, it wont make much difference to
US. Of course we can't claim as
much as we did before if a man is not
willing to give it to us. Why, some
times you have to take less than the
law allows. A man may come here
and offer me nifty cents 70 take MIN 10
Fulton ferry, and if business is bad
I'll do it, although the law allows me
81. Ill tell you what it is. The ma
of men coming along don't care
a damn for the law. They make a
bargain for themselves before they
get in the hack, and if you offer to
show them the rates they'd quick
enough tell you they don't want to see
EN-. Certainly l suppose it will in
duce more people to ride. There's no
doubt about that; but this thing
that is, the new LAWS only about a
day or two old, and | haven't seen
that it has made anydiference as yet"