New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-03

| given, the latter in very bold figures In this way
any well-intentoned design of swndhng the
stranger within the gates may DO frustrated and
articles forgotten on leaving the vehicle may be
traced without difficulty. | once took up cab on
one of the Backwards and drove to the Bois de
BOulogne to witness parade; leaving my over
coat in the caD walked to the edge OF the parade
ground and discovered on my return that the police
had mixed things up generally, and the cab could
not be found The only clew to the driver was his
number Q,744l on the printed slip; and that even
| ing sent note to "Cocher No. ,744. Paris in
closing my card with the name of my hotel. The
next day the driver returned the Overcoat and col
| ected his fare. On another occasion secured an
umbrella by the same process; again when driver
insisted on overcharging me- made complaint of
the matter by letter 10 the manager of the Com.
pagnie GeneIalc" stating the in full and giving
| the drivers number Five days later there came a
response announcing that the case had been in-
vestgated and inClosing postage stamps to the
amount of the overcharge. Attempts at OYercharg-
ing are less frequent than in NewYork. and doubt
less the that they be so easily traced
and corrected
In the English and nearly all the Continental
cities the public vohices owned by small com
panles or by individuals and in many cases the
drivers themselves the owners OF their cabs and
carriages, together with the horses that draw them
Tho Paris companies down to a few years ago pald
their drivers 80 cents per day. in addition TO the
pOurbOres and each driver was expected To make an
honest report Of his receipts. large force OF con
Iollcurs and Sill is employed to keep check
on the movements of vehicles they are uniformed
and stand Mt the street corners ana other public
places to make note OF the vehicles that pass Them
aud whether empty occupied By means OF
these reports the company Is able to approximate
very nearly the earnings Of driver; the manager
knows very we'll what should DO the general aver
age and II a man does not keep up to it he is dis
charged general principles In ordinary times cab
returns about 8 day. while on Sundays and les
rivals U should be not much less than 20, the drivers
wages being included il each case but not his pour
J0TeS In the last few years the company has ntIo-
dnced the system of hiring cabs and horses to the
drivers for liked amount per day. the latter taking
their chances of making or losing by the operation.
This rental varies from three and half to five
dollars day, according to the season. the day and
the character of horse and vehicle The driver
to the stable at certain hour and finds the equipage
ready and no returns it when his days work Is
finished. He has nothing to do with the feeding or
grooming OF the horse, but must take good care of
the property cOnnded to hiG, and be responsible
for accidents. unless he clearly proves that 1t was
the fault of the property itself. Many of the dis
putes arising from this cause are of very perpex
The drivers employed by the Paris companies are
subject to demurrage for lost time, and in order
that snch deductions can be readily made good
portion of their wages must remain on deposit at
the office OF the depot TO which they belong. AprO-
pos of lost time, Paris driver once told me the fol-
Last week the assistant manager Of my depot
died suddenly. and tNe general manager said he
would like to have all the drivers who were willing
to do so JOIN IN the funeral procession with their
vehicles empty There are 3DD drivers at the
1epot and about 300 of us went to the funeral and
followed in the procession as the manager desired
When we were paid OFT we found that each one OF
the 200 had been charged for three hours deinur-
rage the time required for the funeral II any as
sistant or the manager himself should die next
week. he wouldn't have many drivers at hls funeral
Won NAV be sure. We thought We had given
enouph when VIC lost the chance Of extra DOHrbOires
for three hours, and didn't expect the company 10
charge us for the time we had been asked to give
them"
Many of the London drivers the owners of
their vehicles and horses where the case is other
wise they generally hire the equpage Tor hXed
amount per day. From 5 to % day is usually
paid for a good and well-hoIsed hansOm," and the
conditions of hiring about the same as IN the
Paris depOts. Where the drivers are employed on
wages a careful watch IL kept over their earnings,
as the opportunities Tor knocking down are
greater than in Paris. and Il man who falls below
the average too often IS very likely TO lose his
situation. An owner is generally satisfied when
good cab and house make a net return OF 20
week. hut there are cert nm days ana seasons when
he expects more as well as others when he pats up
with less. Horse feed Is dearer IN the English and
Continental cities than IN New York the depecia-
ton in vehicles il about the same everywhere, the
taxes ars heavier there than here and the other
penses are little If any lower. Ihtre Is no Just
reason why We should pay in New-lOTk any more
than is paid in London for carrage-hlre, with the
single exception of the wages OF drivers and
grooms And this item is not enough to Justify the
rates VIII ell have been made by our city authonties
and approved by the Mayor.
LIvERY-srABLE SERVICE.
Dropping the numbered unnumbered vehicles
that ply for hire The public streets let turn to
the livery stables. In London Paris, Berlin, Rome,
st. Petersburg or any other large city OF the Con-
tlncnt and British Isles, may hire for 81 or SO
day largo carriage landau, with two fine horses
and driver in livery. and everything in STYLE"
Another dollar will give iooman. also in livery.
and if times are dull the whole turnout driver,
footman and all, may be had for 50 and poarboire
of II. Anyone who has paronized the livery stables
of New-York or ordered carriages from the hotels
will appreciate the difference in carriage bills on
the opposite sides of the Atlantic. and wonder why
our stable-men cannot be satisfied with moderate
profit in their business. And he may well incline to
increlnity Whcn prices are advanced. as they were
during the past winter, on the plea that dollar an
hour for a coupe is nnremuneratIve Alter care
fu study of the carriage question. ana reasonably
varied experience IN Europe, the writer lncllnes el-
phaticay to the opinion that Newborn Is COM
PEELED to pay double prices tor its public convey
ances. other than omnlbuSes, street and elevated
railways, and an excellent opportunity awaits the
men who will organize Il system or cheap anu at me
same time good cabs and carriages. The plan Ct
organization might include points I'D the systems OF
London. Paris aud perhaps OF other cltIes. win 2
few features more or less, of American origin, II
one can hire cab for 40 cents an hour IN Iarls
and Copenhagen. and for less than that figure in
half dozen other cities. 1t Is possible that we can
sometime ride for less than dollar an hour in the
metropolis Of the Western world
OBJECTIONS TO CHEAP SERVICE ANSWERED.
Objection has been made that the shape OF New
York is unfavorable to system of cheap carriages
II is long city" says the obector. with busi-
ness at one end and residences at the other In the
forenoon everybody wants to go downtown, and in
the afternoon everybody wants to 60 uptown; in
either part of the day the carriages would run
empty one way and there only one street in
which they can run. Consequently your cheap
cabs could not be supported. Then. too, the ele-
vatcd railways and the omnbuses and street rail
ways take everybody who wants to ride cheap and
there can he no patrons OF cabs beyond those who
are willing to pay II dollar for a ride"
| will answer these objections in their order.