The morning call., 1890-09-18
CARRIAGE MEN PROTEST
They Ask for a Repeal Of the
Hack Ordinance.

The Committee on Licenses and Orders Of
the Board of Supervisors was waited upon
yesterday by large delegation of hackmen,
stablemen and carriage-owners, who ap-
peared as unit to protest against the eX-
isting hack ordinance.
The ordinance was passed during the
se<s sion OF the Grand Jury, of which f. S.
Chadbourne was chairman, and its partlcu-
larry Objectionable feature, to those who OPP
pose it, is the clause that compelS all carriage
men and hack-Owners to procure a license
for every carriage or hack and the driver Of
each particular vehicle. That is, if man
has ten backs or carriages he must have
separate driver for each, and each driver
must have a license for the particular
vehicle he drives.
The crying nuisance that this law aimed
to remedy, and in Il wonderful measure has
remedied, was the practice that irreSpon-
Slble carrlage-oWnerS and carriage companies
had Of procuring blank licenses for few
drivers, not designating any particular car
riage, aud then putting on carriage seat
whenever there was need some person that
was as likely TO abuse his privilege as not,
and oftener did than not. Besides, it al
lowed two or more drivers to run with one
vehicle, 10y means of which every now and
then some rascaily trick was perpetrated on
an innocent unsuspecting Traveller.
While this law did unqueStlOnably work a
great good III putting an end TO these abuses
1t was found at the same time to work hard
ships on respectable carriage men who came
within its prescriptions. From these came
the first sign of displeaSure, and the others,
who had taken advantage of lax law,
joined in the cry of the VII tuous. There are,
no doubt, men in the city who own ten or
dozen hacks but who seldom have them all
out on service, except in au emergency.
These do legitimate business and tiud 1t
very damaging to their profits to be obliged
to hire driver for every vehicle and ray
his license when they only have use for half
of them.
The single carriage owners, who have
formed protective association, favor the
law and want 10 see it maintained, because
it places them all on an equal footing and
gives them all better show. Thy are
also yigiant that the law shall be enforced
by keeping one of their number constantly
on the watch for tranSgreSsors. Whenever
one Is discovered he is promptly arrested.
The committee saw the hardship the law
worked on 4 few, but could not see a safe
remedy. To repeal the ordinance would be
to throw the gates wide open again for all
manner of abuses, and turn the ferry land
ingS into q veritable an bush for diSrepatable
and irrepreSsible hackn en- to prey upon
and plumber the unwary travelling public.
Every driver who secures licanSe now has
to 90 before the Police Commissioners, and
if his record is in the least ciOuded he is
promptly refused. Such was not the case
before, and repeal OF the law would invite
the same condition of things again.
The committee did not think wise, and in
all probability will not consider the protest
at all, but the matter was continued for two
weeks to hear the testimony of the policemen
who have been detailed by the department
to see that the ordinance is properly en-
forced.