Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-26

avenue there. guess you don't want to take q
cab just for that"
'Oh- Well, is there such place in Wash
ington as the corner OF 18th street and Penn
sylvanIa avenue said The STAR man, consult
ing An ostensible address book and endeav oring
to initiate Ia Baitimoie man who was over for
the day to see life in great city.
The desired point was reached blythe shortest
possible route, and when the drive was finished
cabby said his fare was IS cents
Why, thought il was quarter for a ride
| in Washingtonf'
| $50 1t is for any distance under fifteen
| squares. bat you see sir, you have come about
nineteen squares and that IL something extra" ~
| lie got his money. 1t was really an over
| charge, but II was such little one and it SO
| politely made
| On the return trip herdic cab No IL was
picked up On the stand on Farragut Square at
the corner Of Connecticut avenue
| Isit much OF distance from hero to the cor
ner OF 9TH street and Pennsylvania avenue? I'm
little green about the geography of this
| city"
No, It is not so very far Only about ten
squares should think
This trip was also made and tho charge was
the proper ono, % cents
ISEUhoPEAN CITIES.
The STAR man had occasion recently to ex-
anime rather thoroughly into the cab systems
of good many of tho leading towns OF Europe,
ohA SOiho vi lie experiences IN lQlS COnUeCuOD
may not be without interest here. In Florence,
for example, the cabs are all four wheeled
vehicles drawn BIZ one horse. Most of them ac-
commodate four passengers, having two seats
facing each other the style of small
barouche The price for each course" AS the
trip Is called, is one Ira, the equivalent of a
franc or 20 cents. The price is the same, no
matter what the distance may be or the number
OF passengers that are crowded into the
riage The expected ''pourboire' or fee which
ltrif t.
Is suihcient. as rule. to induce the driver to
invoke all the saints in the italian calendar to
bless the donor.
The writer arrived at the Station Of the
West, ne it is called, early in the morning with
three friends. -Four good-siZed franks and q
considerable amount of hand luggage also went
With the party and the station porter asked if'a
cab desired. On being answered in the
affirmative he called up neat two-horss yeli-
Gle. not unlike the four- wheeled herdics in this
city. The passengers were put inside and all
the luggage was put on top OF the cab and u
start was made for the hotel. 1t was a ride of
over two miles, probably, and at the end the
driver handed the Passengers printed slip Civ
Ing them information as TO the price to be Paid.
In this case u amounted to just four francs,
and an extra fee to the driver Of half a franc
made him friend for all time. One could
hardly ask for anything cheaper than this. The
service was good. the cab and horses US well,
and the driver was neatly uniformed.
TIE CAR SYSTEM OF LONDON
is, Of course, famous the world over. There
The hanson predominates and those that have
been made quite recently are furnished with
cushion tires to the wheels which makes travel
even over rough cobble stone pavements. almost
as pleasant as 1t is on cur own asphalt avenues
The charge is a shilling or % cents for any
distance within two miles, with six-pence for
each additional mile or part thereof. The tariff
by the hour is equally reasonable. The driver
is furnished with a large book. which contains
the distance from almost every point i'll 7 IN
don to almost every other point. The ubiquitous
London policeman bobby is ALWAYS at
hand to settle any dispute that may arise and
thi5 book of distances is invaluable as proving
how far the cab has actually gone. Cases of
overcharging are said to be extremely rare and
certainly the average tourist has seldom. If
ever. any complaint 10 make ns to the treatment
ne receives at the hands of the jehus in the
metropolis of England. 1t is doubtful whether
IN English tourist could say the same OF any
large city in America.