Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-10


altogether the drivers fault. II was no Diff
cult matter to convince him that the attitude
OF the paper was not such as TO hurt the cab
business, but on the other hand was far more
likely to benefit it by bringing both drivers
and public to better understanding OF the
situation. He was also willing to admit that il
| stop were put to any extortion there might
be 1t would really be q positive advantage to
the better class Of cabmen, and that so far Is he
could see that class could find no objection to
The Stars printing any and all accounts Of
overcharges.
But / say. guv nor, you might say good
word for Us fellows while you're writing about
It, for You must know that our life amt no
snap at the best Of 1t, and there amt no danger
of any OF us dying millionaires. You know
pect lot for nothing, and how they do hate to
pay for it, Why, here only the other night I
got a telephone call out pretty near to lie Drois
Park, and when got there there wasn't any,
thing in it after all That's what call hard.
And day or two ago got call out by Gar
field Hospital, and when got there found the
man only wanted to 60 few blocks, and when
he got out he handed me a quarter. That was
the legal fare, know, but it did seem to me as
though he might have given me little some
thing extra for myself after coming so far. but
he didn't I've got wife and two children,
and tell you some days it's pretty hard scrap
ping to make things come out even.
Now, look here, some night supposing you
was to get boiling drunk? Why, Of course, the
most natural thing for your friends to do would
be to send for a cab and send you home in it.
The cab might have to come good ways for
you and then maybe only go . half mile to
get you home and all you'd give me would be q
quarter. Now give you my word I've been in
this business over six years and I've never
bilked drunk yet It amt the sort of BUSH
ness I would be in if could get better Job,
but there are lots Of men good as me and
better that's in it. OF course there are some
sharks in it as well as there are everywhere,
and l suppose if they got written up it would
help the rest OF us a lot. But wish you'd tell
the people Of this city that we amt all such a
hand lot as they think we are, and that we IL
treat them square if they'll give us a chance.
Thank you, sir. l knew you'd be willing to
do the square thing by us fellows. And say.
look here, the next time you want to take a cab
ride you look out FOR me. know you now,
and you needn't be afraid I'll ever overcharge
you"
sUFFERERs COMPLAINT.
Il observe in a recent issue Of The STAR
remarked sufferer to the philanthropic reporter
who is doing what he can to correct some of
the faults of cab age, "that one of the cab
men protests against his class being called an
organized band of robbers. The cabnan is
quite right in his protest. The cabmen are not
an organized band of robbers; they are a dis
organized band, but they get there Just the
same. Having my own carriage and horses
am not always at the mercy of a cabman, but
accidents will happen even in the best regu-
lated families and one day was compelled to
call a cab to take me from the Shoreham to the
Baltimore and Potomac station, a distance of
seventeen squares, worth at tariff rates 35
cents. The cabman insisted that it was so
cents,and insisted that it WASH I, but my argu-
ments couldn't save that 10 cents, and it went.
On another occasion started with two ladies'
to walk part way to the theater intending to
stop for n moment at the Arlington and meet
my carriage there. snow stol m came up, the
carriage failed to appear and we took a cab at
the Arlington stand and drove to the hc adt my
OF Music. The cabman said it was d ollar.
had no change less than a dollar, Their was a
crowd at the door and dropped quarter and
that cabman. After the performance / ran
across him by chance and thought how could
work him by having him take us home and
then even up by paying him half dollar only
That was q scheme, and when he deliver ed his
load on 17th street near H, distance Of twelve
squares, gave him the half and he gave me
the laugh and wanted a half more and as
couldn't have row before the ladies and didn't
want 10 get thumped anyway, even in a per-
fectly secluded and private manner, handed
him over a dollar. and was sore with myself for
week afterward over that lost half-and
lost in such "a jay-like manner. had
him. OF course but didn't keep my grip, and
have sometimes thought that the cab driver
would have been a jay himself to lose that half
when he had such delightful chump to deal
with. But that doesn't excuse his violation of
the ordinance and my confidence, and want to
give my testimony against those arraigned before
the bar of public justice. In two years l have
had occasion to use cab only three times and
l am grateful tn at one at least out of those re-
mains as a souve mir to me of honesty on wheels
In other respects am doing quite WELL thank
you," and the gentleman hailed street car
with look Of calm confidence that only car
ticket can inspire.