Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-01

Experiences of One woman-what Cabby
saws.

The experiences of STAR reporters IN investi
eating the question of overcharges made by
cabmen have attracted considerable attention.
One patron of cabs, woman, writes to The
STAR her experiences as follows:
HE STAR always, sooner or later, takes up
any subject affecting the prosperity and COM
fort of the District. SO / not surprised,
though much pleased, to read the article on
cabs in the Saturday paper. If you care to
hear another witness, or rather victim. shall
be glad to tell YOU my experience. In fact it
will be a relief
l am somewhat Of an invalid, and find the
horse cars too Earring. SO for the last three
years have used cabs a good deal.
We live out OF town and our trains come
into the Baltimore and Potomac station. From
there i took my first cab--it was hansom-
to list street and New Hampshire avenue.
1t took sixteen minutes, and when | asked
the price: 1T is a quarter" said the driver,
"but really" with a sad intonation In his voice.
lit ought to be more" So paid him 80 cents
and he seemed satisfied.
When | came back to the station from that
same place was charged 20 cents.
From the station to 18th street near New
York avenue 1t was as cents. Ny daughter
was with me. but the rules allow two passen-
gers. Also back TO the station rs. Again
my daughter was with me and both times we
had one-borse coupes from Market space and
1ith street and VI respectively
Again, from the station to street between
2lst and 22d streets was IS cents. l was alone
and it WAS herdic cab this time. 1t took
twenty-five minutes. for | stopped a moment at
Harris 4 Skaters to leave an order. told the
man would take him by the hour. but did
not suppose | was to pay the price of an hour
for less than n half hour.
All these were taken starting from the station
with handbag
for nd 9TH cir
stances. Itook cab by the hour from 21st street
and New Hampshire avenue and finally got out
at the Church of the Epiphany on G street. 1t
was just thirty-fve minutes. "Seventy-five
cents" "Dut," Ilmildly demonstrated, lit is
only five minutes over the half hour"
I'VE never break an hour" he said. with
dignity.
Ii had not had appointments to keep I
would have gotten in again and taken ride
about town till the time was up. As it was l
paid the 10 cents and walked into the church in
frame OF mind not suited to that sacred edi-
fee
Again. a cab from 9O7 New York avenue to
21st street and New Hampshire avenue was so
cents, though it took only seventeen minutes.
And from SO7 New York avenue to the Balti-
more and Potomac station was so cents, though
that was thirteen minutes.
friend and myself during the G.. A. r. en-
campmeut took cab from street between
18th and 14th streets to the army nurses tent
on the White lot 1t took about twenty minutes
and was 80 cents We thought it cheap, for We
fully expected to be asked a dollar. On our re-
turn left my friend OH / street and got out
myself at 9O7 New York avenue. That also was
so cents but paid it cheerfully, for l had ex-
pected to be bled to the verge of prostratun
Once l got cab from 14th and NJ streets and
went from 18th near New York avenue to DIR.
Reyburns Office on 18th street near G street. 1t
did not take quite five minutes and gave the
man a quarter without asking the price. He
turned it over in his hand and said, sullenly:
This job don't pay me for leaving the stand"
made no answer and went on into the house.
l do not believe / would have paid him more
if he had gotten down and taken hold of my
arm, which is the one awful, possible result
that always brings me meekly to their terms.
What is a woman to do? No policeman has
ever been in sight when cabby and l have had
our parting interview. One might rick a scene
on the street (for which, by the way, ones
husband would never forgive YOU for some
grand object, but for quarter, more or less.
To sum up my experience, Of which these
instances are only part. have never but that
first time been charged less than so cents for
less than half an hour. and invariably rs for the
least fraction over that time.
II l took whole hour IS cents all right.
but it has been a quarter for every fifteen
minutes over the hour. l never had cab
longer than an hour and quarter but they
said they charged at that rate.
l asked friend, lady, who has lived in the
city many years, if the cabmen always over
charged her. She said: "Oh, no. but seldom
use cabs. | can't afford the so cents every
time" "But, l said. "they ought not to charge
you but 25 cents for the trips you would take
lis that So she exclaimed. II thought the
regular price so cents. They always ask
it." Since that 1 have made many inquiries
among ladies. and found they were gen.
very few who cabs often for that very
reason. Cabs are now, by the short-sighted
policy of their drivers, not necessity hardly
a convenience-only luxury.
CAB DRIVERS ANSWER.
A cab driver writes to The STAR as follows:
Will you kindly allow me a space your
worthy paper to correct misrepresentation on
the part of one Of your reporters in Saturdays
issue under heading For a Quarter" The
writer states of several complaints being made
against cab drivers of this city for overcharg-
ing and insulting passengers, and especially
ladies, SO he undertook to go on voyage of
discovery to find out how often and to what ex-
tent he would be robbed by the birds of prey,
viz. cab drivers. On his so-called perilous ex-
petition he tried five vehicles land although
the driver badge was neatly hidden under his
coat and the rates snugly ensconced under the
cushion, where after quite vigilant search it
was brought to Light, yet he not robbed
except In one case according to his estimate.
namely. from Baltimore and Potomac depot to
18TH street and pennsylvania avenue. he was
overcharged to the fearful extent of 10 cents.
The rates say 25 cents for fifteen squares or
less and 10 cents for each additional Ave squares
parts of squares" The writer in this in
stance rode sixteen squares and the driver was
entitled to the sum of 80 cents He then goes
on to state about the excellent cab service in
Europe. especially London, which he saws is
famous the world over. Prior to my residence
in Washington as n ''cab driver" | was a sailor,
and visited more European cities than the
writer and can tell him about the excellent cab
service in Europe. especially London. On one
occasion three of us visited the Drury Lane
Theater Ill London and took hanson from
there to the Victoria docks. where our vessel
was lying, about three miles. and were charged
FL. equivalent to 81. 80. We called the atten-
ton OF the bobby" to the fact bu: were told to
settle between Us. We did SO, to cabby's loss
but then We were sailors and not tourists and
were not interviewed by the ever-ready and
willing reporter. Now, to the gentleman
that wishes to ride all over the one section for
25 cents. he is like good many more that call
cab, keep it waiting thirty or forty minutes,
ride half a dozen blocks get out and give the
driver IS cents, although the cab has been at
his disposal nearly one hour. There are many
good cab patrons like him in the city. but let
proprietors of public vehicles attend to his
case. l know there is many cab driver that
will overcharge passenger, but then there is
redress to be had by the law; though there
may be several black sheep in the fold il does
M Z Fol ntr hot fhnr-., all l..l