The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-15
HACKMEN UNDER RULE.
The New Law Passed by Council to go
Into Eject Nov. l.

Into Effect Nov. /.
The new city ordinance regulating the
hackmen goes into effect Nov. l. After
that date each hackman Will be compelled
to wear badge containing a number reg
istered at the city treasurer Office. They
will be required to wear this badge so
that it can be seen, 50 that in case of pas
sengers having trouble with a hackman
they will be able to report the hackman's
number to the proper authorities.
The hacks will be allowed to stand only
in certain places to be designated by the
street and lane committee and will not be
allowed to block up any street they may
see fit.
Chairman O'Brien of the street and
lane committee said when asked about
the selection of these stands that he in
tended to select stands only in the neigh
bOrhoOd of the hotels, as il was from the
hotels that the hackmen chiefly drived
their patronage and to which they are of
the greatest benefit.
Alderman O'Brieu thinks there will be
some objection to the stands, no matter
where they are placed, and for the rea-
sons stated he thinks the only sOlu ton of
the question is TO locate the stands in the
neighborhood of the hotels Stands will
OF course be selected at the depOts as
well.
The most important feature of the or
dinance is the regulation of the prices to
be charged by the hackmen. For any
single trip between any depot and any
point in the city and vice
versa a charge of % cents only is allowed.
This has been the recognized rate of fare
for some time, but INSCRIPTIONS hack
men have made a POINT of charging
strangers 80 cents a trip, and even more,
whenever they thought that they could
impose upon them. This rate also applies
to hotel omnibuses as well as hacks. The
rate for hack hire by the hour is fixed at
81, without regard to the number of per-
sons carried
All hacks and public vehicles Offering
for hire are required to have
q printed copy of the ordinance
posted in conspicuous place
in order that the rates and conditions I'M
der which the vehicle is hired may be
readily ascertaiued by passengers.
Such an ordinance as that just passed
has been needed in Savannah for a long
time. There was great complaint last
winter Of the treatment Of strangers by
the hackmen. Cases were continually
occurring where the passenger claimed
that he had arranged with the hack
driver to pay him Il certain price, and
when the time came for settlement he
found that the charge had been increased
adopted a policy Of browbeating, and
the passengers in most cases paid
the price demanded rather than have a
row. 1t is true that the shoe was on the
other foot occasionally, and it was some
times the hackmen who were mistreated.
In the majority of cases the opposite was
true, however.
The ordinance does no injustice to the
hackmen, and many of them approve of
if flhnW know how tbai4s T,si II 40
been abused by some of their number, and
that the only way in which to prevent
the continuance of these abuses is by
statute.
One of the best known hack drivers of
the city said to MORNING News reporter
last week:
Il am glad the council has passed that
hack ordinance, l carry as many passen-
gers as any haCkman in the city and | see
no objection to the ordinance | have
never charged more than % cents for car
rying passengers TO and from the depots.
My regular rate has always been 81 an
hour. am willing to havea copy of theor-
dinance framed and posted in my hack,
and will be glad to do so. 1t is only those
fellows who have been rObbing passen-
gers who are kicking about the ordi-
nance. 1t is a shame how some
of these hackmen will treat
a drunken man. They will take him
few blocks and then demand dollar or
two dollars, just according to how much
they think they can get, and if they don't
get it they raise row. If a policeman
comes up they lay all the trouble on the
drunken man.
There are plenty of people who are
ready to impose on the hack-drivers
every chance they get though. and we
have some hard cases to deal with some
times. We get plenty Of abuse even
when we are trying to act square. If the
council will give US convenient stands l
don't see that the ordinance Will injure
the business in any way
1t is question if the ordinance applies
to the charges made for carrying passen-
gers TO and from the steamship docks
The omnibusses and hacks have always
charged 30 cents for trips to and from the
docks, and they propose to continue this
charge until given notice TO do otherwise.
The ordinance fixes a 25-cent rate for car
rying passengers to and from the depots,
bat does not mention the steamship
docks. The point will probably be brought
uD later