The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-01
"CABBY0 AND HIS OUTFIT.
From His Perch He Looks Down on the
Car Driver md Private Coaehmnn.

Car Driver and Private COachmnn.
Driving a hanson cab is not an occupation
at which any one is likely to grow rich. The
earnings OF the average hanson are between
five and six dollars n night. for the night is
regarded as O more profitable time by n cab
mar than the day. There are more public
cabmen who begin work at g In the evening
than at 6 in the morning. Tho bulk OF the cab
business during the day is done by the stables
on calls. Ladies going shopping send to the
stable whore they have an account for q cab.
instead Of picking up a cab on the street. and
men who use q cab during the day arc more
likely to get 1t through q hotel or club which
has arrangements with regular stables.
The stray cabman makes his money at night.
He goes on his stand ut . o'clock and stays In
the street until morning. The street car and
elevated road service is not so good at night.
and there are many men who will ride around
In a cab in tho evening after dinner who
would never squander money on such an ex-
travaganco in the sober daytime.
A few Of the cabmcn own their own horses
and cabs. but most OF them work on wages
for n cab owner or hire their cabs by the
night The regular rate paid by a driver for
q horse and cab from q o'clock in the evening
until 9 in the morning is $3.50. which entitlo .
the cabman to keep all tho money he makes,
He Is expected to hire the cab at least six
days Of the week. The cabmen who are ON
wages get SO O week. or loss than the pay Of
q street car driver. and they have twelve
hours OF continuous out-of-door exposure.
1t does not cost much for a cabmen to GO into
business for himself. II he has not o horse
he can buy q cab and hire a horse
by the night for S1.5o. Il the owner
San 20 bought for $50 Or SIS. ana a second:
from time to time there is thrown on the mar
out for private use. but which makes a good
public cab. The cabmen pick these up at
fa asS tSG 9ISs t Wo wIth r hsTnsss sD whtpi n sad yU on =
good horse than on, a good CAP. He can get Q
horse that he can drive about for SIS or $50.
amount The saving comes In the ease with
which the better horse can be kept and the in
time on distance trips. There is a cabman on
tho Thirty. third street stand who could 20
a 1rSm a f haIf Nth sG M thg RESULT rqrf tha 1fs daTis %. t En- G rSss
he had q fare there and back every day at a
It is a close thing whether tho men who hire
their cabs at S2.50, a night or tho men who
work for SO a week make the more money.
on dns shs is me eS w whS Of ar seH SRnid By sp the nsc wsef. F fSss
are expected to make something over their
pay. md how much dfsPbsnds - on Themselves
II they have one SO night and tho next q So
session Of several S. nights Would be eaulva.
lent to an increase in wages
IT is no thing for q man on ono
OF these night stands 10. get from q customer
two or three day Job. There is n story OF the
driver of one Ransom who gota fare one night
any hours off, on tho cabman's part. The
driver fed his horse on, the street and took
enough! sleep himself at the various places at
which, he stopped. but the cabman was always
The prices OF tho cabman differ. Tho night
men have an advantage over the day men. for
the night lGres will average moro money than
distance trips to railroad stations. ferries, and
offices; While the night business is usually on
Custom has made the driver Of four wheels
charge q little moro than the driver of han
s2en rata e 81 aa ! dolar can t6. ,iast So be mir q S z, the
wheels wants a dollar and a hall for. the first
ordinances Of the Common Council between
the W wheels and the four wheels. Indeed.
when the hack ordinances were passed a hun
There, Is a constant feud between, the cab
men ana the private eoachmen and the street;
and the streot-ciar' driver The cahman does
ment OF the hair he wears on his face depends
on himself and nature and not on the COM
vate carriage. so tho cahman insists on the
right. OF way, Above all he looks down on tho
street-car driver.
What would / be doing with driving a street
carr said one OF the Gabmen on the Thirty
third street stand who had over twenty years
schedule and keep on time. If they are a
minute late of they go. and there Is no telling
when they will get back to work again and
What they are s0inG to ca. in the meantime;
work. from u to q, and am a good deal better
of than those, fellows. II their wages are more
there is not a lot OF rules and regulations and
bosses and Inspectors and superintendents to
be laying me oil and poking around into my
business"
The men on tho night stands have an under
standing among Themselves about the order
Of taking customers. The first man to get on
the stand takes the head. The next man falls
behind him. and so on until the stand is filled;
The mar at the head of the stand has the first
chance at any customer. No cabman will un-
derbid him or bid In at all unless he and the
customer fail to make a bargain. and then the
other cabmen are at liberty to cut rates. AS
soon as tho man at the head OF the line gets a
fare the next one takes his place.. and thus the
business is evenly distributed.