The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-06-30
EXORBITANT CHARGES
MADE BY RICHMOND LIVERY WEN
FOR THE HiRE or HIChs.
while They Are Forbidden by Ordinance
to Ask More Than ~ "A Day, they
Extort From $40 TO s.l.

E1tOrt From 40 10 SNt.
To say the least, the contrast be-
tween the scale of charges exacted 10y
the ltvervmen OF Richmond this week
for the use OF their horses and vehicles
and the scale of charges fixed by the
city ordinance is striking.
The ordinance forbids any one having
wheeled carriage for hire to ask more
than s. for the use Of the Venice LOT
twelve consecutive hours, when occupied
by not more than four persons.
And set the livoymen are taxing their
patrons all sorts Of exorbitant prices.
from SO to S2i
A Times reporter. 10 whose ears the
roar OF the voices OF the gouged and
mulctcd came, Investigated the charge
made against the proprletors OF city Nv
cry stables. that their demands are un-
reasonable and extortionate. The result
Will be seen.
What shall have 10 pay you for the
use of hack for the entire morhnS
and afternoon of the day OF the Confed-
erato paradeY' he inquired az the Office Of
one OF the bost-known liyerymen IN Klch-
mond.
Fifteen dollars the answer came
promptly.
what Is your charge for some other
day of the reunion scason-say' wed
nesday?"
We'll we might be able 70 let you
have 10 hack that day for Si2.
mn.
not one hundred yards distant.
"Cln ] get hack from you for Thurs
day morning and afternoon he inquired.
"Oh. yes: / guess So" replied the ly-
oryman.
How much will it cost meY
twenty dollars"
"lt must DE my appearance unused
the reporter. as be turned away, COM
ui.fev sngeored That's The trouble,
sure look like a millionaire, ana
these gentlemen are basiug their esu-
mates on what they think / can afford
10 pay. I'll try the telephone for a
lower rate
Hello" came over the phone ten min
utos later In response TO the can sent
in TO another livery stable.
els that --'s stablcs2'
| Eyes. what can we go for you2"
81 want a hack for next Thursday.
What Will the cost be if l get it from
/ you?'
Two dollars an hour"
WHATS thatY
Two dollars an hour"
But ! want IL for a whole day-say.
from s o'clock in tho morning until at
night"
Two dollars an hour"
"What Will I have TO pay you for
/ hack for tomorrow"
Again the man at the other end sang
| out rclcntlessly; 1.-TWO dollars an hour.
( And the law doesn't say two dollars once.
The reporter hung mp the phone and
went out into the open air. He found
| his way TO the nearest police station.
/ picked mp the volume Of city ordinances
| Dc found lying on the Sergeants desk.
and copied section II OF chapter XLVIu.
/ into IFS notebook. Here It IS. and what
| the good Of IL?
A'The charge for the use Of hack
or other wheeled carriage kept for hire
shall be- as follows:
For carrying person therein not more
| than ten squares. fifty cents; and for
; each additional square five cents; proyid-
Cd, that the whole charge for carrying
/ one person 10 any part Of the city shall
not exceed 81"
THE CHARGE FOR CARRYING NOT
MORE THAN -FOUR PERSONS SHALL
not. FOR THE WHOLE. EXCEED
ONE DOLLAR AND A HALE. UN-
LESS MORE THAN ONE HOUR BE
( EMPLOYED. AND THEN SHALL BE
ONE DOLLAR AND A HALF FOR THE
FIRST HOUR AND FIFTY CENTS
| FOR EACH SUCCEEDING HOUR"
The charge for a hack TO attend a
funeral procession shall not exceed three
dollars and a half; and no charge shall
/ be- made for children under three years
Of age.
For carrying persons between 10
o'clock az night and daybresk. an addi-
! tIonal charge Of one-half Of the above
! rates may be made and no more For
baggage the charge shall be twenty-five
| cents for each trunk carried outside and
nothing shall be charged for any article
carried inside or any carpet-baz or bas-
/ ket"
That's all. But isn't II sufficient to
warrant a fellows calling a hack al s
! O'Clock any morning In the year. riding
about In IL until O'Clock az night and
| then settling with the driver FOR S7g
II IL isn't thore & something radically
| wrong with the section quoted and the
said section ought TO be inserted among
/ the paragraphs Of q comic paper or hired
/ out 60 10 some kind OF work other than
/ that az which II is now employed.
! As there IS no law regulating the scale
OF charges liverymen may make for the
/ hire OF their sadlie-horses. IL Is nobody's
/ business but their own that they are
asking from 81 TO sl2 a day.
/ 10 Is worthy OF note. however, that
owners OF hacks. carriages. and other
J vehicles kept for hire, are required by law
10 have posted In their vehicles the or,i.-
nance as quoted above.