New-York tribune., 1897-08-04
CHEAP CARS.

New-York has long needed cheap cab SER
vice and cheap carriage service 1t is easy
to travel q great many miles within the limits
of this city on the elevated railroads or In the
surface cars for five cents but until recently, II
any one wished to take a cab to 90 to or from
a railroad station, to visit a theatre, or for any
other purpose. the charges in all cases have
been disproportionate and unreasonable in COM
parson with the rates which prevail In other
large cities No satisfactory reason has ever
been suggested by the stable-keepers for their
adherence to excessive rates. 1t Is true, OF
course, that land Is valuable in this city and
that stable rents may be somewhat higher than
in other places, but the market quotations Tor
horses suitable for use In drawing hacks and
other vehicles have fallen immensely in recent
years. Sound, hardy, robust young horses OF
the right size and right quality can be purchased
in this market for figures which would have
seemed ridiculous dozen years ago. The cost
of feed for horses and the wages Of stablemen
have certainly not been increased to any seri-
GUS extent in the last dozen years. The truth
Is that the men who have controlled the stables
OF this city have been blind to their own inter-
ests and many Of them have been losing money
heavily, while others complain bitterly OF the
effects Of what they call hard times upon their
business. II they had been alert to their own
interests years ago and had stimulated and de-
veloped the public use Of cabs and carriages on
a great scale by lowering their charges to mod
crate figures the number Of cabs and other
vehicles in use by the citizens and the visitors
to the city would have been multiplied many
times and the stable business In this town
would have remained fairly prosperous.
The stable-keepers have been obliged to con-
tend not only with the extensions Of the trans
portatlon lines and the opportunities given by
those lines to visit the parks end recreation
grounds within the borders Of the enlarged city
at small expense, but they have also encoun
tered the rivalry Of the bicycles. Hosts Of men
and women who formerly were IN the habit OF
hiring carriages for pleasure drives, or OF using
horses for riding, have given up horscfesh ell
tirely and found their favorite recreation on
their wheels The owners OF stables have not
been wise enough to attempt to popularlze their
business by making their charges such that
great numbers Of people would use carriages
and hacks In going to and from the parks and
on errands Of business or OF pleasure The
hotels have kept up III extravagant and un-
justHable scale of prices for the vehicles hired
by their guests. Few classes that this country
has ever known have been more narrow-minded
and njudicous in falling to improve the Op-
portunities for Increasing their business than
the class Of stable-owners In this city has been
New-Yorkers and visitors to NewYork who
have become thoroughly exasperated over the
exorbitant demands Of the 0wners and drivers
Of carriages and hacks hail with relief and
qualification the action Of the great railroads
In providing a cheap cab service. The Penn
sylvanla already has in use an admirable sys-
TEN. The York Central Is to follow the
example of the Pennsylvania in short time.
The Erie announces its purpose of providing a
cheap cab service. Other railroads will un-
doubtcdly &c and do likewise. 1t Is not intend
ed that these railroad cabs shall be available
for all sorts Of uses. for driving In the parks
for shopping for calling or for pleasure trips
which are not taken to or from a railroad sta
tl0n; nevertheless. the establishment OF these
railroad systems Of cheap cabs must inevitably
bring about the provision Of great numbers Of
cheap cabs by companies and firms. and the
present extortIonate prices will have to be given
up charge of five dollars, or even more, for
n drive In Central Park on a pleasant afternoon
Is outrageously high yet that Is the usual charge
in the livery stables Of New.York. The figures
exacted for drives to Grants tomb or to the
parks above the Harlem are simply appalling