The evening times., 1898-11-29
RIGHT TO OCCUPY
STANDS All DEPOT
Local CabmeR Will Fight the
Pennsylvania Railroad.
VALIDITY OF REGULATION
President Shanks Gives the Je.us
Side Of the Story.
Says lLe symRaftiy OF the Public Ii
With the RaPlsRseR and Cab
Drivers Association.

Th, Hacllniens and Cab Drivers Asso-
ciation, which has been lately o ga 2ized
for the purpose of combating the r5gu-
lation which prohibits the licensed cab
men from soliciting passengers at o.
around the Pennsylvania stat on. have
determined to fight the law which gives
The exclusive right to the Pennsylvania
cab Service OF occupying the stand at
that depot.
When Congress passed an act on June
:. 1895. endowing, the District Commits
sioners with the power TO establ- sh cab
stand for the Pennsylvania service, the
ground asked TO be allotted was bat enc
hundred feet. and no provision was made
that this service was to have the exc.u-
sive right of carrying persons TO and from
the depot.
The action OF the District Commission
ers, therefore came as a surprise To the
cabmen of the city, who expected TO have
an equal opportunity of soliciting custo-
mers with the Pennsylvania cabmen.
When il was first learned that the reSu-
lation as made by the Commissioners
would prohibit their standing at this cor
had been given six hundred feet, they
naturally res. nted such regulation, but
al the time were in no position TO demand
redress Two weeks ago the hacknzen
ard cab drivers Of the city formed an Or
ganizati0n. and since that time have
made considerable progress in hay NJ the
regulation modified. The first meeting Of
the oreani nizatioH was held Al Labor Hall.
on { Street between Sixth and Seventh
northwest and the following ON
were elected; @. H. Shanks, pre- idenl'
Albert Murray, vice president; Louis Du-
Nal treasurer: Ed. Dennison, secretary;
Frank Mace sergeant-at-arnls ana Ed
ward POLAND. chaplain.
The organization started with a MEM
bershiD of one hundred and has since
added more than fifty additional names.
A. soon as the association had been duly
organized it employed the aid Of counsel
10 investigate ana determine the power
Cf the District Commissioners TO estab-
Ish stand for an individual concern
10 the exclusion Of ali other hack and
cab drivers.
IN Grder TO make "A test of The law sew
,ral cabmcn deliberately violated the reg
ulation prohibiting them from standing
al the depot for the purpose Of being TAX
en- before the courts They were arrested
and brought for tT$al in the Police Court
OF the District, with the result that no
grounds could be found for holding them,
and they were released. Yesterday i've
cabmen were taken before the authorities
Tor the same offense and immg mgdiateiy
released by District Attorney Pugh, who
refused 20 issue warrants against The men
and held that they had violated no eN-
listing regulation. Later in the day an or
der was sent by Major Sylvester 10 all of
The stations in the CITY. instructing the
20, IL a - The
Pennsylvania depot. As a consequence,
the cabmen viii be allowed 10 solicit
customers al the depot until some action
j. taken by the District Commissioners or
The courts either To prohibit or allow
them 10 compete with the cabmen OF The
Pennsylvania service.
I'VE do not ask to have il all said
Mr Shauks. the president of the aSspcia-
tiou. 10 a Times reporter today. All We
want is a fair. equal showing with the
8f her cd abmcn 10 make our living. We
have no hard feeling against the cab
men or the Pennsylvania service. In ouI
opinion the District Commissioners are
10 blame for the present condition of al
fairs. and the fact that We have beer
barred from standing there. I do not think
nor does the attorney whom we have en-.
ployed that the Commissioners have The
power to establish this stand. To the eX-
clusion OF the regular cabmen OF the city
Ii they have this power, We shall! submit
Ia it,. but If they have not. you viii be
able To ride in one Of our cabs from the
depot FOR some time TO come We intend
TO fight this thing 10 the end, and if nec-
essary carry il TO the Supreme Court OF
he Unted States. II is not 50 much the
money that can be made at the depot by
us; but if We allow this affair 10 go on
we may soon be deprived of the privileges
of the streets.
People have an idea that the Pennsyl.
yanis service is much cheaper than that
which We give. but they are mistaken
For instance, the old regulations com.
PEELED as to carry one trunk and two
smaller pieces of baggage free. Now tn,
passenger Is charged p cents Tor the
large pieces, and 10 cents for each pack.
age.
The company has drawn circle
around the depot with a mile radius. and
viii convey you anywhere within that
limit for y cents, and for each additional
half mile they charge you 10 cents eX-
tra. This line extends to the city limits
and beyond that you cannot 20. If you
happen te own and carry a dog. even q
lap poodle. you walk. Should you care
To go to Anacostia or Columbia Heights
or any place just outside of the city lin
its, you walk from the cIty's limits. You
see, the service is not cent cheaper thar
ours and not half So accommodating.
My opinion is that the Pennsylvania
cab service is being exceedingly wei
treated by the District Commissioners
SIN. these gentlemen have always shown
"a consideration for the honest man who
Is endeavoring 10 earn a living. and
hink that If our cause Is brought TO the
attention OF the public viii not have
any further trouble in securing our rights
Since our association has been organic
ed and become known, several person.
have made inquiries of me as TO how the!
could help us in our fight. and severa
people have already subscribed without
solicitation 10 the fund being raised tH
carry our cause to the higher courts, i
ID becomes necessary. 1t is a source o
great satisfaction TO us TO know that w
have the sympathy of the public.
THE LAW WILL HAVE