New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-02
CAB RATES HIT PASSENGERS
THE AGENTS OF STEAMSHIP LINES
UNANIMOUS IN DENOUNCING
SYSTEM.

The vicious system at present prevailing among
cabnen this city and the consequent annoyancss
from which all who forced 70 employ public
convsyances IN this city suffer, general discussion
Of which appeared in yesterdays Tribune, present
a number OF different phases Among these there
is none Of Importance than thai OF the effect
of the existing system upon transatlantic pasSen-
gers The annoyance. the vexation and the extor-
ron from which passengers suffer Circumstances
which cannot fail TO initiate against the ehoice
Of New-York as a point OF arrival or departure for
ocean travellers When one considers that II Is as
cheap 10 go first class from New-York 20 Boston
or Washington by railroad rs TO One-hundredth-st-
~ public carriage. some idea of the exornitance
OF cab rates may be gained. and this - only the
rate permitted by several steamship lines and not
the rate that some cab5y mShr charge Il he has
the chance.
The agents or the various steamship lines that
land passengers here are keeuly alive 20 the evils
o the present situation. IF 4 wish go from
my house in Seventy -fo'Irth-st. 20 the Hamburg
American piers I have to pay 3. said Emil l.
Boas. the manager Of che line. q Tribune re-
porter yesterday. Translate thas into twenty
marks. and you could &c: carriage for a day IN
d German city. The system is bad. IL Is very bad
We have agents look , fter our passengers, we
have only one company allowed piers. and
it * allowed charge only tn, 'sg4I but that
legal Is far high. and - the source OF end
less complaint on the part o. foreigners"
At the piers OF the LeyIand Line the superin-
tendent had the story tell II The
Tribune anything to improve the existing
situation render the travelling public great
service" he said. Rates here are a6ominsoly
high. They not merely incomperably higher
than those in cities in Europe. out they are
higher than those IN other American cities We
have arrangement with responsible com
pany; allow only its agents piers; we
post the cab tariff 50 that our passengers can see
it, but the themselves altogether too
high"
At the Cunard piers the situation exactly
similar. Captain Watson. The superin'endent had
only criticism for the cab rates charged We pro-
tect our passengers far as We can. We have
contract with responsible company, and only its
representatiNe i apWsd on our pieI MS 49,
by law. but even those are too high. Then. II some
exorbitant they can go out to The street and take
a public carriage. But that gives splendid oppor-
wishes. and We cannot help it
Every steamship company landing passengers IN
this city recognizes the need protecting its pas
senzers in some way Many companies have huge
various distances These rates are generally about
the ieai tariff At the Wtile star piers the posted
tariff permits the Cahmet charge 3 for one
person Sc for three. and 81 for four 70 any
point in the city south of Fiftyn;nth-st North q
st. the rate is 81 for ore or four passengers. a
lower tariff is furnished BY the Quebec Steamship
Company a few piers below South % FOrry-sec-
9e es I9s ca4 saH fPe FSs and soa Rd f Of
Seventy -ninth-st the rate for the same vehicles
are not adhered TO- noNeyet IS notorious ,Only
The other day case vas rf2orJed 10 10 me tribune
near the Waldorf Astoria to the Quebec pier
West Tenth-st A distance which tn company
pressy announces should b covered for 81 -. so
seriously Is this annoyance felt by the companies
that the novel plan of printing me proper tariff
rate on the back OF the merus used for meals on
shipbOard employed by company.
This brief summary Of the situation "a # affects
passengers tra1SatIantic steamers - one that
rShfD agents feel very strongly about. The
competition Of other cities for this trade IN
recent years and the gradual Development Of
bad 70 Ee scandal affect them
seriously. The system Of nigh tariff rates. pad in
itself is rendered ntoIers5le by the eNtortionste
practices Of some cabmrn. The Tribune has men
toned before that business men avoid N@w-YorS
on OF this. II they do their business
| elsewhere In the same WY traCSatlarttc paSSeT
gers will certainly the lack Of p-O-
lection furnished them and the high rates charged
.