Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-19
IN FRONT OF HOTELS
Livery Stable Carriages Have
Right There,
H. E. DAVIS CONTENDS
FILES voLUMINoUs BRIEF WITH
COMMISSIONERS.
Declares Contrary Ruling Would Work
Great Inconvenience to Proprie-
tors and Guests.
H. E. DAVIS CONTENDS

Henry E. Davis, attorney for many o.
the hotel proprietors of the city, today SUD-
mitted to the Commissioners his brief III
their behalf on the subject of allowing Nv
cry stable carriages to stand in front OF
these various hoste!ries.
Some time ago the cab drivers of the city
registered sharp protest against the prac-
tice They claimed the hotel and livery
stable people had entered into COMBINE
which was working injury to the regular
cab drivers. 1t was claimed that carriages
for public hire could only be stationed on
the public hack stands designated by the
Commissioners
At hearing granted on the subject the
cab drivers asked that the hotel people
should not be allowed to have carriages
stand constantly in front Of their places, OF
that public hack stands be created there
in order that the public cabs could take
their places thereon and compete with the
others in fair way.
The cab drivers were represented Dy
counsel at the hearing, while the hotel
keepers were not. The Commissioners al
lowed the latter time to secure an attorney
who should file brief. Mr.. Davis was re-
tained and today he set forth the legal SIDE
Of the hotel keepers case.
hotel proprietors have had arrangements
with certain proprietors Of livery stables
in accordance with which the latter nave
placed at the service Of the hotel propr1e-
tors carriages
Confused Rather Than Clarified.
He says the question at issue between
the cab owners and the hotel proprletors Is
confused rather than clarified by the con-
tentions as set forth in the statements OF
their representatives. The question Is
really not whether the existing arrange
ment between the hotel proprietors and the
liverymen operates in effect the establish
ment Of private cab stands. but whether
the occupation by the carriages OF the
streets in front of the hotels Is such an &C.
cupation of public places for private uses
as is prohibited by law.
Mr. Davis quotes a number Of decisions
having a bearing on the question at issue
and continues:
''If the hotel proprietors were the owners
Of their own vehicles their case would be
identical with that Of the merchant and the
physician, and any attempt to discriminate
the different classes Of owners OF vehicles
would necessarily result in logical failure.
But it seems to be thought that distinc-
ton arises out of the fact that, instead OF
owning the vehicles, the hotel proprtetors
allow them to stand in front OF their estab-
Hshments through contract arrangements
with the owners.
I'm principle what Is this except to say
that the hotel proprietors might not hire
vehicles by the day, month, or year, and
keep them in front of their establishments
for the accommodation Of their guests?
Merchant and Physician.
Accordingly, to say that, while the mer-
chant and the physician may continue the
obstruction caused by the presence OF their
vehicles in front of their places, the hotel
proprietors may not do SO, imposes upon the
advocates Of such view the burden OF con-
tending that the delivery wagons OF mer-
chants and the vehicles of physicians must
not be permitted to remain upon the streets
for any length of time whatever, for IN
principle the law makes no recognition OF
the length or shortness of the time OF the
supposed prohibited obstruction"
Mr.. Davis declares that hotel is for the
time being the home of it's guests, who are
as much entitled to their convenienceS in
respect Of the use of vehicles as Is any prl-
vate citizen, whether merchant or other.
Experience" he says, "has shown that
it is impossible conveniently to accommo-
date the guests Of the hotel without af-
fording them carriage facilities for visiting
purposes and for going to and from the
railway stations and points of interest in
the city.
Might Apply to Ice Water.
"As well might a hotel expect>to be con-
sidered public house with adequate &C.
Communications that would fail to furnish
ice water, or news stand, or any other OF
the absolutely necessary accommodations
for the travelling public
washington is of all cities in the coun-
try one to which visits are made upon
momentary notice, notably upon public
business, by persons whose time Is OF the
most valuable and who are compelled to
regard the convenience of public officials
and not their own in making such visits.
This makes 1t a matter Of common ex-
perience that visitors to the city have to
time their visits to and departures from
the city by the movements OF the railway
trains and 1t is an everyday necessity for
visitors using the hotels here SO to dispose
of their time as to make the neateSt cal
culations for catching the railway trains
on their departure
Incalculable Inconvenience.
In closing Mr.. Davis says:
"In view of the situation hereinbefore
shown, and in view Of the fact that O
change in that situation would work in
calculable inconvenience to the travelling
public, and Of the further fact that to es
tablish public cab stands in front Of the
hotels would be to institute a manifest
nuisance, not only to the hotel proprietor:
but also to the public generally. 1 conf
IDENTIFY submit that the proposed disturbance
of the situation should not be made, es
pecially considering that it has called FOL
no complaint except from the public cal
drivers, whose general business is inter
fered with by reason Of the situation very
slightly, aand in a great majority of easel
snot at all, and such disturbance woult
work aJplain and great Inconvenience t
the travelling public, which VIGOROUSLY
makes Washington one Of its principal OBJ
itective points in the country
= d. W.fBaker, attorney for the cab driv
ers, has requested permission Of the Com
rnissioners to reply to Mr.. Davis before tn,
matter is finally disposed of.
Y>:s&,,~bare ~ Tia p1av