Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-07
VARSITY GREEKS AND GOODS
AGREE TO WALK RATHER THAN
PAY HIGH PRICES FOR CARRIAGES
Meeting Held at Which Boycott is De-
cIared on Madison LNeYmen
Represented That a Combination or Trust
Exists to Enforce d So Rate
Propnetors Say Students Require Greater
Service and are Slower Pay

, Establishments of the city developed the
fact that the proprietors have a side
of their own in the matter, stated by
one of them substantially as follows:
There is no livery trust and there
is no combination against the stu
dents. Student trade in Madison is
large and although there are many I'M
desirable things about il there is not
a livery but desires to cater as largely
as possible to the students. IL is a
fact that 81 is the charge made fire.
uuently Tor service with the students,
but not for service that is charged only
So Tor towns people. III we go to your
home, get two couples and carry them
TO a dance or theater. then come at
their appointment and take them
home, the charge is SO. But in the
student trade much more is required.
We have To pick up one of the men at
one fraternity or other house, then
pick mp another man, then one of the
ladies and then go and get the other
lady. We always have 10 go to two
or three, possibly four houses, and the
chances are that we have TO wait at
half of the places. We carry them to
the party or theater and get an APP
pointment for the return trip. If il is
an unusual dance like the charity ball
or junior prom we doubtless have TO
wait for our passengers long after the
appointed time, then we usually have
to 20 to a place of refreshment or other
place before distributing them at their
houses. 1t is not simply because they
are students but because they are more
exacting. they want more service, and
that is why they are charged accord
ingly. This is what has made some
think the liverymen had a rate of 81
for students and a rate of SO for towns
people. And by the way, students are
not as good pay as towns people.
While perhaps not one of the livery
men will admit that they lose much
money through students who do not
pay at all, still they all know that stu
dent bills run long and are many times
hard TO collect. Scarcely any of the
students pay at the time the service is
rendered, as most towns people pay.
/ think may say for the liverymen of
Madison in general that they would
gladly reduce rates 20 per cent. to the
students If the cash would come in
when the service is completed or per
haps a week later. know it has been
suggested among the liverymen to
adopt the practice with reference to
the next junior prom. not to book any
order that is not accompanied with
cash. This is of course only suggested
for the one occasion. 1t has been our
experience that students give us or
ders and then change their minds.
They order carriages and something
happens they change their plans
and do not adjust their orders. This
results in great inconvenience and loss
TO us. Our prices are higher, some
what than for the ordinary street
hacks. but our carriages are better kept,
not used so much and more frequently
renovated. While the street hack
lines in Madison are good, they have
rot the rolling stock that the liveries
have and their carriages are being
used all the time and by everybody.
The difference in service is worth the
price We think the boycott will not
last long"