The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-04

ed to make final effort to find Wal
lace Thompson, formerly of Topeka,
and now night editor of Paul Hudson's
wonderfully prosperous paper in the
city. Mr.. Hudson had not returned
from his trip east. 1t was ten minutes
of ten and I did not know then at what
hour the gates of the hotel were lock-.
ed. l was unable to make the clerk
in attendance understand me, but by
pointing at my watch understood him
to say that the hotel remained open
until IL o'clock. I left the office hav-
ing no doubt that 1 would return in
ample season. Hailing a cab, and cabs
are numerous, 1 told the driver want
ed to go to the Herald office. 1 pre-
sumed everybody knew where the
Herald office was in the City of Next
co, but this driver must have known it
by another name, as he could not COM
prehend where I wanted to go, but
fortunately during the day had seen
the office and knew just where it was
located, SO by directing the cabby up
one street and down another 1 finally
reached my destination without diff
ficulty.
The Herald office is well equipped.
in beautiful building formerly the
home of one of the foreign legations
fronts the Alameda, the most beautiful
park of the city, centrally located. This
building, I understand, has been re-
Gently purchased by Mr.. Hudson and
his associates.
NO Night Key Needed.
On returning to the hotel, which
was called the Hotel Jardin, pro-
nOunced Harden and meaning Hotel
of the Garden. was astonished to find
the big high, solid gate closed and
locked against me. 1t was twenty
minutes past 10 and the last hour, of
course, was 10 instead of twelve as 1
had misunderstood. 1 gave a smart
rap and the huge door quickly swung
inward. I gave the gate-keeper ten
centavos, five cents in our money. This
seemed to be the proper thing, as he
thanked me. and displayed on a shelf
half dozen keys of the rooms occu-
pied by the belated guests. I readily
found my number, thirty-six,. among
the keys, thus furnishing evidence that
was the first one of our party of
three to come in.
Among the impressions one early
forms in the City of Mexico are: the
cleanliness of the streets and the
cheapnesS of the cab fares.
The more one travels the more one
is inclined to believe that it costs more
to ride in a public carriage in Topeka
than in any other city in the world.
In Paris and in London one pays but
a fraction of what is asked here for
similar service in riding from place
to place. For two or more people, the
fares in Chicago and New York are
this city. In Mexico four people
may ride in a first class cab from
railway station to a hotel over a dis |
lance of about a mile for fifty cents in
Mexican money; that is, twenty-five
cents our money, or six and quarter
cents each.
On what is known as a red flag
cab, which is almost as good as the
first class one, and better than many
of the hacks in Topeka, the charge is
but forty cents in Mexican money; |
twenty cents in our money, as a total
charge for all who occupy the vehicle. |
The price by the hour is from rs
cents to one dollar. Mexican money; |
that is, BIZ cents to so cents of our
money. The price on Sunday is about
fifty per cent more. that is $1.50 per
hour, Mex
Long Ride. Little Money.
On Sunday afternoon in the City of
Mexico four of US rode for three hours |
and the total price was $3.50; that is, |
1928 in our money, or about Sc cents
each. On a week day the charge for
the same service would have been |
equal to $3.50 in our money.
The first class cabs in the City of
Mexico have little blue flags on the
seat of the driver. The blue flag is
raised in sight when the cab is not
engaged. If it is engaged, it is dropped
down out of vision. On the other cabs |
red flags indicate the same conditions |
The cabs bearing the blue flags and |
those bearing the red flags are so near !