The Detroit times., 1908-02-06
CAB OF FUTURE |
M0TOR-DR|vEN
VEHICLE
IT REGISTERS ITS MILEAGE AND
SHOWS AT A GLANCE WHAT
THE BILL WILL HE-MANY Al
READY IN USE.

All hail the taxicab!
Abroad this type OF vehicle Is known
as the taximeter cab, taking Its name
from the register placed In plain sight
OF the occupant, which registers the
distance travelled and the exact
amount OF fare due at the end OF the
journey. The clumsy name has been
abbreviated In American fashion to
the taxicab, and the first appearance
of the natty little vehicle on the
streets OF Chicago was heralded as
something uniQue--in a degree hard
to understand when the popularity OF
the automobile in the Garden City is
remembered.
A brave young reporter OF Chicago
paper was among the first TO try the
tsxicab. and he was so impressed that
his city editor allowed him to use a
column and half to say that he rode
from the Auditorium Annex, at Con-
gress and Wabash to Madison-st. and
Fffth-ave., distance of something
over a mile. for 40 cents. The ordinary
charge by the driver OF a horse-drawn
vehicle would be $1.00--and as much
more as he thought he could get.
A further advantage quickly scented
by this adventurous spirit was that he
might have had the use of the vehicle
for the same distance for himself. a
friend, or two friends, or three friends,
for the same price, and that no charge
would have been made for such per-
sonal luggage as the chauffeur could
have bestowed ON the front seat be-
side him.
Years have passed since the charges
OF the Niagara hackmen were legiti-
mate subjects for the American humor-
list. The evil has never been abated
In our cities. Herein Is a point in
favor OF taxicabs. To begin the reg
istration of your mileage and charge It
Is necessary for the driver to push
down lever at the side of the indicat-
ing dial and to show you the total
amount due he must pull the lever
back. completing the circle so that
the lever is again upright. On the end
OF the lever is little red sign with
white enamel letters indicating to all
who pass that the vehicle is olsen
gagged. by the simple words For
Hire" When that sign Is up, whether
you look easy OF not 1t Is your privi-
lege to demand the use OF the vehicle.
II is never necessary to ask the driver
how much you owe him. The sum
stares you in the face. and the charges
are as street car fare compared with
the old-time go-as-you-please plan. For
instance, 80 cents carries you half a
mile, and that means the capacity of
the cab, four persons. For each sue
ceeding quarter OF a mile you pay 10
cents. IL II is your wife who enjoys
the comfort and luxury of this for the
time being private cab with its lux
urious upholstering, It's pretty brass
clock, conveniently placed mirror, and
such like comforts, and she engages
the cab for shopping purposes, when
the cab stops In front of her destina-
ton an inner clock begins registering
the passing moments, and upon her re-
turn with orders to the driver to the
next place or home, she finds that the
inner clock mechanism has registered
her Indebtedness TO the extent OF 10
cents for each six minutes she is keep
ing the cab waiting.
The motor cab business rs nearly
two years old In London and Paris.
and has been successful, despite the
clumslness OF the vehicles and the fact
that they were put upon the market
before the design was properly work
ed out. Within the past Ave months
1.400 additional motor cabs have been
placed In use on the streets In Lon
don.
There are at present three com
panies bidding for the business in
New York. Chicago has started with
SO, and the Thomas Taxicab Co. an
offshoot OF the ". II. Thomas Motor
Co.. lis so impressed with the cordial
reception accorded their improved
vehicles that they have made arrange
ments for a capacity OF 1000 cabs in
1908.
Thee minimum earning capacity In
Paris recorded by a Thomas repre-
sentative recently shows a profit OF
sff per day per cab. and this tn COM
petition pith2 =heEga-dFawn- xohieles.
which are as yet In the majority.
The future OF the business can bet