Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-06-04

London, June 3,-There are nearly
seven thousand motor cabs plying on
the streets Of London, and the drivers
are engaged in u wrangle with the
companies whloh own their taXls over
the questions OF charges. To Ameri-
cans the fares seem remarkably cheap,
sixteen cents for the first mile and
four cents for each succeeding mile.
The drivers get 20 per cent, of the
receipts for their share, but they have
to pay for the petrol consumed. Each
side asserts that it not making a
fair income under present arrange
ments, The question of tips Is one
bone Of contention, while the matter
of extra charges for baggage and ad-
diuonal passengers also hgures
| largely.
II some Of the owners are to be be-
lieved the chauffeurs roll In luxury.
one asserts that drivers are making
as much as two dollars a day, which
Is a large wage for Engand and that
exclusive Of tips. Many OF the drivers
are represented to be able to take va
! cations of two or three weeks In Paris
are said to be so prosperous that they
will work only four or five days in
week, or take cars out and leave them
standing unused for hours. The own
ers' chief grievance is the claim that
| the drivers charge for many extras
and do not turn in the money, and as
subsidiary claim they accuse drivers
/ of habitually tampering with the
meters so that fares are not recorded.
The total difference between their re
ceipts and the receipts which they
would gather II the cabs were run
! honestly represents the difference be-
| tween a profitable and an unprofita-
BILE enterprise, they aver
The drivers protest strongly against
charges of dishonesty and appeal to
the public to believe that they make
only a bare living and that by work.
/ ing very long hours. They resist q
suggestion made to the parliamentary
committee considering the situation
that fares be raised from 16 to 20
cents for tho first mile. Many people
with the pri sent tariff always pay a
shilling WHICH gives the driver an s
cent tip,
with the tariff at 20 cents passen-
gers would give the same amount,
thus cutting the customary tip in
half
Street railway development in Lon
don has again been aroused, this
time by a proposal of the London
County Council to make Marble Arch,
the northeastern corner Of Hyde Park,
the terminus Of one of their suburban
lines, which suggested to the minds
of some that Park Lane, that street Of
magnificent residences was to be IN
yaded.
In London the development Of
street railways is the reverse to that
Of America. While there the centre
of the town is first provided, here
tramways, as they are known, were
first constructed in the surrounding
districts and it has ony been against
the most strenuous opposition that
the rails were brought into the city,
A few years ago the question of al
lowing the cars to cross the bridges
from the South side Of the Thames
River to land their passengers on
Victoria embankment, was fought
through the House Of Lords, which in
the end most reluctantly passed the
bill giving the necessary permission.
Other lines have slowly crept towards
the center unit now residents in most
Of the suburbs can take a street car
to within a short distance of their
places Of business.
The district known as Crickewood
was an exception and the London
County Council, to remedy this defect
proposed that line be extended along
Edgeware Road, wide thoroughfare
to Marble Arch. The police first
objected on the ground that n tram
way terminus at Marble Arch would
cause congestion of traffic. and ther
there appeared in the press long let.
ters protesting against "The desecra.
tion of Park Lane" The engineers
explained that there was no intention
of extending the line beyond Marble
Arch and that Park Lane would not
| be interfered with.
But Is was no use. The opposition
was so great that the proposal had tc
be withdrawn.
: Meantime, the London County
, Council Tramways, which have cos
the ratepayers $5O,O0O,O 900, are suffer.
ing from the competition of the mucf
improved motor-b bus, which carries
, passengers, without change, from the
city to their residences in the sub
urbs.
Many of the West-end Squares
: around which formerly clustered tn,
residences Of fashionable London, ar,
being invaded by business firms. st