New-York tribune., 1912-01-14

the stand and the number of the driver
takin the call. The passenger wouldn
even have 10 take my number at tnf
theatre.
IT'S a different matter with 'pick-ups
They're always in hurry to get some
where and instead OF teephonin' one oil
the regular companies for taxi they go
into the street or send out f1unkey 10
pick up the first one they see. When they
get stung they don't even know whether
a bucker Is drivin' them or a regular. The
rigs are about all the same color and they
can't tell which company it belongs to.
/ Sometimes they take the drivers number
/ from his company badge. but that aln't
any use to the Bureau of Licenses. The
only way they've got to trace one OF these
! complaints and get refund is where the
! rider takes either the number of the state
/ license from the front or rear Of the cab
or the number OH the chauffeur's official
license badge. pinned to his coat or cap,
according TO law"
/ is there any good reason why taxicab
chauffeurs shouldn't be just as honest as
| other people,
; I'm not sayin' that they ain't, but II
they do graft there's a good reason for II.
Inp salary lTOi1 Nlt Noilfd''No
SIS a week, but with the danger. the cold.
the fines and the chances Of bein locked
up for manslaughter. We figure that the
Job ought TO pay about $40 week at least
The companies figure that we double our
wages by means Of the tips. but II amt So
The public is sore on the taXis, and since
the companies jumped up the rates to so
cents for the first mile and so cents for the
81, oct h..
ing. Where We used to get a quarter tip we
don't get pleasant look these days. What
chance would a chauffeur have to take
dollar home TO his family after payin' for
his uniforms. damages and fines IL ne
didn't take little honest graft when IL
came his way? Some OF the drivers throw
a bluff that they never turned trick, but
the most honest appearin' driver that |
ever heard brag that he never grated was
sent up the river for holdin up'a party In
the park | believe that he slugged the
rider with a monkey wrench and made a
getaway with some coin.
when the companies pay Twin wages and
stop graftin on the drivers the driversll !
stop graftin' from the public OF course.
there'T always be the 'buckers,' but condi |
tions amt half as bad as they used 20 be |
since the public is gettin' wised UP to them. |
Chief brennan OF the taxicab inspection |
bureau is hot after them, and they don't /
dare to run around with unsealed clocks
and fake numbers, like they used to-
us there any good reason why New /
Workers should pay more than twice as
much for taxicab service as residents of I
London and Paris?"
mo. / don't think So or course. charges
ought to be little higher In this country
on account of high licenses. damage suits,
bigger wages. greater cost OF material and
rants, but 1t hadn't ought to be double. II
they treated the drivers right and lowered
the rates more people would ride and the
business would have a better name. But
the owners are all after the quick dough-
Just like we are ourselves.
Then, again. just as long as the hotels
sell the privilege of occupyin the city
streets in front OF their places, the rates
will stay where they are. or go even higher.
The companies have to get back that
it's big money. too. In the long
run II has to come out OF the pockets OF
the riders"
"By the way, what became of Alderman
Nicolls proposition to refuse 10 permit the
hotels 10 rent the public streets to the taxi
cab companies?"
.'Youll have to put that up to Mayor
Gaynor. ] pass"
And with grin and a parting wave OF
his hand the chauffeur threw In his clutch
and drove toward the beckoning starter.