The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1913-09-01


However. the right Of the public pas
ssnSer. which I ar9ued at the hearings
~ being the practice In England. was
defined by Justice Seabury In his opin-
ion: ut has been customary In Enc.
land. from time immemorial. and In
THE country. from Its FIRST colonization.
to regulate ferries. common carriers.
hackmsn. bakers. millers. wharnngers.
innkeepers. &c. and In 30 doing to hx
. maximum charge TO be made for ser.
Woes rendered. accommodations fur.
nished and articles sold.
ut has repeatedly been asserted that
such persons stood in the very gate
way Of commerce and took toll from
all who passed. and that their business
tended to q common charge and had
become u thing OF public interest and
use and for that reason are to be- sub
ject TO governmental regulation, 10 that
they shall be enabled to take but rea-
sonable toll The question a. to what
ia q reasonable toll 10 legislative rather
than judicial"
So that IN framing the ordinance Il
seemed expedient. with all these oppos-
ing forces. to not make II too drastic
as 70 rates and have II reasonable"
enough to be put into operation i'm
niediately. That It will build strong 10
a foresone conclusion. The rates for
one and two passengers constituting
a large percentage OF people carriedD
are almost cut In half; for three or
four passengers they are In the agEre-
gate the same a. the former ratio 0or
any number OF passengers).
WHAT 10 TO Dc EXPECTED FROM
PREseNr OPERATIONS.
A strict system 10 being established
FOR retaining only first-claas drivers
with honorable records passing only
the better equipped cars. &c. rhs Ii.
cense Bureau has been a. stringent a.
possible without Gripping the entire
service, and the operators Of cars al
ready passed have been warned that
In their next renewal Of licenae the ex-
animation will be more minute a. to
detail and they must then conform
more strictly AZ to fitness.
II u the x1SAt ana Aaty o. the
passenger 70 make ooWylai1to u
cAbs are aAeom1oStabls OF they ere
otherwise iAoonvsaisAosA. The Il.
osass Bureau invites such criticism.
particularly now, n inauSurssanS
the new system. n 10 the s1Sht Of
any ons n Q Aetsl to now cali Q
oab aAa gst rates prescribed ~
Law. The publie-sp4xlsed eitassa
VIII iAsast o. this, especially siAcs
svssy CAB operating for hire 10 IN.
der such riga inspection.
At present the Yellow Cab company
10 practically the only concern that In
| attempting to operate under the old
rates. on the theory that they are
! operating as private liveries." In my
| early Investigation OF this company
went over their plant. and In numerous
talks with the officials they endeavored
/ to demonstrate what an "efficient ser
, vice they were giving the public" Thu
was their line OF argument before the
! Aldermen and the courts In defense OF
their rights" to keep up rates.
Thus. everlastingly. they fought my
contentious that instead OF giving
public" service they were In fact but
private livsr.es." since most OF their
business consisted OF private accounts
and hotel patronage, Yet thsy had pub
lie license. But that they have not In
the past catered TO the general public
| is evidenced b the fact that they are
/ now operating without licenses d
higher rates and have sent their pa
irons the following letter:
NOT A Pu0Lic SERVICE, 60 OUT
SIDE the LAW.
A. . user OF Yellow Tsxicab serv-
Ire you are doubtless aware that
a new ordinance has been pass'C
which provides for public service
only
The Yellow Tsxicab Company has
spent thousands Of dollars building
UP an organisation to furnish ~
patrons with Q private service unsx-
cslled for efficiency and promptness. .
believing that q high grade service
funishsd BY responsible company
velAA ~ - ~ tnas saD4S1A1o