The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-30
idle TAXICABS
RAISE CHARGES
DR.. Harvey W. Wiley Lays the
Blame for Excessive Rates
on Unused Vehicles.
NORTHUMBERLAND
Capital People Who Have Studied the
Situation Abroad Call Prices
Extortionate.

Taxicab charges should be between 20
and 30 cents a mile is the general opin-
ion among leading men and women OF
the Capital. That the present rates are
eKtortionate all are agreed. 1t is pointed
out by some that an ordinance recently
passed in New York gives that city
cheaper rates than Washington, not
withstanding the fact that New York
streets are not as generally well payed
as are those of the Capital. and a con-
sequent greater wear on tires must be
allowed for there.
From what have learned of the
public vehicle situation in other coun-
tries Mrs. Edith Kingman Kern, pres
ldent OF the tIeagUS Of American Pen
Women and member of the School
Board comments, there seems to he no
reason why the citizens of WASHINGTON
cannot have a lower, popular service
which would come within the means of
the people of moderate circumstances"
Mrs Kern has long been interested in
the taNicab question. She is convinced
that the taXicsb service can be operated
at rates that will bring profit to the COM
panies and yet much greater benefit of
the public She believes that this serv-
ice should rightly supplement the service
of the street cars, and that. operated on
basis of Just profits, IL should he much
more largely patronized than is the case
at present.
TaNis Luxury.
u nder existing conditions in Washing
ton, Mrs. Kern said. " taxiCabs are
luxury which only wealth can afford.
think the streets ought to be free to all
owners of public vehicles and not monop-
olized by certain companies. This free
use would lower profits to the few, but
er1N~a Ifx-s,r
Mrs. Kern. as do many other Wash
ingtonians, believes that the present tax
leah rates are those of monopoly.
pr. Harvey w. Wiley. the noted pure
FOOD expert, who has much occasion TO
travel and is familiar with the taxi
tariffs in most of the large cities in this
country and abroad. says of the Wash
inston taXiCab tariffs that they are out
ra9eously eXtortionate"
Or. Wiley states that the people who
use taXiCabs in this city are forced to-
pay the costs of long hours of idleness
on the part of the cabs, which idleness
Is the result of the high tariffs There
Is no reason. DIR. Wiley stated, why the
taXicab companies should not do a much
larger business than at present, other
than a schedule of charges. which makes
their use prohibitive except to those who
have money to waste. In Paris, London,
and other Continental cities where
charges for the taNis are more within
reason, DR.. Wiley explained. the cabs are
seldom idle He stated that he believed
4 price between 80 and 20 cents a mile
to be fair one
To Lodge Complaints.
Although the taxicab companies have
informed the Public Utilities Commission |
that they cannot he Classed as A public |
utility. many residents of the District |
who are at present thoroughly dissatis- |
ned with these companies charges in |
sist that the taXicab company is as much |
a public utility as a street car company. |
and that their affairs should also be !
regulated by the commission to the bene- |
tit of the public.
Mrs William Andrews. president
of the Federated Women's Clubs of the |
District of Columbia, condemned the ex-
travagant charges of the companies last
night. She said that the taXicab service !
should he public convenience instead of |
q luxury for the few
4 believe that the companies would |
find it 10 he sound business to lower their |
rates" Mrs. Andrews said. With lower
and more reasonable rates. their business |
would greatly increase. The present rates |
are prohihitive"
Complaints against high cab charges |
in Washington have become general |
among its residents. many Of whom have
the intention Of taking this !
matter up with the public utilities COM
mission. when this body sets the date
for the hearing Of taxicab companies.
which it has announced will he held in
the near future.