New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-02
LITTLE TAX|CAB CHANGE
New Public Stands Ignored by
0IdtimerS, Even.

Mayor Gaynor's taxicab reform made
very little impression on the town yester-
I DAY. the first day Of the operation Of the
new cabstand ordinance. which was ex-
pected 10 work a revolution In the mat
ter Of cab hire Cabs OF every kind piled
back and forth very much tho same as
always. Except for occasional green and
yellow signs bearing the words Public
Cab Stand sprinkled about, conditions
| were much as usual
In the citys License Bureau It was adj
mtted that the tnjunctlons served by the
hotels and big taXicab companies had
put a crimp in the reform" as the Mayor
and the hackers OF the ordinance re-
, garded the abolition Of the hotels pri-
vate stands as the main feature.
The majority OF the taXicabs. main
tained by the big companies serving the
hotels. paid no attention whatever TO Ire
new ordinance, not even In the matter Of
fares. They continued TO charge the high
rates under the old tariff. Strangely
CROUCH, the Independent cabmen, who
were expected. along with the public. 70
derive much benefit from the ordinance.
in most instances ignored the new pub
lie stands designated by the Mayor. The
newly painted signs. which MI Wallace,
chief Of the License Bureau. distributed
early Yesterday morning. wore a sad and
isolated look.
The entire disregard OF the stands was
particularly noticeable in Fifth avenue.
which, IL was hoped by the ta1icab re-
formers. would attract the old type OF
horse drawn vehicles which move up and
down the avenue looking for chance
fares.
Why. they don't know what they're
doing" said one old cabman who has
been hacking for forty years hetween
the Grand Central Station and Central
Park These new stands are where We
couldn't get a fare in a year. And be
sides. they want us 20 stand In the mid
die Of these narrow side streets where
we'd block traffic"
Then he picked up his reins and
moved on.
1t soon became apparent 10 Chief Wal
lace that IL would be impossible. with
the present force in the License Bureau,
to carry out the provisions OF the ordi-
nance by o'clock. for the 1000 10
500 icensable cabs In the city. only
TWENTY-FIVE licenses had been issued.
The bureau clerks then resorted TO the
expsdlent OF giving temporary "certih-
Gates to be used until the system gets
into working order.
However, about fifty cabs were CON
demned' and the applicants refused
even temporary certificates. The city
officials. IL was learned yesterday. may
punish the hotels for their opposition 10
the ordinance by refusing to grant H.
censes 10 them. in the event the decision
OF the court Is against the hotels in the
Injunction suits.
The scheduled argument before JUS
tice Guy in the Supreme Court yester-
day in the injunction proceedings
brought by the hotels and taXicab COM
panies did not take place Justice Guy.
before whom the orders were returnable,
explained that he was disqualified from
deciding the matter because one of the
plaintiffs was his client before he went
on the bench.
Justice Guy referred the matter TO
Justice Giegerich for argument and de-
termination. Justice Geigerich was
starting on his vacation and he sent
| the matter back TO Justice Guy with
! the note. Respectfully re-referred to
I Mr. Justice Guy"
Justice Guy will not be sitting next
| week in the part of the court where the
orders were returns BILE. so the taxicab
injunctions were left in the air"