New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-01
TAX|CAb LAW PUT INTO
EFFECT DESPITE HOTELS
Bureau of License Chief Raises
Public Stand Signs Over
Town at Midnight.
INJUNCTIONS BY DOZENS
They Keep City's Men Away
from Many Places, but
Cheaper Rates Are in
Effect Nevertheless.

The new city ordinance in relation to
hack stands began its official life at one
minute after midnight this morning, when
James c. Wallace, chief Of the Bureau
of Licenses, with John Drenner, his
deputy. started from the West 30th street
police station with a truckload of stand
ing signs upon which were printed:
public Cab Stand" with an additional
line telling the number Of taxicabs and
horse drawn vehicles permitted at each
stand.
Conveying the truck in an automobile,
Mr. Wallace and Mr. Drenner first
whirled down TO Union Square, where
they placed a sign on the southwest side.
smlal crowd of idlers made a circle
about the new sign and voiced their
opinions quietly. But there was no other
demonstration.
with the big truck bringing up the rear.
Wallace and Drenner then went to Madi-
son Square Park. 33d street and Broad
way. Herald Square, Fifth avenue and
42d street. and then as far up as I'D
street. dropping green and yellow painted
signs as they went.
Only three hotels were visited by the
sign bearers. however because Of the in
functions obtained by a majority OF the
leading hotels and restaurants against
the operation Of the new hack stand ordi-
rance as applied to them. The hotel cab
stands at which signs we're placed were
the Imperial, the Herald Square and
Churchilrs.
Brooklyn To Be Tagged, Too.
Many side streets were decorated with
the signs. which resemble somewhat the
standards used by the traffic police.
Brooklyn and Coney Island also Will be
dotted with the green and yellow signs,
but here, as elsewhere. the hotels and
restaurants will not be tagged until the
injunctions are either vacated or upheld.
At the southern end OF the Plaza, at
59th street and Fifth avenue, one of the
signs was Sc: down by Wallaces assist
ants 1t had not been there more than
five minutes before James Kennedy, an
aged cab driver, drove up in his horse
cab and prepared for business. Kennedy.
wearing a broad grin. announced himself
ready for all customers. and said he
wanted to get in on the ground floor
The entire performance OF designating
the public hack stands was gone through
with without incident and no trouble was
experienced by the police. who had antici-
pated molestation from certain dlsgrunt!ed
individuals
Mark \. Caldwell. assistant secretary OF
the hotel association, when told that
Mayor Gaynor had charged the hotel men
with bad faith in waltin guntil the last
moment before getting injunctons, said
he did not believe the Mayor had made
the statement. or. II he did. did not mean
the hotels. Mr.. Caldwell said the hotels
could not act before. because they had TO
wait until they knew what hotels were
designated as public stands before taking
any action.
Repeated efforts were made TO discover
this. Mr.. Caldwell said. without success,
and finally the hotel men had to seek in
functions. Their principal object in so
doing. he asserted. was TO prevent public
hackmen lettering about the entrance OF
the hotels. cracking Jokes" without re-
gard 10 proximity of women and other
DatrOns