The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-05
Evening Chat

Two old frtends met at the circus
the other day and the following con.
versatior was heard:
Hello BILL How are you! Glad
to see you old boy. What are you
doing now?p
Bill. RS been q long time since
you and i used TO go swimming to.
sether hasen't Il John. Now here you
are running farm Of your own i hear
and am trying TO make o living run.
ming taxicab. Itsimighty hard work
though with the high price gasoline
is now
John.-sSo you are In the taxi bust.
ness now. Tell me Bill, Is there any
money in IL? Seems to me you can't
make very much with only charging
nickle to haul o man two or three
miles"
Biil-ecome and take a little ride
with me, John, and I will show you
the town and you can see torIyourselt
what I'm up against
The two men entered one Of the
cheaper varieties OF motor car and
started toward the main part OF town.
John said as they rolled along. This
Is pretty soft, Bill, II this is all you
have to do, Just ride, around. She
runs nice and smooth too"
Bill-"yes, 1t Is all right for a few
days but i get rather tired OF ridins
FOUND the same places all the time"
n John-"Be careful here comes girl
driving on the same side of the street
and right at u.s.
BiiI-'oh that Is nothing, Ii hap.
pens every day. ! get used to the wo.
men drivers. They never do what
you expect them to do
John-T don't see how, with as
many cars asIthere are OH these mar.
row streets that you don't have lots
Of accidental
Bill-@Well you see We have a lot
Of rules TO follow in driving and II
everyone observes these no accidents
WIN happen Il they are all careful.
The city has a traffic ordinance that
Is a good one and contains IS rules
with q penalty OF from 81 to $500 fol
their violation. The cops are sup
posed to arrest all the drivers that
violate these rules. ] was arrested
the other night because my tall lamp
happened togo out and | had to pay
a ffne, even thought 1t was caused
by another car running into me srom
behind"
John-sWhat are you stopping now
Z for?"
Biii-aRule 10 says that automo.
biles shall not pass trolley cars that
are receiving or dischargins pasen-
gers. Its q good rule. I always do my
best to observe all Of the rules even
!. though 1t does seem as II some driY'
ers were privileged in this town. Now
see this car stopping right in front
OF me, that driver is on the wrong
side o. the street and facing toward
me. See him laugh at the three cops
ON the corner. He knows that they
are afraid to arrest him. Now II ! or
any other taxi driver that is trying
to make few nickels would do that
we would be pinched in less than q
minute. That Is what makes 1t dan
gerous TO drive in this town. II the
cops would arrest some OF these
: chronic yiolators instead OF some poor
taxi driver it would stop these viola
TONS" ~,
; John-"Perhaps the cops dlu mol
see the fellow. He has a fine big car
anyway
Biil-.Didn,t see him? Why there
Is Fred Harrl and Borgess. both on the
corner and Pitzer Is just down the
street and all looking at him. what's
his number?y
John-aHis city license is-and the
state number is-Why don't you re-
port him?s
Biil-s.What's the use? The mayor
would only fne him dollar and then
the next time ISam up for being with
out, d tan lamp when some one
smashesi I, 1'lls have to pay slo
And he il violating Rules !. .; S. II,
ana rs, and doing 1t intentionally. He
does Ii regularly twice day as he
& waits for his employer
John-HPerhaps you have troubles
like the rest ofIus Bill, I think | bet
ter stay on the farm. This taxi bus
mess would get my goat. 1t Is Ger
tainiy tough life"