Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-20
Taxi Trust
Trying to Strangll
Competition and Make
You Pay the Bill!

~ ~ SssS ~sss
"Small Town Stuff :"
On July 9th, an Ordinance, suppos-
edly to regulate the cab business was placed
before City Council This Ordinance contained Joker
which would enable property owners at congested
traffic points, such railroad stations and hotels, to.
sell to certain cab operators the use OF the city streets
The purpose to compel you to use the cab OF the
company which had bought the privilege and no other
YELLOW CAB CO. squarey set forth its
position in paid advertisements in al Philadelphia
Newspapers under the caption The Shoe Is Pinching
the Taxicab Trust" and we said.
IF any competitor of YELLOW CAB co.
wants your business, why not come out in the opsn
and fight for h7 Why not lower rates7 Why not
improve its service2"
The Public knows what happened-how tho
Ordinance was withdrawn and placed back in commit
tee. Then came the so called "Taxicab War" You
read in the papers how taxicabs dashing nadly
for certain positions at favored stands humping
petitors out Of the way.
This, then was the Taxi Trusts answer to our
invitation come out and fight for your business in
the open. But they fought not by Lowering Rates
not by improving their service but by Lawless Methodist
YELLOW CAB co. again went before the
public with an advertisement headed WeStand for Law
ano OrQef. we tOQ you that every YELLOW CAB
driver had been instructed to obey without question the
orders Of the Police Department. Nearly two hundred
cab drivers arrested for disobeyng police orders
but not one YELLOW CAB, ,dri1es You can
draw your own conclusions.
For many years Philadelphia was the only
large American city utterly lacking real taxicab serv
ice. Cabs were filthy Rates were exorbitant.
Chaufeurs were Indifferent and discourteous. The
number of cabs was wholly inadequate. New York
had $4,000 taxicabs Chicago 5000; Philadelphia only
few hundred
YELLOW CAB co. on March H. 1921, set
out remedy this condition. We began with only rs
cabs but those cabs clean and driven courteous
decent chauffeurs. We reduced the prevailing rates
rs per cent and have since made three Rate Reductions.
The Public appreciated our effort We have
been compelled by growing patronage to operate
more than any company ever operated in Philadelphia.
When we began to give you real taxicab serv-
ice competitors had contracts with certain hotels and
railroads giving them the exclusive right to solicit
business on the city streets IN front of their properties
We insisted that the streets belong the public and
that it was our privilege to offer YELLOW CAB
service at every point where cabs are needed. The
Police Department realized the justice of this position
and established cab stand regulations treating all cab
operators alike.
This was the straw that broke the Monopolvs
backl Hence the temperance of the Ordinance in an
effort to restore Monopoly and make you pay the BILL
This is Small Town Stuff'-not worthy of
Philadelphia New York, Chicago and all other large
cities have encouraged the Improvement of taxicab
'acl"es oy MAINTAINING open cab stands everywhere
The Taxi-cab Trust is not willing to seek YOUR
business IN open competition. 1t Is afraid It prefer,
10 nioe oehno monopoly Ordinance and attempt to
club you into its cabs ~
why not be modern? Why not employ legit-
Service, More Courteous Chauffeurs Lower Ratss3
YELLOW CAB co. believes in getting YOUR
business Dy g1v!ng you the BEST SERVICE at the
Compulsion! ''' ''
Yellow