The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-24

II N0uAG GUY TWO OF three cigars,
perhaps. or a tube of shaving cream.
Yet that is all the money Roy,
Payne. Topeka. Kan. needed to start
a taxicab business-that is all he had.
That was the financial foundation of
a business that has grown at least
nfty-fold in the space of few years.
That and an idea-an idea that in
dustry and energy pays. an idea that
service begets success
How did he do it,
Not 'SISccred'' OF Work.
In the first place. Roy Payne likes
to work. and work hard II you don't
think so. drop in for a visit when
you are out that way You are just
liable TO find him in overalls over
hauling car as you are to find him
IN his office at a desk. Or IL you
should happen to drop in around mid
night IL would not be surprising to find
him on the job. Work is pleasure to
him
His interchangeable energy and cour-
age have been responsible for his sue
cess October %. 1911 was a mem
orable day in Roy Payne's life. On
the evening Of that Wednesday. he
made a deal to take over three ponies.
two one-horse express wagons. and
two one-dOllar-a-d drivers At the
close OF business on Saturday the total
cash receipts for three days amounted
TO $500. He still had some of his
original IS cents left. making his total
resources $500 plus. The plus rep
resented his supreme confidence in the
idea behind his venture.
But during those three days he had
incurred a payroll obligation of SIS.
What he did in this critical situation
illustrates the second reason for his
success He knows how to think and
quickly. with confidence but no cash,
he met his two drivers. told them how
the business Of the Payne company
was bound to be so great that he
would have to take extra time to
T. =
there. payday would be Monday in
stead of Saturday. BY Monday night
$3.50 had been added to the treasury
and ne had more than enough to pay
the Sc This was the first crisis he
met with ingenuity. It is only one of
a dozen that he ha- passed 'hru since
with flying colors-
For instance. when Roy Payne had
about twenty cabs in service. the tele- |
phone exchange of Topeka burned /
down, leaving he city helpless. partic- /
ularly the police and fire department. |
Some time before this Roy Payne had 1
Installed his O. private switchboard /
connecting with the ten cab stations /
around town He did this to be pro- /
tected against any breakdowns in the /
regular telephone service.
When the city was temporarily Grip l
pied with dangerous possibilities |
Payne saw a chance to render real /
service and Immediately called on the ]
chief Of police and fire departments /
ana I0lu Enerm TO instruct their men I
TO turn in alarms at any one of the 1
ten cab stations These MESA ges !
would be received at his private board /
and Immediately carried by taxicab 10
the headquarters of either depart /
ment 1t was a master stroke and one 1
that Will never be forgotten by the 1
citizens
Another case Of quick and consid-
crate thinking.
Step by Step
in Al SFo -+a1
the Hurry Messenger and Express l
Co" In four weeks he had added an /
other wagon, the following spring he /
bought out his chief competitor with |
three wagons. Shortly afterwards an
other with three more. Step by step
he grew, adding his first piece of /
motor equipment in 1914 in the shape /
OF a truck. He was gaining one good /
customer after another. He got the |
baggage hauls from the hotels and ex- |
elusive station privileges. He began 4
TO take up gradually the service of 1
hauling passsng gers. He was busiIy |
engaged in this work when the war
came and he spent several months in 4
the service.
His return was followed by a period /
ef rapid development He began to /
add 10 his cab service. bought more /
cabs, installed the private switchboard |
system already mentioned. mono /
Erammed and numbered his cabs. and /
uniformed the drivers He framed a /
zen in Topeka knew IL. 1t gives in |
concise fashion the principles which 4
guided this indomitable picturesque 1
personality.
Gospel of Service.
ours is not GOD given right to /
operate taXicabs- We are licensed by /
the city commission to operate a taxi /
cab service and pay but a nominal /
fee per year for each cab. But we be- /
lieve that a certain service is also ex- /
pected OF US and unless We furnish 1
this service the citizens OF Topeka, !
whose commission licensed US. we 1
would not be living up to our contract: |
We maintain good cab service all /
night well as all day: in the rain |
storm or snow storm the same as in
sunshine.
I'VE charge the same rate t. old and
young. the same in the middle of the
night as in the middle of the day We
insist that our drivers show every
courtesy to all passengers and citizens.
We maintain cab stands and stations
In places convenient for our patrons
We keep cabs in good mechanical
condition with good tires upon them.
monogram and number our cabs, and
keep cabs and drivers clean and tidy.
only when we have done all of
this do we feel that we have done our
duty to the citizens of Topeka"
To what extent tie people OF Topeka
have come to rely upon Payne is Illus
trated in this little incident that re-
Gently took place at a society recep-
ton One Of the visitors remarked
that she was going home in a taxi and
wanted TO call up Roy Payne I'M
mediately the hostess remarked:
You had better put on your hat
before calling. for the cab viii be at
the door before you finish talking over
the phone"
Moreover. Payne's rates are reason
able. charges now being IS cents for