The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-25
CABBY'S WHISKERS AND RELIC CAR G0.
Rejuvenated, He Appears In State And Keeps His
 LipStick Handy

NEW YORK, Nov 24.-Peter Hoey, GA, who steered a high sided taXlcab of prehistoric build about New York city streets during the last l5 years, showed mp yesterday at the Plaza hotel behind the wheel of a brand new cab. wearing a gray uniform and cap. minus his well known whiskers and altogether rejuvenated. Hoey eX- Dlained his striking metamorphosis as due to competition. He remarked that only about dozen old high backed cabs remain of scores that once roved the highways.
 They're all comin' to it. grinned Hoey. T can name a score that's got new cabs, had their hair cut, their whiskers amputated and eye brows plucked. I got me a toilet set with a lipstick into it. The old cabs Is all gone to the boneyard and the old boys is full O monkey glands. old Ones Drive New ones.
 Take the gang that used to stand in front of Healy's. Where are they? Well, somes dead and gone, O course, but some O the oldest is still drivin' cabs-new cabs with all mod ern conveniences. There's Tom Ken neatly, John Casey. Tom Larkin, Tom Duffy and John O'Toole, l call to mind now. All used to stand in front O Healy's. Now you'll find 'em in new cars and new uniforms com petin wi the younger generation. Same with the fleet that used to stand round Churchill's, and before that-ay many long night before down in front O the St. Denis, driv- in handsom cabs and old four-wheel- CTS. Times has changed in the 20 or 30 years since I druv' horse cab to the old New York Central sta- tion"
 
 department of licensed vehicles, sup piled interesting figures in support of Hoeys statements. Five years ago taxicabs in New York city were numA bered by hundreds, and the greater proportion were owned by men who drove them. They were of all types, but the larger proportion, high backed, and variously shaped, sug- gested their mediaeval origin.
 Boneshakers To BOneyard.
 Now, according to MT. Drennan's figures, there are 13,361 taxicabs in the greater city. At least 75 per cent of taxis now in operation are new. The tremendous influx of operators within three years has driven the old boneshalSer out of business. Only about a score remain. They are most in evidence near the New York Ath- letic club, in Fifty-nint street. Some of the older types continue to eke out living along the river front
 About two and half years ago fleet of 50 Yellow taxicabs began operating in the local field. Now there are more than 1.500 Yellow cabs in operation. Within the last week 400 have been added to this total through purchase of the Fay com pany cars The Fay cabs have gone into dry dock and will emerge short ly wearing yellow jackets In addi- tion, the Mogul- Checker, Yale and several other companies own fleets of taXis. The Mogul- Checker con- cern is credited with 2,000. The In dependent Taxicab Owners associa- ton includes most individual owners of cabs in New York, these approxi- mating 50 per cent of the licensed passenger vehicles.
 There are still operating in New York 120 horse drawn passenger ve- hicles, including three handsome cabs. The remainder are boneshakers surviving a by-gone era.