Year: 1878

HorEL-CAB BIRB EXTREMELY DEAR-DE-
PARTURE OF BAYABD TAYLOR, AND HIS VERY


FRIENDLY RECEPTION At BERLIN.


iFRoM sTAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE


PARIS May l3.-The hotel keepers getting
nervous under the steady fire of letters kept up in
the English papers. Mr.. Yanhymbeeck the man
ager of the Grand Hotel has had the imprudenoe to
assert that the case quoted against him, in which
the price of room was raised from 13 TO 81 francs
was exceptional; adding that he had established an
equta BILE distinction between travellers who spend
but one day at the hotel, and those who become
residents for a period of several days weeks.
Never cries Mr. Vanhymbeeck, never for these last
does the increase exceed 20 or % per cent He had
better have kept quiet. Member Of Parliament
has come TO the front with direct contradiction to
Mr. Vanhymbeeck, and with something worse. He
hired an apartment April % at the Hotel Scribe,
which is an dRnero of the Grand Hotel, at 30 francs
a dav for ten days. including, therefore. the 1st day
of May On that day he received nohee
from Mr. Vanhymbceck that the price would he
raised to 45 francs, in response to which he re
minded the official at the Scribe bureau of his
agreement and gave notice that he should adhere to
it, Nevertheless, his bill was mad out at 10 francs
a day. lie then saw Mr.. Nanhymbceck, to whom
the person who had let tine rooms admitted the
agreement made at 80 francs day for ten days,
but Mr.. YanhymbeeCk none the less stuck To his
extra 80 per cent and absolutely refused TO allow
his guest to leave for the railway TIL It had been
paid and paid it was 1 don think Mr.. VanhyH-
beecl could have imprisoned our Parliamentary
friend as he seems to have believed, but il is only
natural that the traveller should submit 10 what
he knows to be an unjust demand rather than
miss his train, OF have any racket aOoHt it. did
the thing ! have before related when
quitting the Hotel Mrabcau last September whore
I 10 4, f.,r six
occupation. As for the Grand Hotel tariff. and its
increase can testify that on iuquring toward the
end of April, was told that the price Of parlor
and bedroom on the second floor above the cnirC'0t
(which in America we should describe more simply
as the fourth story was at the moment 90 francs
q day, and would be One-half more or 80
francs tplsi, after the 1st of May II was eX-
pressly mentioned that the rooms were wanted
for some weeks | did not take them, so
that / don't know whether Mr.. Vanhymbeeck's
heart might have soflened later but no equitable
distinction between daily and weekly lodgers was
heard OF at that time. II is possible that some of
the Paris landlords are beginning to find out that
they have overdone il. Eyen the FTonch papers,
solcilous as most Of them are, % DO nothing which
may mar the complete success Of the Summer are
beginning to take note of the general outcry against
the hotels. One of them-pcrhaps more-promised
to publish o list of extortouate INNS. watched IL
with interest for some days, but / saw ouly
two houses named. The iuiceucc-f it be
meant we should draw the iulerence-that
the other 1900 and odd. are reasonable and
moderate, is certainly strong one must repeat
that I do not know OF a single hotel IN all the
foreign quarter Of Paris where prices have not been
raised. If they have begun TO come down, a which


see no proof il is because OF the fear lest strangers
stay away


The iyery-stablo keepers deserve a word Of notice
also Their prices have gone up with the rest. Last
September ] paid 30 francs $50 for q carriage
and pair for a single days use a price which viii
seem incredibly low TO the New-York hackman. On
the lst of May the nominal charge FOR The
same thing at the same stable, Was 30 francs
in one case and 100 francs in another. The actual
demand in the former when the bill was pre-
sentcd proved 10 be 40 instead Of 90 francs For
that and q coupe hired at the time the agreed
price was 90 francs the bill sent IN land paid was
1876 francs. On the whole IL would seem desirable
If you hire carriages at Bron's uiuo Basse du Rem
par) to take a memorandum Of the price in writing
The stranger will do well to beware also Of the
yehicles he may find standing for hire front Of
bis hotel or IL, and which display no number
If he hire one without preliminary bar
gain he will find himself % the mercy OF
his coachnan when. he comes 10 pay for





the less from the fact-if 1t be fact, rs am as
sured-that he pays over percentage Of bis profits
10 the hotel; or to somebody Do the hotel 90 whom
he is indebted for permission TO ply lis trade ia front
Of it. With a numbered cab, the newest conner
ought 10 be safe. Their rates are low and are fixed
and the driver Is bound 60 hand his fare ticket on
which they are plainly printed. In ease Of difficulty
whether lnciyihty or eXtortOn, You have only to
tell your man to drive you 20 Tho nearest counnis-
aary of police of whom there are four TO each AZ
rondsscmout. and ho will ,if in the wrong become |
al once polite and exact Ii is more Chan eleucn-
tary, but viii add once more the caution always
TO take a cab by the hour if you are going TO more
than one place.


The public which depends on pnbhc conyeyances
for getting and from the Exhibition Is already IN
some embarrassment. The river steamers the om-
nibuses and the street ears crowded to excess
Oh the return journey IN the afternoon. and you
must wait your turn, whether man or woman,
strong or weak, well or III. The Western Railway
lands you close to the entrance Of the Brit
lsh section and the 81. Lazare station !
is convenient enough for most strangers
for departure aud return. But you must reckon on
a slow journey. People 20 whom time is an object
and who prefer cabs should understand that their
only certainty Of getting back depends on keeping
their cab, which they may always do, hiring 1t by :
the hour and paying for the whole time.
If you spend tho whole day at the
Exhibition. this Is costly, but most per
SONS will find that half day. whether morning
OF afternoon IL as much as they can manage profit
ably at a time The heat, the close air, the bustle
the prolonged stIan eyes and mind, are such that
ones best faculties are hardly kept fresh Tor more
than three OF four hours. On the other hand, yon !
may always lounge about the grounds OF stroll mp
and down the Avenue des Etrangers which has
become rendezvous and promenade for half the