From Delancey Place:
Today's selection -- from The Plaza by Julie Satow. The taxicab replaces the horse and carriage:
"The Plaza [Hotel's 1907] grand opening was celebrated with lavish abandon, the violence that undergirded the building's construction as concealed behind its lustrous white facade as the ironworkers' steel beams. There was much to celebrate, as the Plaza was the most expensive hotel in the city's history, its looming eighteen stories dominating the surrounding skyline. Its arrival was so monumental that it ushered in new behaviors that would leave their mark on New York for generations.And from a couple years ago, September 2017:
"The Plaza's opening, for instance, coincided with the debut of one of the city's most enduring symbols, the modern taxicab. On that first day, those in the crowd who ventured to the Fifth Avenue side of the hotel discovered a fleet of twenty-five bright red cars. These vehicles, imported from France, featured gray interiors with long bench seats and two facing single seats that could be turned up when not in use. The drivers were decked out in matching uniforms made of a similar gray-blue as the interiors. To generate publicity and entice wealthy fans on this first day of business, [rides in] these prototypes for today's ubiquitous yellow cabs were being offered free of charge to Plaza guests....MORE
Hey! David Keohane Is Back At Alphaville And He's Got Some Bad News For Uber
Mr. Keohane has been writing some stuff for the paper but this is the first time we've seen him at Alphaville in over a month.
And he's reminded me of one of the best quips ever from the world of diplomacy.
From FT Alphaville:
"Taxi for Uber"
“TfL has today informed Uber that it will not be issued with a private hire operator licence.”
...MORE
And the quip?
In 1899 American president McKinley appointed an extremely sharp attorney, Joseph Hodges Choate, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
One of the stories told about Choate was that at a Duke's dinner party he was standing near the front door when another nobleman approached and mistaking Choate for a butler said "Call me a cab".
When Choate didn't immediately respond the aristocrat said, "Won't you call me a cab, please?"
To which Choate replied "You are a cab".
The aristo took great offence at this and sought out his host to inform him of his impudent servant.
The Duke told his bro-in-peerage Choate was not a butler but rather the ambassador to the Court of St. James.
Mortified, the noble one went back to the ambassador to express his regret for the misunderstanding, to which Choate responded, "Pray, don't apologize, if I had known who you were I'd have called you a hansom cab."
Choate always denied the story, see: The Atlanta Constitution, February 3, 1902 pp5: Choate's Hansom Apology