[Ads-l] antedating medallion

[Dan Goncharoff]

I am doing this from memory, but I remember that when the Hack Bureau was
started in NYC in 1925, there was a big mess because it went along with a
campaign to remove the old "discs" from cabs, and only issue new discs when
the Hack Bureau inspected the car and checked the operation of the meter. I
presume the 1927 reference to "medallion" meant those discs.

Here's an example of a 1925 NYTimes articles mentioning the discs:
https://www.nytimes.com/1925/04/12/archives/praise-and-assail-police-taxi-rule-director-of-commerce-chamber.html

DanG


On Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 1:06 AM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Great work James and Peter. Below is an entertaining 1913 citation.
> The word medallion is not employed in this article, but I think the
> following excerpt helps to illuminate the motivation for creating
> medallions of the type mentioned in "The Guardian" article.
>
> A taxi driver stated that the ugly badge endangered his love life and
> matrimonial prospects. He proposed replacing the badge with a stylish
> medal that could be affixed to a cap.
>
> Date: 30 October 1913
> Newspaper: Yorkshire Evening Post
> Newspaper Location:
> Article: What the Public Think - Taxi-Drivers and Badges
> Quote Page 3, Column 4
> Database: British Newspaper Archive
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> TAXI-DRIVERS AND BADGES.
> Sir,—I  was a taxi-driver for twelve months, and I was compelled to
> give up my situation because of the unsightly badge on my breast. My
> lady friend, who is now my wife, refused to speak to me in the street
> when she saw me with my badge on, and I had to choose between the
> badge and my sweetheart. I decided to give up the badge and therefore
> the situation with it. I had frequently noticed my friends pass me by,
> and I wondered what was the cause.
> The Watch Committee should supply the drivers with nice medals which
> could be worn in the caps.—Yours, etc., MYSTIC FINGER.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 12:10 AM Peter Reitan <pjreitan at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I know from looking at "taxi" in the past, that "badge" was used earlier.
> >
> > Here's an example from England in 1921 referring to a Taxi badge as a
> medallion.  But it is a badge worn by individual drivers, not associated
> with the car, which may be a distinction?
> >
> > "TAXI-DRIVERS' BADGES. The dispute between the Manchester Watch
> Committee and the taxi owners and drivers with respect to the wearing by
> the driver- of badges was settled- yesterday. At a meeting in the Packers'
> Hall, last night, the drivers agreed to adopt a recommendation of the
> Hackney Coach Committee for a small medallion to be worn. The medallion has
> a design containing the arms of the city, the word " driver," and a
> distinct number for each driver."
> >
> >
> > The Manchester Guardian, 15 Jul 1921, Page 11.
> >
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74155969/the-guardian/
> > ________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> James Eric Lawson <jel at NVENTURE.COM>
> > Sent: Monday, March 22, 2021 8:57:15 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Subject: Re: antedating medallion
> >
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       James Eric Lawson <jel at NVENTURE.COM>
> > Subject:      Re: antedating medallion
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > OED now has 1932 for the taxicab license sense of medallion, attested as
> > shown in the 2015 ADS-L post from Bill Mullins (copied below my
> > signature line).
> >
> > Here is a clear 1931 use from Boston, and a not-so-clear 1928 use from
> > New York:
> >
> > 10 Mar 1931 _The Boston Globe_ (Boston, Massachusetts) p 3 col 1
> >
> > As a measure to make certain cabs operate only from the stands for which
> > they are licensed, Commissioner Hultman gave orders yesterday to have
> > medallions affixed to the right hand side of the cowls of taxicabs.
> > These medallions are being placed on taxis.
> >
> >
> https://www.newspapers.com/image/436708190/?terms=taxi%20medallion&match=11
> >
> >
> > 01 Mar 1928 _The Brooklyn Daily Eagle_ (Brooklyn, New York) p 30 col 7
> >
> > TAXI, Dodge, new 1927, medallion, 5 new tires, clock, etc., $375.
> >
> >
> https://www.newspapers.com/image/685933759/?terms=taxi%20medallion&match=3
> >
> >
> > --
> > James Eric Lawson
> >
> > --------------------------------
> > [Ads-l] antedating medallion (UNCLASSIFIED)
> > Mullins, Bill CIV (US) william.d.mullins18.civ at MAIL.MIL
> > Mon May 18 16:58:54 UTC 2015
> >
> >     Previous message: [Ads-l] "Shibbolize"
> >     Next message: [Ads-l] =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=9Cthe_wood=E2=80=9D_?=-- the
> > front-page headline of a tabloid newspaper
> >     Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
> >
> > Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
> > Caveats: NONE
> >
> > OED has 1960 for the taxicab sense of "medallion": "U.S. A licence to
> > operate a taxi in a city or particular locality, usually issued in the
> > form of a small metal plaque fastened to the hood or bonnet. In extended
> > use (in New York City): a driver holding such a licence."
> >
> > 23 Aug 1932 _Brooklyn Daily Eagle_ p 14 col 4
> > "No applicant for a license for a taxicab has been able to obtain a
> > medallion since last December."
> >
> > 31 Mar 1937 _Brooklyn Daily Eagle_ p 9 col 4
> > "In addition, Charles E. Gunn, president of the L. C. M. Transportation
> > Co., petitioned the court for a writ of mandamus, directing the police
> > department to re-issue 49 taxicab medallions which he surrendered last
> > December, when he temporarily suspended that many cabs from operation."
> >
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> >
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