Click on the picture to see a larger version.
The Queen's Hotel in 1884. The hotel has been made to look more imposing by drawing the people about 1/3 smaller than real life. Compare the photograph at Cab Stands.
Source:
[Queen's Hotel circa 1884.] Archives Manitoba, Winnipeg -- Hotels -- Queen's 3 (Negative N25413).
Winnipeg Cab History / 15
Dave Storey (1)
Winnipeg's first successful street cab operator was Dave Storey who arrived in 1878 before the Pembina Branch rail line was completed. He drove his cab the last 161 miles to Winnipeg from the end of steel at Fisher's Landing, Minnesota, probably following the Fargo stage coach route along the west side of the Red River.
Storey established his cab stand on the south west corner of Portage and Main, across the street from the Queen's Hotel, and built a stable at Portage and Garry. Storey was one of the first in Winnipeg to adopt the telephone as a business tool. In 1881, before the first telephone exchange was created, Storey had direct lines from his stable to the Manitoba Club, the Queen's Hotel and the police station.
Most prisoners made their way to jail on foot assisted by a firm grip on the collar, but when miscreants were too violent or incapacitated the police would usually hire a cab to transport them. One of Dave Storey's cabs figured in this incident in 1881:
"English Jim" went into the Farmer's Home yesterday and began cutting up in the most free and easy style, to the serious detriment of the bar furniture. Jack Nevins took him in hand and waltzed him out of the door, but out on the sidewalk Jim got so vicious that Jack had to hold him down and holler for the police.... Policeman Huston, as usual, was handy, and after a vigorous, but brief tussle, got Jim into a cab and toted him to the station. On the way up Jim bit a chunk out of the carriage cushions, and tried to operate similarly on the bobby's fingers, but that functionary was too much for him.