A Cab

[Johnyxxx]

Hello.

In reading stories from 1890 - 1910 I come across the word "cab." Can anybody explain to me how to tell if it stands for "a motor vehicle" or "a one-horse vehicle" when there is no further specification about if it is the first one or the other? I am asking because both were in usage in that time and when the author uses only the word "cab" with no further context or description I cannot tell which one he means exactly.

Thank you very much.

 

[GoesStation]

My impression is that motor vehicles were far too expensive and unreliable to use as taxis in that era. I think you can safely assume the cabs were all horse-drawn.

 

[GoesStation]

The automotive self-starter wasn't invented until 1911. It's hard to imagine a practical motor cab that had to be hand cranked.