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- 8 killed and a million dollars damage done in 1924 tornado (2/27/24)1
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- Streaking fad comes to Cape (2/13/24)2
James Brown should have met Flo Edwards
James Brown sang, "It's a Man's World," but he never met Flora "Flo" Edwards.
At a time when men brought home the bacon and women were expected to stay home and tend the children, Flo Edwards drove a taxicab in Cape Girardeau, an occupation she followed for nearly 30 years.
Published Aug. 7, 1965, in the Southeast Missourian:
It's not a man's world! "Flo" gives her familiar smile at the remark. For she has been holding her own in the field of taxicab driving for nearly 20 years although it is generally c0onsidered a man's occupation. So she is widely known around Cape Girardeau, and misses few days appearing with her cab at the stations to get the folks who like to, and do, ride with Flo. (Southeast Missourian archive)
TAXI DRIVING CAN BE WORK — BUT IT'S A LIVING
By MRS. CECELIA SONDERMAN
"Taxi? . . . taxi, mam? . . . taxi, sir?"
The chant is a familiar one both far and near. And the voice — though unusual as it is feminine — is also well-known to residents of this and surrounding areas.
For it has been repeating the phrase for nearly 20 years. It's that of "Flo," who not only drives, but owns her own taxicabs.
Flo is often the first Cape Girardean visitors or newcomers to the town meet, particularly if they arrive here by bus or train. Through the years, she has made a practice of being on hand when incoming buses arrive at the stations, and she meets the trains when her schedule of runs allows.
As the result of this custom, she makes many long-distance drives to surrounding towns as some passengers are going farther, but the buses are not.
This system of "bird-doggin'" incoming transportation began when Flo first invaded the generally-typed man's world of cab driving. That was on Jan. 20, 1946. Flo said she and her late husband began the business that day with one car, a 1941 model. They did not have a telephone so they took turns driving about town and bird-doggin' buses and trains to pick up what fares they could.
On April 28 that year, her partner died unexpectedly.
The next few weeks were ones of decisions for Flo. In earlier years, she had worked at the shoe factory. Now she needed to continue working somewhere. After weighing the problem, Flo said she decided that since her insurance on the taxicab was paid up for the remainder of the year, she would continue driving.
She has continually been on the job since that time practically "wearing out" four cars. Presently, she has two cabs, her fifth and sixth which she alternates in driving. These now have radio contact with her office.
Flo doesn't let the fact that she is a woman interfere with her duties as a driver. Not only does she help female customers with their luggage, but handles the suitcases for her men passengers, too. Often she boosts the sturdier pieces to a luggage rack atop the car.
And Flo feels her fares are about evenly divided as to male, female and children. She has a number of regular customers and says she has taken one woman passenger to her place of employment each day for eight years. Some of her continual customers are feeble and one man is blind. Flo says she tries to give these a little extra care and service.
The many many friends she has made through the years is her most valued attainment from her work. But if you ask some of these her full name, even they could not tell you for to most all her acquaintances, she is just "Flo."
Her complete title is Mrs. Flo Edwards, and she was christened Flora Niswanger, her parents being the late Mr. and Mrs. George Niswanger of Jackson.
She arises each morning at 3:30 Central Standard time and drives into the night as her business demands.
In response to a question as to whether she has ever become frightened while on the job, Flo answered, "I never one time thought of being afraid. I never carry much money with me, my cab is insured, and I have only one time to die, so what would anybody gain by hurting me?"
The large increase in the amount of traffic today on the streets as compared to traffic in 1946 is what Flo notes most in her years of experience.
And experiences she has had, but these Flo will not talk about. She said she virtually lives by the cab driver's code which follows:
The Taxi Driver
The taxi driver sits in his car . . . and waits for calls from near and far.
He knows all our sorrows, he knows all our joys,
He knows all the girls who are chasing the boys.
He knows all our troubles, he knows all our strife,
He knows every man who ducks out on his wife.
If the taxi driver told half that he knows,
He would turn all our friends into bitterest foes.
. . . So here I am . . . and if you pay me my fees,
I won't know a thing but my ABC's.
Published Nov. 23, 1974, in the Southeast Missourian:
"Flo" as she looked in 1946 beside her first taxicab, a 1941 Plymouth. For 29 years she drove a cab for the business she owned and operated under that name, recently retiring. Of women entering such careers she said, "If they need the money, why not?" (Southeast Missourian archive)
FLO RETIRES FROM BUSINESS
A woman who challenged the man's world as a taxicab owner-driver when women's lib was only slowly simmering has retired 29 years later because she can no longer obtain insurance coverage for commercial purposes.
"It's my age — the men didn't run me out of business," said Mrs. Flora Edwards, 202 S. Middle St., who until Nov. 15 owned and operated Flo's Taxicab Service. She declined to give her age, although she said she will receive a Social Security check each month.
Already, she said, she is finding that retirement is a whole new way of life — and it can be lonesome. "I practically lived in my cab for 29 years and, boy, it's lonesome at home," she said.
Early riser
Known to her customers and other acquaintances as "Flo," she made a practice during those years to arise at 3:30 each morning and drive into the night. She met buses and trains arriving here with the familiar chant of "taxi? taxi?" She also delivered passengers to buses departing from the city. Many runs were made to Municipal Airport.
For the past 16 years, four months, Flo provided a regular daily run between the St. Louis-Cape Bus Lines here and Great Southern Coaches departing or arriving at Advance from the south. For this she had a station wagon, which also was used as her cab the past few years.
She's hauled thousands of passengers, many regular customers. She's made thousands of trips to Advance and back. She said it would be hard to say the number of vehicles she utilized in her business.
"It wasn't easy, particularly when ice or snow was on the ground," she said. But, she added, she never thought of quitting once her decision to operate the business was made in 1946.
Flo said she went work at the shoe factory here when 13 years old. In 1944, she took a sick leave and never went back. That year, she met her late husband. "I met him in 1944, we were married in 1945,and he died in 1946," she said.
She and her husband began the business on Jan. 20, 1946, with one car, a 1941 Plymouth which, she said, belonged to her. After his death, she found she must continue working somewhere.
Decision
"I didn't know whether to go back to the shoe factory, go into waitress work or continue the business. A close friend said to me,'Flo, you have your insurance paid for a year so why don't you try the cab business at least for a year?' So, I did. I've been at it ever since until Nov. 15 (1974). A lot of men drivers gave me a hard way to go. It was rough taking that stuff off those guys, but I knew it was jealousy. I didn't have my prices as high as other cab drivers. People learned this and would ride with me. Some of my customers don't know I've stopped my cab yet," she said.
Flo said she always had faith in her customers and never had reason to be afraid. She also offered another service — credit to some regular passengers, such as those riding to and from work. She would allow credit of "$5, $6 or $8 a week to these. I liked getting paid by the week," she said.
"One man," she said, "owed me $13 for a year, and he finally came and paid up."
Flo said she was involved in one minor accident in 1967 when the pavement was wet from rain. Her parked cabs have been struck at times by other moving vehicles, she said.
Reflecting on her years behind the wheel of her taxi, Flo said, "It was a living, and I enjoyed it. I've hauled many passengers for 25 cents, but I made money. Now, I have my bills down to where I can pay them with that one little check I will get. But I don't know what I am going to do with my time. I have my dogs, Patsy, a bulldog, and Susie, a terrier. I haven't had much time for hobbies, but I expect to spend time visiting friends."
And yes, she will continue driving her private car.
Flo Edwards died July 1, 1986, at a Cape Girardeau nursing home. She was born Dec. 25, 1900, at Jackson, the daughter of George and Minnie Niswonger.
Burial was in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.
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