The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-01
WIDE TIRES.
Suxgestfoa for Special Tax for Road
Purpesea-

II q. wadsworta ia Good Reads.
Al Is admitted ~ al thinking persons
ard readily conceded by those who a2ys
given tie suhsecl ID thought. IL IS the nar-
rCw tire which aals proven the greatest
road destroyer. for e nos ezly spo.as
gooN roae-naaxlng rspairs thereto unnse-
essars.y expsEslye--oat h. makes : poor
roac bad al! bad road worse
S9~ for remedy which IL practicable:
X Is tr1ze - this. as of AIRY saying thzt
the sAortesC way 20 : mans n@ad think
works Is through E.s purse" Therefore.
IT, Is appeal g tie Gser Of roads IL direct
proportion - taxation 70 dam &c Liable
through use u vehscse sesception, tie H.
cycle. watch does 60 damage. but whose
owner II This Instance can afford 10 to
generously IL tne following manner. ~
ieEg3ing special lax for read purposes,
thas:
F2- vehicle with one-snch 60. less tire.
annual tax s.
Fer vehicle with tvo-ineh tire. annual
tax 81
Fer vehicle with three-irch tire, annual
TAX &C.
For vehicle with foar-tnch tire. annual
tax s.
For vehicle with ave-inef (or more tire.
ANIMAL lax s.
Between one-iuch and sive-ineh widths
the tax 10 decrease = cents for each one
quarter 81 an inch increase i.s Width OF
tire. Tor solid or pneumatic rubher-,lvet
vehicles. Tax az rate q - cents per wheel
thus tired vehicles with both metallic
and rUober-tiTei wheels 20 be taxed 81
sach for snetaI!C-tired and 80 csnts each
for ruobeg-tire6 wheels
Such an adjustment Of taxation would
bring he advantages OF care for the high
ways TO the due appreciation of each user
thereof and would result IN more and bet
ter effort for read Improvement in ore
year than all the pleas and arguments that
could be brought - bear on them would
accom- plisA IN tan years
his @fH affect cyclists. ard how We
read and hear mnch about the injustice q
taxing vehicle as Incapable of in3ursng
the road as is the b.cyc But of what
uiiitF IS such yehfle without a good
rose9 More. Of course Therefore ore
VINO appreciates the advantages of cycling
should be willing 70 pay share Of the
cost of making such use possible profit
able and pleasant. and ~ so dcine remove
tie sling from the farmers criticism when
he complains % being unduly taxed for
the benefit OF others
II is the bad condition of surfaces nd
den over which causes IS per cent 0. re-
pairs 80 bicycles and THE same truth ap-
plies 20 farm and pleasure vehicles SO
here can apply The proverb, An ounce
* prevention IS worth = pound Of cure"
10 al road users
There are some who ihink it time enough
fo- requiring the Use os wide tires when
the good roads have become a fact BIT
such d view Is erroneous for several rea-
sons.
First II VIII be years before such a sys-
tenn can BE- completed
Second To baild portions Of road prop
eTly ard then have the work % dsstrur-
ton going on through uae % said narrow
tires j. aiscouragiag. besides throwing
vast amount Of money ard ecor, away IN
necessarily.
Third Many a county -oa9. today typ
teal slough Of Gssp0Gd" would Be so I'm
proved by the use Of wide tires (properIv
arranged that repairing 4 "a 6rst-ciass
condition wo9la require proper drainage
ouly-by shaping the surface ara keeping
he side bitches clear lsav.ng the rolling
a. wide tires 20 DO The rest
Therefore. 7 claim the use az wide .ira.
VII r~suce the cost 90 improving many
roads ard sustain improvements aS thew
ara accomplished from tire 10 nrns. BE-
sides Being means u sncalcuIahI@ saw
Ing IN motive power &C "a hsuler OF loads