Evening star., 1898-02-11
OBJECT TO REGULATION
Representative Citizens Protest Against Or.
dinance Requiring Lights on Vehicles.
Every Line of business Has It's
Spokesman at Hearing Before
the Comm is siOners.

One Of the largest attended hearings ever
given by the District Commissioners took
Place To-Day when q hundred or more of
the business men OF the District appeared
before them to protest against the proposed
police regulation requiring all motor car
Iiages End vehicles drawn by draft an
imalS to carry lights an hour before sun
rise and an hour after sunset. About every
Business employing teams was represented
al the hearing. ard a petition very nurner-
ouSly signed was flied with the Commits
sioners praying fer the repeal or modifica-
ticn of the regulation. That there will be
some modification Of its provisions seems
very probable.
MIR. VIM. ). krox of the Geo. W. Knox
EXpreSS Company. III submitting the petit
fiCn. explained that its signers represent
with hardly a single exception. every line
OF business in the District. But those who
signed it. as well those who were pres
ent at the hearing. Mr.. Knox stated. did
not 50 much protest against tine regula-
ticn, hut did earnestly request its repeal
Modification.
de edlerS, said they honestly believe that the
regulation will, when IL is endeavored to
enforce ii. be found TO De impracticable
and no less unreasonable. In the case CT
lumber wagons il will pe simply impossI-
Die TO carry the required lights. because
they cannot be fastened to the wagons
as TO prevent breakage. Mr.. Smith also
called attention TO the fact that very often
lumber wagons, although started OUT early
Ii the afternoon. meet with such delay as
to prevent their return before dark, and
while such thing does not as rule occur
every day. yet there are times when such
delays cannot possibly be forcseen. He be-
lieved 10 lamp could be constructed for 4
rcas oE.lble price which could be so attach
ell tn lumber wagons TO meet the require
ments of the regulation. and the same
thing iS rue. he said. in the case OF coal
carts ard wagons and other like vehicles
MI. Smith submitted a number of protests
IL the matter. as well as clippings from
country newspapers. which showed. he
said, the impracticability of the regulation
Makers of Brick.
hr. The ldore l. Hplbrook, in behalf OF
the brick me nufacturers, said, while as a
rule. their carts and wagons are not kept
out after dark, yet there are times when
they delayed Unexpectedly. They WILL
therefore. be required TO carry lights at all
times I'm order to meet just such emergen-
cies. and that would, he claimed, entail un-
necessary hardships on the brick people
He also referred TO the great expense to
which they will be placed if the regulation
Is enforced
Mr.. T. A. Lambert president of the Great
Falls lee Company, explained that he spoke
not only for his OWN company, but also
for other ice companies and dealers. Their
wagons. while seldom, If ever, out after
dark. start out very early in the morning,
yet at time when the streets are practi-
caliy deserted, and he urged such midifi-
cation of TIE regulation as would exempt
ice wagons, whose great weight cause such
noise as TO warn everybody of their ap-
proach.
Co4IuHi ssOr Black said. in the case of
ice wagons. an amendment nigh. be made
10 the regulation, for the reasons given by
Mr. Lambert.
MI r. q. Essinser of the Union Transfer
Company stated that in Philadelphia an
exec ptiOn is made where teams are return
ing to their stables, provided they do so in
a walk. Hc called attention to the annoy
ance and expense which would, he claimed,
be caused his company by the enforcement
Of the regulation. No suitable lamp could
be purchased for less than 81. he asserted,
although Commissioner Wight said he had
been informed that lamp manufacturers
will be prepared 10 supply them for dol
lar Ma Essingtr also said that in
rainy weather. when they have TO cover
their wagons with tarpsulin. the lamps
would be also covered, and he claimed that