The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-19

The wild and vicious automobile has
made another record. In New York last
Friday an mquisitive small boy saw a
lonesome and unprotected machine stand
ing outside a music hall on Thirty fifth
Street and began fooling with 1t. He
found. mucl to his surprise and delight.
that he could make it so, for it is fatal
merit of the automobile that, child can
drive it. The machine which yielded to his
persuasive genius was what is called "a
steam-driven automobile runa5out," and
when it began to go it went so fast and
furious that the boy concluded to disap-
pear from view. and did so with alacrity.
The machine moved toward Broadway and
kept in the middle of the road for about
fifty feet. Then the front wheels struck
some obstacle and the vehicle turned,
struck curb, rebounded. and went faster
People began scampering out of the way
and shouting words of warning to pedes-
TRANS crossing the street. One of them
was an innocent and unsuspecting shoe
dealer about fifty years old. He was unac-
quainted with the ways of automobiles.
him he either did not notice it or supposed
that, like the electric car. it would keep
a straight course in the middle Of the
highway u did not do this. 1t turned
abruptly and rushed in his direction. as
he was stepping on the curb. He saw it
coming. held up his hands. and tried to
shoe it away, but it refused to be sLooed,
or scattered, or any of those things. Il
jumped the curb and knocked him down.
throwing him out into Broadway between
the car tracks. Then it plunged into
lamp post and broke its body into splinters.
while the wheels continued to move some
thing after the manner of the separate
Then the man who should have been in
charge of the machine came running up
and turned off the power.
1t is time that the public should take
measures 10 protect itself against the dead
ly and erratic movements Of this strange
creature. Several are now owned in Wash
ington. and at any moment one may be
seized with what poets might call the
frenzy OF motion. and go careering up the
Avenue on its course of destruction and
ruin. Washington has even more reason
than other cities to pay particular atten-
ton to this matter. The lives Of some OF
her citizens are valuable to the whole ma
ton. Suppose rabld automobile should
attack the President as he is taking his
afternoon walk? What if it should dash
madly into a group of Congressman repre-
senting various important committees?
Imagine the consequences of its collision
with several members OF the Diplomatic
Corps representatives OF friendly powers,
at some crisis in the national history
Nothing is safe from the attacks of this ir-
responsible and terrible monster More pow
erful than the tabled creatures OF medieval
mythology. more relentless than the guillo-
tine of tine French revolution. ii is capable
of bounding over Instructions, outrunning
pursuit. and battering into shapeless ruin
many of the obstacles in its path. It is
reported by frightened members OF Ger
tain golf club that. in their presence
runaway automobile climbed perpendicu-
clubhouse; but this cannot be regarded as
a matter OF record The attention of the
Board of Health of the District of Columbia
is called to the danger which unprotected
persons suffer in walking the streets OF
Washington. II is imperative that all su-
tomobiles should be muZzled,
lie in Etlrn.