The evening times., 1900-02-16
MOTOR CARS IN PARIS.
The French Authorities Unable to
REGULATE the Vehicles.

(tTutu ttff ran Ndlt baE-ltS.J
4 police court magistrate has been found
with the courage to infiict a swinging fine
ON a motor car driver who rather than
slacken speed. elected TO run full tilt into
the miniature tramway that plies between
the Porte NailIot and the Geological Gar
dcns The sentence has provoked quite a
display Of popular enthusiasm. People have
written 10 the papers 20 express their
heartfelt satisfaction. and in Paris people
only write 20 the papers on extraordinary
occasions.
The simple truth is that the motor car
nuisance has assumed inEOIerable proper
tions Mess remediary measures are TAX
en- between now and the Exhibition. posi-
tive hecatombs OF unweary foreigners and
bewfldered yOhels are 10 be expected. The
craze for motor ears has now been raging
for a year and more with unabated inteu-
sity. The best known firms are still una
bic 10 meet the demand for their machines,
but i'm the course Of the last twelve months
an enormous number Of the terrible con-
veyances" have been let loose in the
streets.
There is authoritative opinion in suppOr
OF the contention that the Partisan cab
men thanks to his egTegiOus incspacity
and his murderous instincts. is one of Jh1
most dangerous enemies the pedestrian can
encounter. but a worse than the cabmau
has been found in rhe person of the chaUf-
feur or motor car driver To form any idea
of the habits OF this scOurge he must be
seen at work on his native asphalt. His
ambition Is that poor folk on foot should
stand agape as he passes. 70 this end he
acts as if all the capital were a racing
track. He .'scroches" through the streets
As a rule on the wrong side of the road;
ne careers round corners; he darts this
way and hat with the utmost possible un-
eXDectedness: and he lets OFF jets Of steam
or arranges a series OF imitation explosions
when he sights Jimid Old man OF a sLIc-
tish horse
The authorities are at their wits end.
The police have Issued orders. The munic-
ipal council has drawn up regulations. but
all TO no purpose. Ii being almost impOs
sible 10 catch the offenders. they snap
their fingers at official interference. Some
time ago four inspectors Of automobiles
were appointed. II was pleasure to read
their instructions. They were TO make
arrests on the slightest infringement of
the law and without respect Of persons
Mounted on a species OF motor car catch
er. they might have rendered some service
but with no mode Of lOComOJiOn at their
disposal but their legs. they doubtless de-
ries without wasting their breath for they
| have never been heard or The lesser au-
| thorities being hOpelessly nOnpluSsed. the
| Government has taken up the matter. The
! Minister Of Public Works is studying the
! problem. or rather he has depuJed one Of
| his subordinates. NJ. Walcknder, mining
engineer TO draw up report on the sub
iect. NJ Walcknaer is highly diStin-
suished mining engineer. a career that
may or may not have qualified him for his
task. Should he fail 10 hit on an effective
means of tanning the chauffeur. the public
will have TO take the law into its own
hands and follow the example Of VI.
Hughes le Roux a fiery colonial Journal
ist. who having once been nearly run over
by an automobile. now goes about with a
revolver ready TO fire at the hrst motor
car driver whom he sees careerIng around
to the public danger.