The evening times., 1901-05-04
REGULATIONS AS 70 SPEED
The Police Department Making Ef-
forts TO Enforce Them.
Major sylvester Preparing Recon-
mcndatIOns 30 Protect the Public
From Accident by Vehicles Thpt
Hum Faster Than the Law Allows

EuA 9%8eE man inc Inv %AApEs -
The efforts of Major Sylvester. Chief
of Police of the District of Columbia. 10
assure public safety upon the streets of
Washington are beginning to bear fruit.
Judging from reports that have reached
Police Headquarters. During the past few
days many complaints have been rereiv-
ed by the Chief from owners of stylish
turHout< regarding the alleged ottciouS-
ness of the bicycle squad. which has been
eRdeayoring TO enforce the speed reEula-
tions- Invariably those who are caught
violating the speed regulations assert
that they were not doing SO when stopped
10y q policeman and either taken To the
statiouhousc under arrest or warned
against such rapid locomotion.
This condition of affairs has. it Is claim
ed. proved the accuracy Of the coutop-
tioR of the police. that the increase Of
speed upon the streets has been SO graf
ual that offenders are not aware that they
exceed the limit prescribed in the police
regulations. With tho speed-teSters in
use upon the wheels of the bicycle squad
it Is impossible for the officers to make d
mistake in this regard. The instruments
are accurate and after several rsyolu-
tiOus OF the wheel the bicycle policeman
can tell 10 4 fraction at what speed a We
hicic is moving When complaints of this
nature are brought to the attention OF
Major Sylvester he suaveIy expresses re-
sreJ that the parties should have been in
convenienCed but assures them that he
and his men have no option in the matter,
/ hut are compelled to enforce the law
! Major Sylvester is Of the opinion that
there has been q considerable dimiuUtion
{ of reckless driving of late. but he Is CON
tinuins his Investigations concerning The
framing of further regulations govern
ing the use Of the streets and viii short
iy forward certain recommendations on
the subject to the District Commission
ers-
It Is said that he VIII urge the placing
. of conspicuous numbers on all automatic
! vehicles which viii permit of their being
+ readily identified
/ Another matter that has recently been
! brought to the attention Of Major SyI-
/ vester is the filthy condition Of streets
over which carts and wagons hauling
earth from excavations pass. These ve-
hicIeS, IT is asserted. are veritabIe sieves
. scattering their loads along the entire
: route Jhat they traverse and converting
such streets into dirt roads or mud pud-
f dies according to the weather. II IS said
that in other large cities permits are not
?
are not perfectly tight and capable of re-
tanning their contents Overlooking is
also prohibited under the regulations ol
ether cities.
. Major Sylvester g looking up the reg,ll-
iatIouS in force elsewhere IN this counec-
ton and viii shortly Incorporate the re-
suit of his investigation in his recon-
msndaJion TO the Commissioners The
Chief Of Police has issued an appeal 10
parents and guardians to cooperate with
the men of his department in preventing
children from jumping on and of the
moving cars. in violation OF the re$uIa-
tons The practice is an extremely dan
gerauS one sand has resulted in several
accidents TO children during the past
week.