The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-09-17
Farmers OF Pleasant Prairie and Bris-
toll Ouen Relentless War on
Reckless Auto Drivers.
SAY RIGHTS MUST BE RESPECTED
Load Shot Guns With BucEshot and While
Tbev Do Not Aim to Kin Farmers Will
Fight For Rights of the Road.

1--WE have loaded our shot guns with
buckshot and while we are not seeking
TO kill any one we will see to It that
reckless automobile drivers respect our
rights. If the shots fail of the pur-
pose for which they were intended aud
should happen to hit driver he must
suffer for his own misdeeds."
This is the declaration Of cruel and
relentless war against reckless auto
drivers sent out by the farmers OF
the towns of Pleasant Prairie and
Bristol who have begun a crusade
apainst the reckless chauffeur. {. T.
Higgins, who has something Of the
appearance of General Joubert, Of the
famous Boer Army, is leading the
ranks Of the farmers against the new
tangled vehicles.
For some time it seems that a few
roads in Pleasant Prairie and Bristol
have been suited for the use OF the
autos and they have been converted
from quiet country lanes into speed
WAYS and the machines have been run
on them at the rate of anywhere from
ten TO forty miles an hour. Several
accidents have happened and more
than one of the luckless farmers has
been badly injured in the accidents
which followed the coming OF the
steam carriages. Protests have been
in vain and the prevalence OF the
auto has forced the farmer to shut his
his horses and cows as well as his wife
and children in the barn and house
until the auto season is over.
The farmers bore with the nuisance
for several months but finally Mr..
Higgins took the lead and gathered
numbe of the leading farmers to-
gether to discuss the havoc that was
being done by the auto. The meeting
resulted ia the rather unusual declara-
ton of war. Mr.. Higgins seems TO be
determined to carry out all the threats
that have been made. While In Keno
sha on Saturday he talked freely OF the
plans of the farmers. From his talk
It is evident a crusade for the exter'
mination of the auto is about to begin
Mr.. Higgins said: eve fellows DOM
want to kill any body but the guns
have been loaded with buckshot anc
when our rights are infringed upon BY
the drivers of automobiles we are go
ing to shoot. It will be our aim t
puncture the tires of the machines but
should the shot go wild the driver viii
have to look out for himself"
General Higgins has large army Q.
followers and theysscome not only from
the two towns nearest the city bu
from all the towns in the county. l
seems that the auto drivers incline t
regard the countrygroads as legiti
mate place for scorching. AS far on
as the town of Wheatland the autos
run at record making speed. In Salem
also the terror hasgbeen felt and dur
ing the summer two horses have beer
killed and several people badly injured
as a result Of accidents caused by
automobiles.
1t is not probable that the declara
ton of war on the part of the farmer
will result in the adjustment of tn
auto as vehicle, but it is possible tina
should the army of General Higgin
once make an assault that the speec
will be reduced more effectively thai
by speed regulation ordinance.