The sun., 1903-09-27
ROADSIDE HIEROGLYPHICS.
Idea OF French Aut0mobilists Imported
Here.

Idea OF French Automobilists Imported
| Here.
! An idea Of sign planting along the high
ways has been imported from Europe. and
in the near future the rural roads of America
will blossom with lot Of sign posts bearing
hieroglyphics that will be very puzzling
to the uninitiated. For several years
travellers in Italy. France and England
have noticed the increase OF pu7zling signs
along the roads, and now their meaning is
becoming familiar.
The idea originated with the Automobile
Club OF France. and the curious characters
are easily read by automobilists, to whom
they tell what to expect ahead Of them,
in the way OF sharp turns, declivties, gullies,
railroad crossings and other things. The
idea has been copied in England, and now it
is being introduced here by the American
Motor League, which proposes to erect the
signs by the hundred.
The original French herogyphics have
been modified somewhat in the signs
adopted for this country, the aim being
to make them simpler, even if they tell less.
The first specimens Of these signs are now
being made and soon will be seen on the
roadside. They are certain to attract
attention and may be even startling. Each
sign is to be made heavy enameled sheet
steel, with black figure on white back
ground, the dimensions being "a inches
square. All signs are to be put CORNER
wise, with angle at the top; this form, COM
bined with the white enamelled face OF the
steel, being calculated to stand out most
conspicuously against any ordinary land
| scape. To add to this effect. each post
| will be painted white, and the sign can thus
be more easily distinguished at night by
the driver Of a rapidly moving car.
The principal signs to be put out first
are nine in number. No. l shows
| silhouette like that OF cartridge, point
! ing downward at an angle OF 40 de-
! grees. This means steep decli,ity ahead.
| No. 2 shows heavy horizontal stripe,
crossed by three vertical stripes. This
means that the traveller is nearing rail-
road crossing that is about 200 yards ahead.
+, No. is like a heavily painted block letter T,
+! lying on it's side, with the top toward the
left. This means the approach to branch
road that runs to the right, and warns you
F., 10 he careful therefore OF collision. No. 4
| is the letter 4 turned with it's top to the
pointing to the left means branch road
| to the left. No. 5shows heavy cross, set up
! like an Y. This means crossroads ahead
! No. 8 shows figure like the transverse
outline OF a trough. 1t means there ie a
J ditch or gully or other abrupt depression
| in the road. No. shows figure some
| what like the silhouette of a derby hat.
| This means the approach to hnmmock
] or thank you. ma am, in the road. No.
| resembles an African hut in Silhouette,
with a doorway on each side showing an
oblong OF light through it. This indicates
the approach to village or town or num-
! Der Of dwellings, where speed shuold be
! slackened No. is simply plain sign
| board, with no character on it. to be used
| as a general caution signal indicating the
| proximity Of any danger or obstruction.
It is plain. white sign and can he iHi-
| provlsed in emergent cases by using
sheet Of white cloth fastened on board OF
proper shape. Each sign Is placed at
distance of not less than 200 nor more than
| 800 yards from The point TO which it refers.
These signs have proved OF great help
! to automobilists abroad, and it ID believed
| they will reduce the number OF accidents
here, because mishaps usually occur through
railroad crossings, 30, unexpectedly. In
the populous portions Of the country,
where the membership Of the American
| Motor League Ia large and growing, these
signs will be put up by the organizations
For the benefit Of those in places distant
1TOIu Ine le6Ru0 ColtTcb WIZ may Wdip
to put up these hieroglyphic sign posts
| on the roads, the league has issued the
following specifications:
Materials Needed-One board lSl5 feet long
by 10 inches wide or lo'5 feet long by Is
and other hurtful defects; one stout post IA
feet long and not less than 5X5 in dimensions;
80 screws. l.+ to . inches long; three half
inch iron bolts long enough to pass through
sign and post allowing for nut at end. one
quart good white paint mixed
Directions-Plane your board and cut in
! lengths Of 30 inches four lengths for a l5-inch
board or six lengths for a io-inch board;
| paint both Sides then fasten together with
screws laying the front and back pieces at
right angles as shown in the sketch: bore
holes through sign and post and bolt them
securely together. so that the top Of post shall
just reach the top OF sign; add two coats Of
white paint to both sign and post and finish
by painting symbol on face OF sign. Paper
stencils are supplied by the league to insure
uniformity in size and shape Of symbols;
set up ign in hole four feet deep; fll and tamp
securely, The face of the sign should be
turned slightly in the direction OF approach.
away from the point to which the sign refers.
so as to make an angle Of about 80 degrees
with the line Of the road. When completed
the bottom Of the sign will be about feet
above the ground