The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-07-23
WANT A TWELVE MILE LIMIT.
Factory Managers Believe That This Limit
Also Protect Rights of People.


rate of speed be fixed at ten miles an
hour and that the autos slow to five
miles an hour while turning corners.
The Thomas B. Jeffrey company,
which is vitality interested in the pass
age of the ordinance, has sent very
fair letter to the aldermen and the
mayor in regard to the matter and this
letter will probably result In a change
being made in the rate Of speed. The
letter, which will be of interest to all
interested in automobiles, follows:
Kenosha, Wis, July 16, 1908.
Mr.. Chas. H. Pfennig, Kenosha, Wis:
Dear Strive have noticed recently
by the local paper that you contem-
plate passing an ordinance limiting
the speed of automobiles IN the city.
Before doing so we would like to
place the following facts before you,
believing you have the welfare of the
city and its resident manufacturers in
mind and are DESTROYS of benefting
both and injuring neither.
AS to the ordinance we would like to
emphatica1ly place on record the fact
that we deprecate reckless AID danger
GUS speeding in the city and will do all
in our power to suppress it.
In considering the maximum speed,
however, it should be borne in mind
that comparison with any other NOV
ing vehicle as to ease of manipulation
and control is difficult, since no vehi-
Gle other than the motor carriage is so
easily and quickly stopped when neces-
sary. It is an easily demonstrated
fact that the average motor carriage
can, when moving at a speed of eigh-
teen miles an hour, be stopped in less
than twice its own length. A horse
and carriage moving at eight miles
per hour requires several times its
length in which to stop, so that its
element of danger is far greater than
that of the automobile. A motor car
rage car be turned in little more than
it's own length, quickly and without
danger of overturning; this cannot be
said of horse and carriage.
The speed limit question has, as you
doubtless know, recently been under
discussion in great many cities and
it has been generally recognized in
towns at all progressive, that to limit
the speed TO six, eight or ten miles per
hour as was the custom before automo-
billing became SO general is mistake.
In Tonowanda, N. Y, during the past
week, the limit has been placed at II
miles per hour, which is the speed pre-
scribed by the state of New York for
highways in townships. In Connect
cut cities also the limits twelve miles,
agreeing with the state law. In Della
ware no limit is given, that progress
i've legislature realizing the fact that
ali users Of highways have rights that
the law is bound to respect and insist.
ing only that motorists should slow
down at crossings and when passing
horse drawn vehicles.
This, it seems to us, would be the
most sensible course to pursue in the
present instance. AS you know the
laws and ordinances passed by some
of the towns between Kenosha and
Chicago have held these towns and
their officers up to ridicule over the
whole country. In quoting this we, of
wishes, or is likely to join such an in
glorious roll, but we merely quote the
cases as, Instances where legislation
has been accomplished without a
proper understanding in the premises,
re-acting alike to the injury Of motor
lists and accommodates.
|, The ordinance, if adopted, will
naturally effect MS more than other
motorists since we are manufacturers
and we would respectfully and earnest
1y suggest that you make the limit not
less thanVtwelve miles per hour within
the city limits with the provision that
ali carriages slow down on turning
corners and on meeting horse drawn
vehicles.
The law provides remedy for those
in jured through reckless driving, and
in this connection we would remind
| you that the first accident due to care
1essness or negligence on our part has
yet to happen.
We would also remind you that we
have quite large interests in the city
and are!at the present time practically
doubling the capacity of our factory.
This means a still greater circulation
of capital in Kenosha, and, it seems to
us, should warrant the greatest care
on the part of thesCity Council to pre-
vent the Ypossible curtailment of our
capacity by unreasonable and-we
might suggest, since no reason has as
yet been abducted for the ordinance
uncalled for legislation. We shall
also shortly commence the construc-
ton of track for testing purposes.
We hope, in celebrating, that you
will not only consider the rights of
pedestrians, horse drivers, and others,
but bear in mind that fact that the
motorist has equal rights and that 1t
wilt not be far in the future when the
morse, for general and practical pur-
IpOseS, will be il the minority.