New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-30
AUTO CLUB JOINS FIGHT.
VICTIMS OF SPRINKLING.
VIII Protest to City-The Mounted
Squad OUer1Corked.

The Automobile Club Of America is the latest
organization to join in the fight against slippery
asphalt pavenents In New-York and for the
abolition Of the private sprinkling carts. which
turn the principa! thoroughfares into shiny
dangerous roadways. Officials OF the club de-
clared yesterday that the matter would be taken
up at an early meeting and protests lodged with
the city authorities who have power TO revoke
the sprinkling permit at will
There is only one thing that I am really
afraid Of in driving or riding in an automobile"
declared Winthrop E. Scarritt yesterday to a
Tribune reporter and that is skidding slip
perry asphalt. No matter how skilful or careful
a driver is, he is utterly helpless under such
conditions. He has absolutely no control of his
machine, and cannot be blamed if an accident
results
The Tribune has hit on vital point in the
sport of automobiling in taking up this matter
of sprinkling the asphalt. The newspaper has
gone into the fight with characteristic earnest
ness, and can be assured of the support Of the
Automobile Club Of America and all automo-
bilists We hope some day that tire will be
invented which will reduce skidding to a mini
mum, but one does not exist to-day. However
that has nothing to do with the case. The streets
should be kept in the safest possible condition
Sprinkling makes them most unsafe and the
carts should be driven of the street.
From my personal experience can give you
some striking examples OF the dangers of skid
ding on slippery pavements. 1 was driving a
car up Fifth-ave. not long ago, just after the
street had been unmeFcifully sprl--illed- was
going at speed of seven or eight miles an hour,
when suddenly the car sl1idded To my sur
prise I found that was headed downtown. in
stead of up. Fortunately there were no other
vehicles near me. If there had been collision
would have resulted. One day this week saw
a light runabout start skidding slippery.
freshly sprinkled pavement. 1t crashed into
team. and only the light weight of the ma
chine prevented serious accident. Such in
stances could be multiplied, and come within the
experience Of every autonobilist.
'The club took up this matter with the city
authorities a year ago. Our protests finally re-
ceived attention. and for a time the nuisance
was in a measure abated. OF late. however. it
has become worse than ever. The club will be
very glad to take up the matter again at an
early meeting and lodge formal protest against
the practice. We want to make the highways
as safe as possible for every one"
S. NJ. Butler. secretary of the automobile club,
said that he thoroughly agreed with everything
Mr. skarritt had said. and that an interview
with him would be only reiteration.
The slippery pavements are certainly
is any way of making them more safe it should
not be neglected. The matter is now under
discussion in the club. and action will proba bly,
be taken shortly The officers in command Of
the police traffic and mounted squads give ready
testimony to the danger Of sprinkled asphalt
Their work is increased many fold by falling
horses. slIidding automobiles and the necessity
Of escorting women over the slippery crossings.
A detailed report from them as to the number
Of accidents which followed in the wake of carts
in the last two weeks would be startling
So dangerous has the grade on Fifth-ave. be-
tween Thirty-fourth and Thirty eighth sts. be-
ccme. that extra mounted police have been sta
toned there to assist drivers getting fallen
horses to their feet. According 10 Sergeant
John Murphy. who is in charge OF the mounted
squad. twenty-five horses sustained serious falls
on this hill yesterday morning between S and
10 o'clock. On Friday ten horses went down
within twenty minutes. They fell so fast that
the policemen could not get the names of the
drivers. and for time traffic in Fifth-ave was
greatly delayed
The police tell Of runaway which occurred
early in the week and which they We're unable
TO stop because Of the slippery condition Of the
street.
The horse came tearing up the avenue" said
SERGEANT Murphy. "A mounted man was Oh
station and under ordinary circumstances would
have stopped the runaway within a block or
two. He was compelled tn stand and see IN
horse dash past because his horse was una bic
10 run the slippery pavement. The runaway
finally tumbled at Forty-seventh- He slid .,
quarter of a block and brought up under
truck where he was finally captured
1T is a shame that the streets OF New-York
should be put in such a dangerous condition"
declared Captain Stephen ]. O'Brien the ener-
getic chief of the traffic squad Even our own
horses are not immune and have sustained some
bad falls yet they sure footed as any
horses in the avenue and well ridden Rounds
man Joseph A Howard's horse went down at
Thirty-ffth-st and Sixth-ave. a week ago and
is still laid up. The men on duty in the as
phalted streets running q continuous and
unneC essaTy risk,
During the last month, according 10 the no.
lice there have been an average Of thirty ac-
cidents a DAY Of sufficient seriousness to be re-
ported That figure does NOT include accidents
to automobiles due TO skiddiug on the sIippery
pavement or serious falls sustained bv pedes-
trfans The accidents begin soon after the
sprinklipg cars pass up or down the streets al
O'Clock This sprinkling lasts until noon when
fo~ a brief period the pavements become safe
Then at I o'clock the sprinklers make another
round and trouble begins again.
The hremen OF the city join with the mounted
police in protesting against the sprinkiin;
carts There Is not driver in the city that
does not live In nervous dread of having TO
gallop through of the asphalted streets
when It has been freshly sprnkled. Several OF
the bad spills which the fre and hose cart
horses have suffered lately have been due 10 this
sarinhllnE.