Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-25
BIC CAUTOS RENDER
STREETS UNSAFE
RESIDENTS OF EAST MAIN
TELL OF EVIL
URGE ENFORCEMENT OF LAW
p. X. Wood, In a Communication to
The Herald, Says Chauffeurs
Must Be Held In Check
by the Police

The speed maniacs are still driving
their powerful cars over the public
highways in Los Angeles and jeopar-
dizing the lives OF the people, according
to reports received yesterday from
nearly every section of the city
If the city council does not or can
not adopt an ordinance which will give
the people protection from these "irre-
sponsibles," why does not the police
force strictly enforce the provisions of
the state law on the subject? This IS
the question the people are asking.
Since the publication by The Herald
yesterday morning of the state of
affairs existing on South Main street.
persons living on North and East Main
have come forward with testimony
showing a similar condition of affairs.
Small children on their way to school
are endangered, and the little ones
must be piloted across the streets which
are frequented by these machines. The
city ordinance especially prohibits
speeding on North Main street as far
north as the river, and yet citizens of
tIdL QtblllCI soy IiO Di6 cuNOO NeNSAA Nf
and down that thoroughfare at fearful
speed.
In a communication to The Herald
P. K. Wood, local manufacturer, said;
II have read with great interest the
articles which have been appearing in
The Herald relating to the distractions
placed in the way of the council for
regulating the speed of automobiles.
Danger From High Speed
II believe the greatest danger comes.
not from the inexperience of the chauf-
feur, but from the excessive speed at
which these big cars are driven. If
chauffeurs were held by the police to
speed prescribed by the state law there
would be comparatively few accidents,
I think.
without questioning the constitu-
tionality of the law, but taking it for
granted that the auto fraternity may
enjoy the full benefit of this law, there
is still a way to protect the public from
their reckless driving, and that is for
the city council to pass an ordinance
providing for imprisonment for any
violation of the speed law of the state.
But OF course it would never do to
imprison these millionaires for simply
jeopardizing the lives of the common
people.
"At least this would seem to be the
view the city council takes of the sub
ject, as they have failed to make any
such provision, and every one knows
that these millionaires and semi-mil-
lionaires care but little for the fines,
and will willfully violate the law re-
gardless of the fine that may possibly
but not likely-be assessed against
them. These fines have a tendency to
check only those of very moderate
means.
''If there were no escape from i'm
prisonment for conviction of violating
the speed ordinance, and the police
would do their duty, there would be
comparatively few accidents from the
automobiles. If the council really have
any desire to protect the public from
the dangers of this excessive speed of
the automobiles let them pass an ordi-
nance providing for Imprisonment of
one month for the first offense. with an
added month for each subsequent Of
fense. Then let the police do their
duty, and we will have fewer serious
accidents"