Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-28

automobiles In the past few years has
added a new and serious menace to
travel on the country roads. In the
cities. because automobiles are more
numerous there and because horses are
more accustomed to strange sights and
sounds, few horses are now disposed TO
make any trouble when they meet auto
mobiles or when one dashes past them
in the street, but out in the country 1t
is different matter, and 1t has come
about as the result Of frequent acct
dents and scares that NEST farmers
and their families entertain a whole
some hatred towards automobiles.
This feeling very often is intensified by
the reckless and inconsidcrate manner
in which automobiles travel over the
country highways at 4 spted and with
disregard Of the rights OF others
which they would not dare to show on
the streets OF a city. OF course. not all
automcbilists belong to this class, bur
too many belong to it.
Not long ago the Journal mentioned
| in its State House column the number
of communications received at the
executive department complaining of
automobiles on country roads. The
Journal has teen in receipt Of similar
| communicating, not always intem-
perate OF unreasonable in tone. but
pointing out the danger and the incon-
venience which has resulted. More
over, the numerous accidents caused by
horses becoming frightened at auto
| mobiles which are chronicled from
week to week by our country corre-
spondents show that these protests are
based upon substantial foundations. A
Pittsfield friend of the Journal writes
us as follows in a letter received. yes
terday. People living in the city have
no idea what a nuisance the automobile
is on the country roads. For able
bodied men who like the fun of manag
ing a frightened horse. it is we'll
enough. but for a woman or elderly
| men it Is a most serious matter. 1t is
getting to be go bad that, although we
are taxed to build our roads, we are
being deprived of the privilege Of using
them in safety. Most country roads
are narrow and often there are deep
bitches and stones on either side. and
when a woman with frightened horse
meets an automobile in sucn places it Is
like riding into the jaws Of death.
Wealthy people owning automobiles
| and driving over our country roads In
them seem to have little regard for the
rights OF the common people"
This communication is similar In tone
| to many others which we nave received
| and which have doubtless gone into
| other newspaper offices in Maine. OF
| course, the writer's realize that high
ways are for public travel and that
automobilists have perfect right
| there, but they also. feel that the rights
of persons in teams are too often little
respected by the speedomaniacs who
seem to forget that other people have
| rights when they get outside the limits
| Of cities and out of sight of the officers
of the law. The automobile, of course.
mas come to stay, and as the machines
/ nd and
horses in rural sections become more
| accustomed to them, the danger will
| naturally be less. A dozen years ago
horses were almost as badly frightened
| at the sight Of bicycles, but now horses
pay no more attention to them than to
a man walking along the road. Prob
ably it will be the same with automo-
biles in a few years. but in the mean
time the situation is very unpleasant
for those who drive teams over our
country roads and the numerous acct
dents which result show that the dan
ger is real and not imaginary. Some
horses would doubtless be frightened a,
| the sight Of automobiles no matter
how great care was taken by those In
the machines, and IN soIne cases 1t is
doubtless true that the drivers them
selves are more frightened than thf
horses are. The best remedy for the
evil lies in the taking of greater care
and the use Of more consideration and
courtesy by the automobilists. They
should realize that their ability to &c
at a great speed gives them no exclu'
sive rights on country highways. and
that the laws against excessive speed
are to be respected Their" as elsewhere.
| The record of skyScrapers In New
York City is about to be broken by the
erection of an office building $50 fee
above the street. Not only will this b.