Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-13
"A UTOMOBILE BOARD
REPORT GOES TO THE DISTRICT OF
B COLUMBIA COMMISSIONERS.

Igf According to the annual report of the
IIautomobile board of the District, submitted
l,to the Commissioners today, there were ex-
Uamined during the fiscal year ended June
,i30 total of 057 applicants, to all of whom
iisSere granted permits to operate motor We
Ilhicies within the city. Automobiles to the
Number of 46S were assigned Identification
Plumbers; Numbers were authorized to be
Transferred from former owners of 16S mo-
tors to new owners of the machines when
sales of the vehicles were reported to the
llboard and rs automobiles from other juris
iIdictions were allowed touring permits.
Detailed figures transmitted with the
lipoTt show that of the HIS new automobiles
Eregistered during the year 1877 were fur
! N shed motive power by electricity, 1903 by
h gasoline, 100 by steam and 70 were motor
iCyCles. OF the tourists the greatest number
( tzbl came from New York, I3 from Massa-
! chusetts, 10 from Pennsylvania 8 from
: Maryland, from New Jersey, = from Ohio
and from Connecticut.
OF the recommendations made In connec-
/ ton with the report the most important is
! that which, If enacted into law, will pre-
Event the indiscrlminate transferring of per-
II init numbers from automobile to an
other The board states that great difficulty
I has been experienced in keeping an accurate
( list OF owners on account of the prevalence
{ or this custom. In this connection it is
recommended regulation be passed which
y Will require: That on the assignment of a
+ permit number to an automobile the secre-
tary of the automobile board shall issue
and deliver to the owner of such motor We
hicle a seal Of aluminium or other suitable
metal which shall be circular in form an
pfoXlmately two inches in diameter and
nave stamped thereon the words Registered
motor vehicle, District of Columbia WITH
II the registration number inserted therein
Nnlch SHail thereafter at all times be con-
/ spicuously displayed on the motor vehicle
|. 80 Mhieh Such number has been assigned
Upon the sale of said motor vehicle the
I vendor shall report Immediately sncb Saia
ana return the registration seal sffixed 10
9uth motor vehicle and, further that all
+ IH Notot NeElcIes owned and operated in the
District of Columbia be required to rroo, W.
ana display such registration seal
Question of Permits
Similarly to guard against reckless nom
'"HeFS OF chauneurs-and to render more
general a compliance with Sec.io, 90
si "u'oiilople regulations. which requires
! operators of motor vehicles Ito exbfhi+ bis
or her permit to any police officer :.
when demand for such exhibition 10 ,,oso.
the board recommends that an a,upin,r,
padge hereafter be issued to sucb NO
owners or chauffeurs. the badge IN n.
sonrlPSd with me words Registered Chauf-
iieuT' NO District of Columbia " and IN
De worn IN a conspicuous place on the
sIoSLiils. Badges are not to be transferred
from one person to another
win the comment that the District re
toiumbla is almost the only irIrisdict;on
mat does not exact fees in connection with
the licensing of automobiles the board sup
geSts that hereafter fee of 81 be reouired
TOT registration and assignment of an iden-
uhcation number. and that a similar fee he
demanded for each permit issued-such fees
10 include seal and badge mentioned in the
otner recommendation. The board urges
mat the estimates of the Commissioners To
congress contain provision for the salaries
set forth on the blanks submitted a few
weeks ago.
last fiscal year the automobile board saws:
Several amendments to the automobile
regulations have been made during the
year, the most important being that re-
curing the initial letters D. c. to be
added to the identification number on mo-
tor vehicles owned and operated In the Dis
trict of Columbia (Order October %, 1907
Inc regulation requiring professional
chauneurs to file certificates of good char
acter. Endorsed by three citizens, has been
OF benefit, those to whom permits have
been Issued being. in the ma jority of cases
careful to observe the regulat tons
The order of March l. 1905 allowing
tourist or nonresident owners of motor
vehicles, who have complied with any law
requiring the registration of owners of
motor vehicles in the state, territory or fed
eral district of their residence and the reg
istration number showing the initial of such
state. territory federal district. to regis
ter the description and designation num-
bers of their motor vehicles, giving tempo
rary address in the District of Columbia
and their home addresses with the secre-
tary of the automobile board, thereby en-
tor vehicles in the District of Columbia
for period Of sixty 800 days, has been very
favoraoly commented on by every one who
has registered.