Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-15
PROPOSED SPEED ORDINANCE
SATISFACTORY
ADVERSE SENTIMENT UNJUST
say Drivers Of Machines Are Taken
Into Court and Fined for Speed
Violations When Evidence Is
Not Sufficient

mobllins, due to the large number OF
accidents of the past three weeks, the
great majority Of autoists have been
content to remain silent under the
scathing criticisms brought upon them
by the carelessness or the inexperience
of the few.
Prominent dealers, business men and
enthusiasts in interviews yesterday
gave their side of the case, speaking
of the speed laws, police regulations
and the automobile as an adjunct
rather than as an instrument of
pleasure.
with an outlay of over $2,000,000,
representing 1900 owners Of machines
and with a dozen firms doing business
at an outlay which requires an ag-
gregate of over a half million dollars
of capital, the opinions voiced are from
men of affairs.
BY this array of figures Los Angeles
is shown to have more machines in
proportion to population than any other
city in the world, and ranking third
for machines used among the cities
of the United States without regard
to size.
Age of Prejudice
Speaking for the Automobile Club of
Southern California and for many other
enthusiasts as well, DR.. Millbank John
son, president of the organization, said:
holt inc oh
the age of prejudice which has marked
the introduction of other mechanical
inventions and which today are recog-
nized as instruments for the public
good. There was the same hostility
to the steam engine quarters of
a century ago; the bicycle had to fight
its way into public favor not so very
many years ago, and it has been so
with many other inventions. None of
these forces have resulted in public
decentralization, as it was predicted
they would.
''It is true that much harm has come
from the carelessness of drivers of ma
chimes and of those who have been un-
der the influence of intoxicants while
steering, but the larger number of
autoists cannot be thus accused and
are not to be held responsible.
"Then, there is another side to this
case. People are wont to stroll across
streets at any place between the cross
ings, and milk wagons and trucks are
driven on either side of the street
that happens to strike the drivers
fancy, much to the danger Of all
classes.
"Autoists want uniformity in the or
dinances, and I believe the one which
is to be placed before the council
Monday for passage meets the appro-
baton of all owning cars
Automobiles are taxed higher than
any other property in Los Angeles. but
the owners will find no fault If the
cause of good roads will be remem-
bered."
Do Not Use Judgment
Some drivers of machines are like
some people driving horses; they do
not have any judgment and never will
have" said A. ]. Smith of the ]. A.
Rosesteel company. 1.-THE automobile
has come to stay. It long ago passed
the experimental stage. The sales of
cars are constantly increasing, and
larger numbers of the more expensive
machines are being sold than here
tofore
When we sell a machine, after we
have taught the buyer to be fully
competent in handling it, we urge upon
him In case of road rights to give
the other fellow the best of 1t. We do
this for two reasons. We realize that
at the present time the automobile is
under the ban and again a man can
turn his machine far more easily and
quickly than one can turn horse and
buggy or even a bicycle"
Earl Anthony Of the Western Car
Motor company concurred in the opin-
ions expressed by other dealers.
To Stand by Law
every dealer in automobiles will
stand by the new law which is soon to
go into effect" said w. F. Gouty. man
ager Of the Middleton Motor Car COM
pany. There is one good feature in
the promised ordinance which has been
overlooked in the state law and that
is in requiring a speed OF not more
than four miles an hour at street in
tersections. At the same time there
is fault to be found in the general pub
lie and that is they are in the habit
of straying across streets at any point
they choose"
c.. W. Sahland of the Worthington
garage took an extremely optimistic
view Of the future of the automobile.
I'm ten years." he said, 1--WE shall be
using them almost exclusively. Horses
for everything but the purpose of
pleasure win be done away with. An
auto takes up less room on the street
than does horse and vehicle. has alb
solute cleanliness and does a pavement
little or no damage. whereas the shoes
OF the horses and the heavy iron tires
a