The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-15
AMONG THE AUTOMOBILTTS.
FEARSOME EFFECTS or MOTOR
ING FOUND By FRENCHMAN.
Does Not Agree with Everybody Money
spent for Good Roads In Michigan
Some Remarks Anent the Horn as .
warning SiEnal-A Change of Names.

warning ~siEnal-A Change of Names.
Alfred Reeves. general manager Of the
American Motor Car Manufacturer Asso-
citation. announced yesterday that the asso-
citation would hold its annual meeting and
election Of officers during the
show in Chicago February 2 too. Mr.. Reeves
said yesterday that there In talk of changing
the name OF the American Motor Car Manu-
facturers' Association. which. although ex-
pressive OF the industry and the big makers
identified with II, Ia considered too long.
Among the substitute titles suggested are
American Automobile Manufacturers. Inde-
pendent Automobile Manufacturer and
American Motor Car Builders.
=. B. Stevens. Jr.. of Rome and New York
city was elected president OF the New York
Motor Club at the annual election OF officers
at the ORGANIZATIONS headQ %uarters, Eighth
avenue and Fifty-eighth street. on Thursday
night, Robert Lee Morrell. former chairman
Of the A. A. A. racing board. had been named
as first vice-presIdent but was compelled to
decline TO run on account of his duties as a
director OF the jamestown exposition next
summer. Frank J, Grifin was elected second
vIce-president. and the other officers chosen
were: Treasurer. X. II. Johnston: secretary,
A. b. Tucker; board Of directors. w. j. p.
Moore. A. l.. Kull. X. G. Howell and W. J.
Morgan. The club has a membership OF 2IS.
Of whom forty were elected at this meeting.
Joseph w. Hunter, Pennsylvania State
Commissioner of Highways. has a plan on
foot by which the more tina n 1900 road SUPER
visors In the sixty-seven cou mt les OF the state
will be made into Sc parate organizations for
each county. The object Is to get them to-
gether for the benefit OF the good roads idea.
In discu ssing the plan MIR. Hunter said. Why
should not the road supervisors organize
Just as the different school boards In the
several counties have done? The school
boards have their organization where they
talk over the newest ideas in educational
matters with resultant advantages to the
school system. II the road supervisors in
every county are organized along similar
lines all the new things In road building will
be thoroughly discussed. the work OF my
department facilitated, and the people OF
the State will have better roads. In Erie
county the supervisors already have organ
lied. While it is my plan to have them or
game, I do not take any active part in the
work Of organization. simply suggesting out
lining the method.
. Automobiling does not agree with all sorts
Of persons. according to a prominent French
physician, DR.. Iegendre, who has been ex-
pressing his views on the hygienic value Of
motoring. Automobile exercise" he SAYS.
has improved cases Of emphysema. nervous
asthma. chlorosts. certain alimentary snrc-
tions. including gastralRia, anoTexia and
chronic constipation would urge the avoid
ance of automobile journeys by Patients
suffering from variCose veins. epilepsy, alCo-
holism and obesity. In certain forms of
heart disease. too. automobile exercise is TO
he avoided. as with such patients the results
may prove serious"
With the idea Of encoura cling the construc-
tion of good roads in the state, the Michigan
Legislature appropriated SO. OOO two years
ago 10 he used for road improvements in
counties where the taxpayers were willing
to pay the cost above 81 600 a mile for stone
roads and $500 for gravel, OF thus amount.
intended 10 last until July of next year, but
$1,000 remains. Therefore among the final
appropriat ion bills TO he brought before the
coming session will be the replenishing of
the good roads fund According 10 statistics
that will he contained in the state Highway
commissioner report there are now twenty
counties in the state working under the
county road system. The farmers are said
to be much pleased with the results of the trial
Of this system. Wayne. Saginaw. Muske.
gon, Chippewa. Alpens and Bsy coun-
ties all have large towns within their
confines. and under the county system these
towns. which formerly did not share pro-
portionately in the highway tax. are now paw
ing in some cases as much as four times what
the farming community pays toWar q good
roads. Under the old system tire towns
benefited to a large extent by the good
roads. bur the roads W ere built by the resi-
dents Of the townships. The northern por-
ton Of the State has gone far ahead Of the
southern in regard to road building. The
upper peninsula in particular has miles
Of the best roads in the world. bu liz from
trap rock. and the adjacent land has risen in
value prop0rtionately.
'rTha r,,hhar tirad n r yahi,Ia 10 81 ,;ao
less in operation that il has become necessary
to equip il with warning or signal devices in
order TO give proper protection to other road
users. says the HorselcSs A0'. The intelligent
and careful Use Of the warning signal. the
horn, Is a matter Of no small importance.
The use may be excessive or ! may he de-
plorably insufficient. What does the law
require concerning the giving Of warning
signals? The State automobile enaCtments
in this country have, not sought 10 prescribe
the exact nature and kind Of signal devices
with which the mOtOrist must provide him
self and use when occasion arises. The
horn has been generally accepted "a the
most appropriate and fitting instrument.
Every one knows that when a horn il sounded
on the highway. the warning comes from an
automobile, and not from an animal drawn
carriage. Only Pennsylvania and one or
two other Jurisdictions, specify the, kind Of
signalling devices and their uses. The Penn
sylvania regulation concerning signals il
most remarkable and unduly eNacting. II
is as follows;
be provided with bell. horn or other signal
device. Every operator or user thereof shall
sound the gong or other alarm when approach
ing a street crossing or a road crossing" &c.
The statute makes IL Imperative TO sound the
horn when approaching any cross road, no
matter where. even il the automobilist l. driv-
ing throu gh open country where he can observe
the total absence of any one on the highways
for an eighth of a mile ahead and on both
sides. What an absurd requirement that is.
II was only last summer that the police officers
in a certain Pennsylvania locality spitefully
took advantage Of the technica reQu irement
of the Pennsylvania act and rOped in I'M
inspect INK motorists at the rate Of q dozen
a day. Fair and useful automobile leRisla-
tion constitutes a public benefit but senseless
rest riot ions similar to that governing the
use Of horns in Pennsylvania breed nothing
hut contempt. Independent of a statute
governing the use Of signals and warnings, an
efficient method Of giving a proper alarm
may be adopted, and the proper use of the
signal il a matter that is TO be left TO the
discretion Of the driver. Careful and diligent
driving requires alertness to prevent injury.
If due care requires the giving Of an alarm
and the automobiliSt fs liz 10 sound q warning,
he may render himself liable for resulting
injury,
WORCESTER, Mass, Dec. IA feature
of the monthly meeting of the Worcester
Automobile Club last Wednesday night was
an address by John II. Manning of the State
Highway Commission.
Mr.. Manning stood for a more careful
avau,inafiOn aud liCapsinu 81 nrof,oIIn.I