Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-03-01

weighing from 1900 to 1000 pounds, or
leven more, with Samson or chain tile,
and going from 40 to so miles per hour
should not be permitted on our roads.
AUTO MEN PAY FOR REPAIRS.
I'm my annual report suggested that
a tax on the maximum horsepower should
be leyied and think any fair automobile
ist will agree with me and will be willing
to pay a small share of the cost of repairs
Of roads, provided the tax is devoted to that
purpose.
s.It is not my desire to levy tax or create
a revenue in any way for the purpose OF
keeping the roads in repair, provided the
different counties will raise the necessary
funds to keep them in good condition. We
have counties, for instance Middlesex, that
last year spent $50, 900; Monmouth, $40,
900; Mercer. $32, 900; Essex about S62, 600,
and others in the same proportion, upon
the repairs of roads, and the greater part OF
this was spent upon the roads largely used
| by automobiles. If the people of the diff
Iferent counties have no objection to paying
this tax, and will keep their roads in re-
/ pair, 10 Is itubdpcAio iol su thU Whcao wy
money comes from.
4 NoN-REsIDENTs WANT REPAIRS
ssNinety per cent. Of the requests for re-
pair of roads comes from automobiles, and
shey are in favor Of paying share Of the
tax, as you will see by a sample letter
4 which Quote:
g 80 Nassau ST., New York City,
:" February 5, 1906.
Mr.. Hutchinson. Bureau OF Street High
ways, the State Capitol, Trenton:-
6 My Dear Sir Would it be possible
for the state to take some action in securing
the repairs of the highway between the
towns of Ramseys and Mahwah? This
route is travelled over great deal by auto
mobilists going from New York to Tuxedo.
All the rest Of the road in New Jersey is in
fine condition and, indeed, the whole road
from Mahwah to Hilburn,
! 8 The owners of automobiles at Tuxedo
would be very glad to contribute to the ex-
/ pense of the repairs to this road if it could
be done by the state, and | write to ask
whether you could take any steps in the
direction indicated
Very truly yours,
9 'R. FULTON CUTTING
NoN-REsIDENTs DO MOST DAMAGE.
ssI think that this tax, before referred to,
should be so arranged az nog to be BURDEN
some upon eithee onr esident or the hon-
residents. It is my opinion that the nom
residents are the persons who are doing the
most damage. They are usually tourists
who are going from one state to another,
/ using our roads simply for the purpose of
seeing how much speed they can make, and
large majority OF them have no respect
for the law / think much of this trouble
can be remedied by licensing the chauffeur
and making that license to be good as long
as he obeys the law, to be revoked only
upon conviction by court and not to be
again issued by auy department. until at
least six months have EXPIRED SO as to
make revoking Of the license a part Of the
penalty.
ssIt is noticed that so per cent. of the
accidents are caused by non-resideDts. A
case in point is the following from the
North Ane,ican of February 10:-
/ William K Vanderbilt's so horse
power F. I. A. 7. racing automobile was
wrecked last evening this side Of Cranbury,
N. j., 10 miles from Trenton.
Paul Sartori, the driver, who has been
chauffeur in the employ of Vanderbilt for
seven years, was thrown into ditch and
lay unconscious for an hour. He was pick
ed up by farmers.
'Sartori came on to this city by trolley
and train from Trenton, when he had re-
covered sufficiently.
6 He brought with him the steering rod
of the wrecked racer. He said the car was
heavily insured, and he thought the steer
ing gear was defectiYe. ~
g .Sartori had received orders at O'Clock
last evening from Mr.. Vanderbilt to bri1g
the car to Philadelphia as soon as possible,
and he was crossing Jersey at fast pace,
anxious to arriYe here before dark.
g He had left Cranbury behind and was
whizzing along toward Trenton when the
car swerved, the steering gear failed TO re-
spond and he knew nothing more until
nursed back to consciousness by the farm
ers.'
These things, gentlemen, you will have
to consider. as it is nos only our roads that
are suffering, but the people in the rural
districts in general. ]"
Charles Kipp of Morristown, represent
ing the Civic association Of that town,
spoke of the many abuses on the roads
there. He quoted a letter written to him
! by Vice Chancellor Stevens, faYoring the
/ lFrelinghugsen bill The letter said the
vice chancellor was heartily in favor Of the
bill. He claimed the situation was acute
and the automobilists were monopolizing
tne stone roads. For three-quarter of the
/ year, he said, lit was unsafe to be on the
roads. He maintained that the roads built
and kept in repair by the Jersey taxpayers
were being monopolized by outsiders with
their large cars.
PRISON FOR VIoLAT0Rs
The vice chancellor took the ground that
yiolators Of the law should be imprisoned.
He said he could not see why autoists
i shonld object to the enforcement Of this law