New-York tribune., 1907-12-25
MOTORISTS TO PROTEST
DEMAND USE OF CHAINS.
Public Hearing by Park Board ON
Use of Non-Skidding DeUce.

The ordinance enacted by the Park Board
last week excluding from the parks of the great
er city and from all the streets. drlveways ana
roads under the jurisdiction of the Park Boaro
automobiles carrying a chain upon any OF thei,
wheels has met with the prompt disapprovai
and nrotest of every automobilist, ana the
American Automobile Association has taken up
the question and has, through the chairman oi
its legislative board, Charles Thaddeus Terry,
arranged for a public hearing by the Park Board
in the Arsenal Central Park, 64th street ana
Fifth avenue at o'clock tomorrow, when tne
subject will be thoroughly discussed and prieIs
in behalf of the automobilists' submitted Tor the
consideration of the Park Board.
A meeting of all of the automobile organlza-
tions both in club and trade circles Will be heid
at the Headquarters Of the American Automo-
bile Association, No. 437 Fifth avenue, at p: III.
tomorrow, when the following orgaflllauoh'
will be represented American Automoplie AS
sociation. Automobile Club of America New
York Automobile Trade Association, import
ers' Automobile Salon, National Association OIL
Automobile Manufacturers, Association vi IL
censed Automobile Manufacturers, American
Motor Car Manufacturers Association view
York Automobile Club and New YORK o'd'o
Automobile Association
The earlier meeting in the afternoon will be
for the purpose Of organization ana 10 prepare
plans for the public hearing to be heid an houl
later by the Park Board 1t Is requested ny 'ho
association that every automobst who cannot
be present represented at the pupiic he''i
ing will send a communication addressed 'o
Frederick II. Elliott, secretary OF the Aiieiie"i
Automobile Association, No. 437 fltth avenue
New York City approving of the position taheh
by the association in cooperation WIN 'iie
other automobile organizations, SO tnat Iloso
communications can be presented at the puohc
hearing In speaking of the subject MI Eillo''
said:
1t is hoped that there will be large at
tendance of all automobile owners and users
,1;,- oft ha
favor of fair play and the equal rights OF All
citizens. This position is taken by the American
Automobile Association in the beiiet thaC IL 'he
ordinance enacted by the Park Board Is HoI re-
yoked II may be the means or inspiring pain
boards or commissioners to adopt similar regu-
Iations in cities where there are automobile
clubs affiliated with the American Autonlooie
Association, who would, in turn, ask assistance
and cooperation OF the legislative board OF 'he
national body.
Charles Thaddeus Terry, chairman of the leg
islative board has written the following opinion
on the subject for the American Automoplie
Association:
In response to your request for my opinion as as
chairman of your legislative board, regarding tns
recently enacted ordinance of the Park BOARD @ OF
the the Slg ebs0s 0f from tRe parks Within the city
and and highways under the JursdGtdeh 1dg
ment' there should be no question that the ordl-
referred TO is Illegal and yod, s OF the s
State New York The Park Board seems @ 10 YorS
STATE which , rs tg1't will disclose at once the
invadity slf Of the park ordinance in question Sec.
ton l. subdivision g. of the statute above cited s Is
6fafsd Of he stGte feferred to provides as
Subdivision g. Local Ordinances Ina s ,a9 sntbor
tiles shall have no authority to pass enforce or OF
81 any gv oWher oe operso pee OF Of motor
Sicie any license or permit to use the public nigh
Sce whose S5 G5 has Win
SIIrh
been may be expressly S get b sba eaPyases Py M '
Now. there is only one street or highway In the
city Of York which has been & set gSt a9art by
rages." and that IS the so-called Speedway IN me
That the ordinance Of the Park Board excuding
in all kinds of weather, whether the roaaway Do %
or a layer Of slime. which is equally slippery. all
which carry OF upon the ehf foregoing e
provisions of state law is clear when the IAN &
ordinance compes automobist to get the special
permission of the Park Board or at least OF one @ OF
any street or highway under the jurisdiction of
the shonsh @ chain Il might be nd eauny G
Impossible TO run upon those driveways or high
waYS s1ch CHAIN al hii be 5e SSte Ssed. 'VD''Ol''
The language of the ordinance IS bald and uncom ON,
ferent kinds OF weather different conditions Of
provisions any OF the under the jurisdiction
Of the Park Board although those streets are some
There s an item a IN the oss
would not enforce the ordinance on those streets
which had an asphalt pavement but If such in
Of the unqualified and clear prohibition of the ordi-
nance such instruction was improper and lllegal,
and the officers in question would have we no no right @
must be obeyed long as II remains upon the
books The Park Board should not enact one ordi.
and instruct the officers TO enforce direrent
one. The precise text of the ordinance is as fol-
lows: ,,.,.
wearing chains the tires of their wheels shall
enter the public parks the traffic roads under
Jurisdiction of the Board of Parks. without per-
mission of the commissioner having Jurisdiction.
This rule and regulation shall take effect on De-
Not only is the ordinance Illegal and void. for
the reasons above given but it Is also most un-
The ordinance would render useless large
Of valuable property owned by at1 the ~ resi- ,o
city. whether he uses automobile or not. tlat
there are a great many days during the winter
driveways is such that passage of the streets be-
comes Impossible except by the use of one or
be attempted by automobile. This is a simple
proposition of fact well known to every one
that in the greater city of New York there should
be such attempted EeguaGn Of vehifulsr lu,s
day of the year, and certainly none which would
make the use of the streets impossible
In question would undoubtedly do this thing
The ordinance discriminates between different
ableness of the enactment is disclosed when 1t is
noted that of all non-skidding devices. chains
Injurious to the surface of the streets The links
of the chains which come In contact with the
loosely hung the wheels. SO that, when the
wheel revolves. the chain lies loosely in front OF
wheel goes the chain, and there is no leverage
Of the chain against the surface OF the road or
of automobiles Which are fitted with sharp spikes
q spuds or staples do tear up the surface Of the