Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-27
REPORT TO THE SENATE
Commissioners Do Not Favor
Broad-Tire Bill.
CHANGES RECOMMENDED
Estimated Cost of Complying With
Proposed Law.
AS TO PERFECTING THE ROADS
Desire to Relieve Vehicle Owners Of
neutrality-suspicious. on Part
of Citizens.
AS TO PERFECTING THE ROAD

of Citizens.
The Commissioners do not favor Repre-
sentative Babcocks 'broad-tire'' bill in its
present form, and in an official report upon
the measure to Chairman Gallinger of the
District committee of the Senate today
they recommended a number of modihca-
lions. The most important change sug-
gested is the time allotted owners of wag-
ons affected by the bill to substitute broad
tires for the present narrow ones. They
say the time should be extended until jan
uary /, 1912, instead of January 1, $685.
The Commissioners also recommended that
change be made limiting the width OF
tires to three inches instead of four inches
for wagons which, with a load, weigh more
than 5000 pounds, and less than 5000
pounds, and four-inch tires for wagons
which, with their load weigh more than
5000 pounds. The notifications, they de-
clare, would be much less onerous en- the
wagon owners and accomplish the practical
result desired of not having too much load
on narrow tire.
The Commissioners, taking the question
all in all, believe that the use of broad tires
would operate advantageously in the Dis
raised by them is whether the gain war
rants the expense and inconveniece to the
owners of wagons which 1t would entail
/ In their report the Commissioners say that
in view of the burden and expense of the
change falling in great part on the owners
of transfer and hauling wagons on the
paved streets where substantial damage
cannot be definitely stated as due to ex-
listing tires and in view of the rapid intro
ducton of mobiles of all classes which
may necessitate in time the remodeling and
hardening of all road pavementS, they do
not favor the passage of the bill as 1t now
stands.
Cost of the Change.
The Commissioners base their idea of the
cost of the change upon information secured
at recent public hearing and from report
recently submitted by committee repre-
senting the transfer and hauling companies
Of this city. In the latter report 1t is stated
that the number of wagons in the District
that would be affected by this proposed
legislation is $3.50; that the average cost of
making the change in tires would be about
500 wagon, which includes, in many
cases, an extra horse and harness, which
they estimate would be necessary on ac-
count of the additional weight. The total
cost of the change is therefore estimated
at s., 712, 600
The Commissioners say that there can be
no doubt that If the cost would reach the
amount mentioned it would be better to
spend the money in perfecting the roads
and relieve the wagon owners of a certain
hardship.
Goes Into the Details.
The report of the Commissioners goes
into the details of the subject, although they
admit that broad tires would naturally
have good effect upon any road or pave
ment, the commissioners point that they
prefer to protect the large number of wagon
owners ha aff
necessary hardship. The report was prp
pared by Col. Biddle. engineer Commits
sioner. who devoted much thought and
study to the matter
Aside from what has been stated the re-
port sets forth:
The object of the bill is to require vehi-
cies weighing, when loaded. more than 4, 900
pounds to have wheel tires not less thar
four inches broad in order to protect the
streets from damage.
The first point considered is the effect
OF existing tires on the streets and roads
in the District of Columbia. There are in
the District 200 miles of paved roads. 80
miles of macadam roads and 100 miles of
roads graveied and unimproved.
As to Injury to Pavements.
1T cannot be stated that there has been
any observed injury to asphalt or granite
block pavements in good condition from
tires of wagons in the District of Columbia
as they now exist. When a pavement is in
bad repair a narrow tire will naturally en-
large holes in the pavement more rapidly
and will break down weak places in the
surface. On macadam roads the constant
use by narrOw-tired vehicles heavily loaded
especially following the same track will
gradually injure the pavement. Wide tires
will injure 1t less and in some cases i'm
prove 1t, acting somewhat as a roller On
gravel and earth roads the advantage of
wide tires is evident.
The greatest amount of injury to coun-
try roads in the District Is caused by
wagons used for carrying earth and sand
in connection with building operations. In
spite of all precautions, the dropping of
earth from these wagons Is unavoidable,
and in addition, the wheels coming from the
soft ground, more or less covered with
earth, tear up the macadam surface. Heavy
automobiles are thought to injure country
roads more than ordinary tired wagons.
Drawing Power Necessary.
LAS to the power necessary for drawing
vehicles with varying widths of tire, many
experiments have been made in different
localities with the following general re-
suits: On hard streets or roads there is
little, If any, difference with the broad or
the narrow tires; on medium soft roads
wide tires have an advantage, as they re-
main on top of the surface while the mar
row tire will sink through. On very soft
roads, on roads where passing vehicles
have cut out a hard, narrow rut, with mud
on each side. the wide tire gives a harder
pull. In soft fields the wide tire is at a
disadvantage, as it will lift up more earth.
In wagons coming from Maryland and
Virginia, where the use Of broad tires Is
not compulsory, the forcing of such wagons
as come into the District to be equipped
with broad tires will probably operate to
their disadvantage while making use of
roads in those states. In Maryland, how
ever, there Is a rebate on the toll for
wagons having wide tires, which, with
other reasons, has resulted in q majority
of hay and similar wagons coming into the
District today having wide tires.
Principal Objections.
THE principal objections on the part Of
the citizens" the Commissioners explain,
come from the owners Of wagons used for
heavy hauling, generally in the city over
the paved streets, although there Is also
objection from the owners of milk wagons
garden truck wagons and wagons hauling
brick. sand. building materials, etc. These
objections are based on the expense of
changing wagons on hand; the extra cost
of new wagons with wide tires over new
wagons with narrow tires; the extra weight
and consequent extra power necessary for
traction; the fact that manufacturers do
not supply, except on extra orders, the