The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-05-16

to run a horse or horses. or to drive !.
carriage, dray, wogan, cart or any We
hicle III or through any street, alley or
public highway, within the corporate
limits of the town, at an immoderate
gait, Or to ride or drive on or across the
sidewalks of the town The fine for each
offense shall be not ~less~tAaH $500 nor
more than $25.oo, or be imprisoned in
the parish jail not exceeding forty eight
hours, at the discretion of the court. y
The accepted speed, conforming to
safety and common sense, moderate
gait, IS eight miles all hour. which is
disregarded by nine-tenths of the auto
mobllists, and therefore public policy
dictates that the speed fixed by Mr..
| Florsheim' ordinance should be not
more than eight miles an hour, and six
miles an hour would give greater assur-
ance of safety to the people who cross
streets or travel the thoroughfares in
vehicles.
| While it is true that there are ordi-
nances fixing the speed at moderate
gait, technically it would not apply to
the auto, which is horseless, therefore an
ordinance to meet today's requirements
is imperative 1t may be observed that
the speed of ten miles is equal to a
horse being loped or trotted at speed
which would be a radical nfraction of
the law To some of the automobiltsts
a speed of ten miles would be license
for fifteen or twenty miles. and who is
10 be the judge of speed?
In substance Mr. Florsheim's ordi-
nance requires the registration of each
and every auto operated in the city and
for which a license must be issued and
that each and every auto shall be NUM-
bered conspicuously so as to be visible
at a glance by day or by night That
each and every automobile shall OBJ
serve the law of the road keep to the
right. That no person intoxicated shall
be permitted to operate an auto, and
speed limit. A fine not exceeding $1oo
is provided for each offense. 1t is sug
gested that the least fine be fixed, say
not less than $1,000 nor more than
$4,000, and in default of payment so
many hours or days i'll Jail In other
respects the ordinance may be cot1sit
cred favorably.
The Caucasian would emphasize the
fact that it is not opposed to automo-
biles, but whatever animosity exists in
the public mind today is traceable to the
|recklessness of some automobilist who
assumes the right of way over the
streets and all vehicles on the streets
and thoroughfares regardlss of persons
women, children and men.
When some of the automobilsts 'toot-
loot their horn" it means get out of the
way or be run over. That more serious
accidents have not occurred is seeming
" providential It is fact that
many accidents have been kept from
the public and from the newspa
per reporter. That there have been Sc
rious accidents will not be denied, but
for want of positive proof to sustain
their recital little has been said AS a
certain intersection of streets a man of
low estate and being boozy was run
down, and it was believed fatally in
jured The reporters of newspapers in
|the city were outwitted in their efforts
to obtain the facts sufficient to Justify
the statement of this occurrence. The
man recovered and has not since beer
seen in this city AT about the same
time lady. at another intersection of
the city had narrow escape. With re-
markabe presence of mind, the automo-
bilist, to avoid the accident which to eye
witnesses seemed inevitable, wheeled his
machine in the direction of the side
walk where it was almost wrecked. In
Difference to this lady publicity was
withheld, and no later than last
sunday afternoo lady and her
escort had very narrow escape
on Texas avenue from a collision
with an auto which had been propelled
against them with footing of the
tooter. And incidentally it may be re-
marked that the editor of this paper has
experienced two air-breadth escapes
from autos run at great speed and with
out the tooter having been footed
In self-defense and in keeping with
every dictate of preservation, the public
must be protected against the reckless
and the careless automobilists as well as
against the reckless or fast driver of
/ vehicle drawn by horses. or by lndivid-
uals on horseback. And to make his
ordinance complete. Mr.. Florshelm
should provide paragraph declaring it
to be unlawful for any automobile TO be
run into or runt out of any establish
ment from the front entrance The en-
trance for all autos should be through
the open way in the alleys where there