Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-14
WHEEL TAX is
DISCUSSED BY
AUTO OWNERS
Tell Aldermen They Do Not Sc.
riously Object if Fee is
Not Too High.
G0ODADvlCe ON STREET CARE
Refer 1t to Committee of Whole SEES
sicn-Council Wants Tracks Re-
built and Extended.


subject of discussion last evening, and
when the question had been discussed
in its various phases by the aldermen
and automobile owners present, it was
decided to refer ii again to a commit
tee of the whole session. The council
VIII meet i'll committee session Friday
evening. and at that time the council
will hear from all of the auto owners
and owners of horses and rigs who
care TO discuss the proposed ordinance
Last evening there was delegation
of auto owners Oh hand, representing
automobile men last week. Among
those who addressed the council were
DR.. e. NJ. Sala, E. II. Guyer, Walter
A. Rosenfield, and Robert Smythe.
Some of the opinions expressed at the
meeting were the following:
Dr. Sala-''I have no particular OBJ
lection to the wheel tax, if the rates
are not too high"
W. A. Rosenfield THE ordinance,
with the rates as cut down, seems to
lie all right, and | think the auto OWN
ers will not seriously object to its
adoption, provided the fund is, as stat
ed, TO be kept separate and used for
Istreet repairs and improvements. How
ever, there are several things TO be con-
sidered in this connection. Vehicles
drawn by horses, it seems to me, should
be taxed on their weight capacity, as
| the number of horses may vary, and
other conditions arise that makes the
| present arrangement inefficient. 1t
would also be well for the council to
| officially consider the matter of the en-
| fOrcement of the provision requiring
lights on alp vehicles, carriages as
well as automobiles, as measure for
safety. Then, too, transfers should
be compelled to supply themselves
with good wagons-they can get them
in Moline-and they should be pre-
vented from allowing half of their
loads of stone and such material to be
spilled on the streets TO ruin the tires
of automobiles
Robert Smythe-''The claim that au-
tomobiles damage roads materially is
a fable. There is no real reason for
charging d higher rate for an automo-
bile carrying four persons, riding on
air and rubber, than is charged for a
| horse-drawn vehicle of the same ca
pacity, riding on steel or rubber tires.
The only roads that automobiles dam
age are macadamized highways, and in
France these are specially prepared SO
that autos do not damage them even
The automobile has done more for
good roads and the good roads move
ment than any other institution, and q
| stone thrown at it is a stone hurled al
the good roads movement, and a boom
erang that will hit the man who hurls
it, The council should consider the
valuation of the machines, too. Should
$3.50 machine pay as much as {
brand new $1,000 car? Then, too, there
is the question of double taxation t.
be considered
There is no question but that Rocl
Island streets are a disgrace to thu
city, and | and other automobile own
ers are willing to pay a reasonable ia,
| to fund to put them in good shap
and keep them that way The cit
should do something to stop the malic
i0as throwing of glass bottles and otf
er glass and stones ON the streets
II They ruin auto tires and cause tn
autoists' worst trouble
II b. H. Guyer-"The wheel tax TO
autos certainly should not be based o
pho 10 -,
8 speed, and thus the amount of hors
Ipower which may be used, and on
B should not pay tax on horse powe
g which is merely reserve for hill ciiml
3 ing. and not used
Z IF autos are to be taxed. the stree
q cars, which occupy the greater part {
q the street and require sever or eigf
a poles TO the block, should certainly b
u taxed. Then there is the question {
q Davenport and Moline users of Roc
81 Island streets. There are probably &c
g lmen living in and near Davenport VIII
q constantly haul coal through Rock I
i land, and their heavy wagons certain
Z ly do large part in destroying IL
S Streets
81 Rates to BE Cut.
The matter was brought>up by Aide
q man Tuekis, who again presented IL
81 ordinance, and offered an amendmel
81 TO fix the automobile charges at NUT
q lower figures than suggested at Il
"a last meeting. The schedule propos,
IA by Alderman Tuckis provides the fe
q as follows: Autos with seats for ty
FL persons, So; with seats for three pc
sons, SO; with seats for four perso
a or more, exclusive of trucks or busst
~ SIS; trucks and buses, $25.
IS Alderman Smith presented the pl
i test of about so automobile owners,
~ jecting to the proposed ordinance.
moved the ordinance be tabled, but
81 motion lost, to 5.
Alderman Ostrom, when t