The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-16

bit those men hardly any one would have
believed that the automobiliSts had DELHI
erately done such O thing.
But We have taught these people to
know that . motorcycle man won't give up
once he's started after n Of them. They
do all sorts Of tricks like stopping short
and hoping that the man behind will ruin
into them and be hurt 90 badly that he
can't pursue them. and things like that.
but we have taught them that well follow
them over rough roads, oobbles or any
thing. II never would do to let them think
they oan get away from US.
aOf, course when they are speeding In
our. territory going toward New York It il
easy. All We have TO do II they try TO get
away 10 to get close enough to read the
number. Then to a telephone and let the
Thirty-fourth street ferry man know that
he's to stop suoh and such q car. We don't
have to chase them.
Compare that system with the grating
speed traps that they have In some country
places. They aren't designed 70 stop speed
ing, They arc to get the money for the
fines.
and those big high powered cars will
give the laugh TO any OF those country oops
who try to stop them. II the oonstables
use q rope sometimes the car win run right
through. and that viii mean injury to the
man who 10 holding the rop They don't
stop the speeders that way and they don't
limit the possibility Of accident.
1T is criminal tho way those things are
managed. I have noticed time and again
that when the a~utomobilists get out OF our
territory they at ono hit II up and begin
to speed. .
snow as to the matter Of The railroad
crossings. For n thing. the bells are
not rightly placed. They should be at
least 100 yards on either side Of the Cross
ing, whore there isn't noise to prevent the
ringing from being heard. For another
thing that would give the chauffeur plenty
OF time In which to slow up.
-Oftentimes the car IL making 30 much
noise when the driver IL emitting his gears
near the crossing that he can't hear any
bell, and II there IN no 1agman he IL apt
to drive right In 'front.' Of q train. All these
crossings have to DO built with the tracks
somewhat elevated because Of weather
conditions. and to ascend these grades the
gears must be changed.
sStiIl another thing, tho bars they let
down aren't strong enough Ono time I
saw q man drive q car right through tho
gates top speed. The ends Of tho bars
snapped of and when I won't over to look
at them I saw that they were Just extra
fimsy pieces nailed on.
'The fagman said that they bad been put
up that way beosuse Q lot Of men drove
through and they didn't want to have
them take chances Of getting hurt by the
flying timbes. II those gates were OF
iron I bet there wouldn't be any careless
drivers running through them.
then again the approaches to these
crossings aren't always marked. There
10 one crossing I know h~ereabouts whero
there isn't any gate and the approach 10
made around q sharp turn through q piece
Of woodn. A driver has no ohanoe to 500
anything ahead and little opportunity Of
bearing anything coming.
But b most important thing TO my
mind b to have . fagman on duty at later
hours. Suppose q man runs down some
where into the country to get his dinner.
He isn't llpely TO start back much before
the middle Of the evening. and II he does
reach acrosstns expecting 10 zee q hagman
and finds non there dgnalling. naturally
he believes chat svsrythinsis al right.
And away he goss. It b al right to
say that he ought 10 got out and look
along the track. but not every man Will
DO that
Il remember the case OF q careful enough
driver who was killed With q young woman
at . crossing some time ago. He was 40
oustomed to 60 along the road IN the day
time. and one evening when hs was with
his aanose he came along to the crossing:
Getting no signal he continued across the
tracks.
"A train hit his machine and O fatality
followed. / believe It 10 the boundsn duty
Of the railroad companies to have watch
men on at almost all times and the lack
OF than has cost many lives.
.A-'ud you. IL isn't always the railroads.
fault. Tho Joy riders. the chauffeur who
10 stealing his boss's oar for the night and
the party OF drunks-those persons are
Responsible often for the accidents they
meet with. There 10 Q good deal too much
Of that. But It stands TO reason that good
stiff bars aoross the road and careful flag.
men always on duty would minimize the
danger
The other policeman also gave som Of
his ideas on the subject:
7 think there Y ANOTHER thing that wSHld
Of tho roads. There 10 90 much dust that
naturally q man with o good car doesn't
want to stay In back Of another that is
smaller and Of lower power. So out he
goes and there is q race.
Both raise clouds Of dust and in that
something is bound TO happen. That is
how Joseph Arosemena was killed near
Mineola. His car vas run down by one
Of. two big ones that were racing in the
other direction.
Daniel Levefani was killed while his
car was racfng with another. This 10 GRIM
inal oaSs3essnees, to be sure. but at least
II there were notlso much dust on the roads
there would be q chance to see what is
going on. In New Jersey, where the roads
arc carefully oiled In many places. condi-
lions arc better for all cars.
.Then, again. many Of these accidents,
which never are explained, may be laid
to Ignorance on the part Of the drivers Of
the machines. Some carr will go twenty
to twenty-five. miles IN hour all right, but
they haven't the power TO do better.
THE man driving gets to a level stretch
Of road and he hits It up. Pretty soon>the
car ID going faster than fs safe for the limits
Of its power and something breaks. Before
he can do anything to save himself the ma
zbto> hanua t,tn n frao and Tiara in