New-York tribune., 1908-01-27
TAX ON AUTOS PLANNED
DAMAGE TO ROADS TOLD.
SLene, IN Report, Differs scith Ste
r,cns on Canal Plan.
rRv Telegraph to The Tribune J

TRy Telegraph The Tribune
Albany Jan 2S.-The keynote of what may de-
velop into the features of the present session
OF the INSTRUMENTATION of automobiles-is
sounded in the annual report Of Frederick Skene'
State Engineer and Surveyor. given out tonight In
which he declares: II deem ii my duty to call your
attention 10 the injurious effect of rapidly driven
power vehicles upon the public highways OF the
state especially those of macadam surface The
question cannot longer De ignored
Through some anomaly OF politics automobiles
have thus far escaped taxation. This neglect mas
not been due lack of initiative. for bills nave
been introduced the Legislature for several years
past proposing to automobiles under all sorts OF
conditions Many OF them have from men
who would tax anything down TO windo" pahes.
However, there have been some serious attempts 10
approach subject a sane basis ana an
rouncement is made by the New York state Au'o-
mobile Association that another attempt VIII o'
made this year.
The effect of high speed machines on improved
roads is not a matter but it is treated in some
thing of d new way by the State Engineer, who says
in part:
Ten years ago the Higbie- Armstrong bill became
break awav from the antiquated methods in vogue
during the previous century ana give 70 s +Ir for
the money expended their construction inns
a Tgentv Years struggle of the few advocates Of
improved highways. led by the league OF AM ar
Of .is,'' roads. '' 49, .oon,. - t-r OK
reluctance
pensive experiments and to MAKE S GoSIy yoad had
tions-although the success OF macadam roaus ndu
long campa gn of education before the law could be
passed The leading aTgImeHt was 1ak ti9 fheir
crops. To this end they were permitted by me Jaw
front OF their holdings and were assessed accord
ing to their benefits or pracucag acGorGihg hs} 40
period the of the highways by automooleS 10
any considerable extent was neither foreseeh nor
It is only within the last three years that
,rlso f7ayrp
mobiles well as in their weight and speed mas mas
~ .-aUe This damage appears to he caused
ways-frst, by the so-called suction OF the Droao
rubber tire of swiftly moving wheei upon the the
finely commnuted material Of the wearing surface
and binder causing It to be dsplaeeG ana ~
the TOP course Of macadam which are in their turn
the same agency and. second. by the direct picking
action of numerous devices nov qseq 10 r ro1sL5t
hold upon the smooth surface Of the finished road;
by 4 the qsg OF caaas ao ces and intended 20
prevent side-slip of the wheels especially III VET
weather. at high speed or at turns IN the Toda @
is to be observed that speed P & is an ese9 ss9
The higher the speed Of the machine the greater IS
the injury inflicted The law now permits n"
sFsaG Sg than a tH@ Hy miles e is s0r aP2e
common knowledge that this Law is more honored
in the breach than the observance
AUTOMOBILE BILLS NEVER PASSED.
Last wear and the year before the late Assem-
blvrnan Mervin G Stanley. Of New York City in
troduced bills proposing to create an automobile
commission. consist Of three members. 70 he
aruointed by the Governor and to serve without
co,npensation. system of registration was pro
,ded and fee of 81 was imposed for each ma
chine Soon after introducing the hill last year
Mr. Stanley died, and no one carried II on To
passage.
In connection with several other bills relating
20 highway Improvement. Assemblyman Steven
son Of Delaware County. last wear introduced a
bill taxing automobiles according to their seating
capacitv. IT was provided in the bill that the
highways
The auton,obiIists themselves in favor this
wear of = BILL and it is understood that within
few weeks the Now York state Automobile Asso-
citation will present for passage a measure pro
,idinS for automobile taxation on the following
eca,e annually: Runabouts, s.; small touring
cars s.: medium touring cars, 81 and high power
cars s. The proceeds which IT is estimated Will
he about 0.0G0 year, are TO he devoted TO
highway maintenance. 1t is probable that this
hill hearing the official Endorsement Of the auto
r7obilfsts themselves. will be treated with much
consideration
II has been said here that the reason the auto
r7obilists want themselves Is due 10 a De
sire TO register their position before the state
takes notion 70 impose tax which will be
much moro remuuerative than the proposed scale
II is expected that the report of the special
legislative highway committee. which is due
about February !. Will contain some suggestion
regarding highway maintenance Whether it will
20 so far as recommend automobile tax
remains to be seen
BARGE CANAL PROJECT DISCUSSED.
The barge canal project is discussed by the state
Engineer and Surveyor from different point of
view from that taken by Superintendent Frederick
C. Stevens OF the State Department of Public
Works in the report of that department, given out
a week ago. Incidentally Mr. Skene declares that
"the so-called 'thousand-ton barge canal is
rnisnomer The width OF locks has been increased
from 2s TO As feet and boats of nearly two thousand
tons may now be used Less than One-quarter OF
the whole 440 miles including the Erie Charnplain
and OsWego divisions will be In restricted channel
OF 75 feet. If these portions should in future be
slightly ~idened to allow the passing of two boats
of size TO occupy the full lock width, each boat
would have d capacity OF $500 tons The ques-
tions Of the most economical size OF boats
whether single tandem in auadrupe fleet forTna-
ton are yet be determined by actual expert
ence.'
Superintendent Stevens recommended the appoint
rnent OF Il commission TO confer with the federal
authorities regarding the construction OF federal
shin canal instead OF Il state barge canal and de
clared that the canal planned would be OBJ
solete by the time il completed
Mr. Skene saws that "the people of the state ire