Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-05
DOES NOT PREVENT RACE.
Can Roads of State Be Made Into a
 Race Course?

Bridgeport, April 28.--The auto
 mobile law passed by the last legis- | lature does not contain provision
 according to Frank T. Staples, presi-
 dent of the Bridgeport Automobile
 club, that will prevent the Vanderbilt
 cup race being held in Connecticut.
 provided an acceptable course can be | found. In MT Staples's opinion the
 whole question hinges on the right of the state or the towns in which the course is located, to shut off the pub 1 lie from the highways while the race | is in progress, thus making the high ways for the time being not high ways, but race courses, as well as the inability of the people having the
 race in charge to properly protect the
 course so. that there shall be no dan
 ger to the public. <. .4r ae. MT Staples was at Hartford when
 the law was under discussion and so is familiar with the intent of its
 provisions. He says that it was de-
 signed to allow any rate of speed de-
 sired at places where there was nc
 danger to the public and was modelled
 after the foreign laws which place the burden of proof as to whether the speed was reckless or not upon the operator of the machine.
 MT Staples also says that one in tent of the law was to do away with tripping people by. catching them driving at high rate of speed where there was no danger. He holds that a uniform or limited rate of speed is an impossibility. For instance he says that out in the open country on straight road with fields each side and no cross roads a rate of 35 miles an hour is not reckless while in many cities and towns speed of even as low as six miles an hour is reckless.
 MT Staples also says that one of the main points at issue is the finding of suitable course for the. Vanderbilt cup race, which he thinks will be an extremely hard thing to do. But once having found such course the next thing is to secure the means for prop erly patrolling it so as to protect the public from danger. He says that this is the main trouble with Long | Island since they are unable to get the militia out there to patrol the course. It is not the people living | along the course who are objecting | to the race but the automobilists whc want the course better protected.
 MT Staples admits that he does not know who can give the authority for the race. He supposes that if the legislature were in session they might do it, but since they are not he does not exactly know who has this right although he is inclined to think that the towns may do so if they so desire. In his opinion the people along the course would undoubtedly favor hold ing the race because of the great sum of money. that would be left by the people fiocking to see the races.
 A. L. Riker, chairman of the spe- cial committee to select course for the Vanderbilt cup race on the part of the local automobile club, admitted frankly that he had not thoroughly studied the law. although there was in it from his impression that would in any way prohibit the race being held in this state. MT Riker says that as soon as possible he will look up the law SO as to know how it reads.
 Mr Riker says that in his opinion the clause in the law which is said tc prevent any racing on the highways was simply put there to prevent indi- vidual towns from making speed laws of their own which would nullisy the state law.