The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1909-03-03
AUTO BILLS
: ON TRIAL
Divergent Views Expressed at Legislative
Hearing Yesterday.
Present Law Favored by Many if Author.
tiles Enforce it-S0me Radical
Suggestions.


the hearing on various automobile
bills before the committee on roads.
bridges and rivers in the hall of thu
House Of Representatives, yesterday
While those who are an
tagonistic to automobiling in general.
favored a sweeping change, the men
who drive cars insisted that providing
q proper penalty-as severe as seems
necessary-anG an enforcement OF
those penalties, would do much to cleae
up the present trouble.
There were four bills up for discus
sion. The first was that fathered by
Representative Eckhard of Stamford.
himself an automObiliSt. which Would
strengthen the present law, as he sa d
where 1t seems to be needed. This bill
provides that the question of the suit
ability Of a person applying for a liz
cense to drive shall be determined by
the secretary of state, adopt substan-
TALLY a part of the New Jersey law
which would do away with the present
reciprocity feature of the Connecti-
cut law, and cOmDelS every nOn-reSI-
dent to register in this state. reducing
ths speed limit to twenty miles an
hour, outside of cities and boroughS.
and twelve miles within such limits.
and compels drivers to bring their cars
to a stop. when approaching trolley
cars not in motion. The other bills all
referred to speed limits. ranging from
fifteen to twenty miles an hour.
Representative Eckhard. in support
of his bill. said it must be self-evident
to all that the present law is not what
was expected of 1t two years ago. 1t
was thought to be model law and
some so regard It now. In the hands
of sensible people 1t was good law.
but we always have with us the road
hog and speed maniac and 1T is against
them that the public needs some sort
of protection" The present law might
be a good one, but there should be
% rdC If
Representative Eckhard referred to
some fatalities that had occurred in
Stamford and alluded to the fact that
automobilists from New York state
come into Connecticut in great num-
bers and drive at a tremendous rate
of speed. He urged that some provi-
sion be made to care for the danger
attendant On alighting from trolley
cars and referred to the feature of his
bill that covered that point.
Representative Clark of Bridgeport
said he believed there should be some
discrimination made between the
sparsely settled communities. In Or
der to go from one place to another,
he said. it would be necessary to drive
at q rate Of speed greater than provid-
ed for in the proposed amendments
He considered that a speed of twenty
five miles an hour would not be unsafe
or hazardous to the travelling public.
Judgment should be shown at all
twenty-five miles an hour.
Representa- Dormitzer of Wood
bury heartily agreed with Represen-
tative Clarks remarks in relation to
the speed limit on country roads, and
endorsed his views. He referred to
the New Jersey law as an undesirable
feature. He said the development OF
automobile travel has brought people
into the state and they have left their
money here. Also the opportunity af-
forded automobilists to see what Con-
necticut has to offer has resulted in
their purchasing homes here. He con-
sidered it would be a serious mistake
to compel people from other states.
while visiting here. to take out licenses.
He added he would be very much op-
posed to such a proposition.
J. H. Hale said his wife sometimes
had to drive a horse after dark, an(s
believed there should be some law that
would compel automobiles approach
ing a team to slow down. He said the
roads in the country were not built
for automobiles and are very narrow.
He considered it unsafe for women to
drive upon the highways. and they
should be protected. Otherwise. there
should be two roads. one for automo-
biles and the other for horse travel.
He said he had no objection to the
autmobilists building a road for their
own use. but if thew want to use the
general highway. there should be some
safe guard afforded for other users of
the roads.
Representative Quintard of Norwalk
IF the gentleman who has just
spoken will read the automobile law,
he will find that those things have
ben taken care of. The trouble is
! the law is not enforced" Mr.. Quintard
was in favor of some fee being charged
non-residents. more for the purpose of
providing some means of identifying
the cars than from the question II
revenue. The irresponsible speed
cranlzs, he said. are what we want to
\ ,I,1 @o11D
to take out license so we could have
a record of these people coming into
the state.
Mr.. Ahern of Stamford said he had
had considerable experience in lodging
automobiles and believes there should
be some change in the law. He said
locomotive engineers have to pass
special examination before they can
run an engine on tracks provided for
that purpose, but any person can pro-
cure a license permitting him to drive
an automobile anywhere in the state
Representative Davis of Ridgeheld
spoke of the tremendous amount of
| traffic in that town during the sum-
mer season. and said the cars at times
go fast sixty miles an hour.
| These drivers had no regard for any
body or any law. He wanted to know
what the present law had done for the
state.
e. P Chesbro of Willimantic. who
runs a garage. said he did not think
| b cIldIlSe III tIie SpSCu 40" "o D1
| of any benefit. If we cannot enforce
| the present law. we surely could not
do any better with the limit at fifteen
| miles an hour.
| Representative Quintard said he was
| in favor of a provision for a strict ex-
! animation of chauffeurs. He had no
| ticed women driving cars, and he did
not believe they could tell the differ
| ence between the steering gear and the
tail-light. He would be in favor of
| such a law as is in force in Massachu-
sets.
Mr. Yale said he would suggest an
amendment that every time an auto
mobile kills a man. there should be a
| black stripe painted on it to remain as
| long as the automobile should be used.
(Applause.)
Harry T. King of Meriden urged that
non-residents be compelled to pay a
| registration fee and in this way con-
! tribute towards the maintenance of
| roo5c that helm tO DESTROY