The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-08
PASSED AT LAST.
Automobile Ordinance Is Adopt
ed by Councilmen.
No Driver in Topeka Under Is
Years of Age.
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
A Fee of 81 Charged for Exam
lining All Drivers.
Other Business at the Council
OF EXAMINERS
Other Business at the Council
Chamber Last Night.

The long talked of automobile ordi-
nance has been passed by the city
council at last and will be published
and put into effect at once. The main
changes made by the ordinance as
passed last night make a speed limit of
l 8 miles an hour on the residence
streets of the city and IL on Kansas
avenue. This ordinance also makes it
necessary for the mayor to appoint
board of examiners to examine all
automobile drivers in the city and
charge them for the examination
price of one dollar. Another very i'm
portant measure is the age limit to
chauffeur. No person under Is years
of age will be allowed to drive a ma
chine on the streets of Topeka. These
are the sum total laws set down by
the councilmen last highland a big
lobby of automobile men were there
and witnessed it all.
The first fight of the evening on the
new law was on the speed limits. The
original ordinance called for 20 miles
an hour on the residence streets. AL
derman Miller, true to all preliminary
reports, jumped to his feet and moved
that the section be amended by sub
shutting Is for 20. This started the
fur flying and it finally came to a vote.
As expected a deadlock was formed at
once. Councilmen Drew, Fink, Fraser
Lannan and Miller were for the
20 mile limit were Blakely, Howard
Jordan, Stanley and Tandy.
This deadlock required a new series
of oratory. Something must be done to
influence the counci1men to make their
vote stand for one side or the other
Mr.. Howard and Mr. Blakely took the
floor and spoke for their side of the
question. They told of all the COM
plants which had been received from
their constituents and some daring ex-
posures were made-and Chief Eaton
listened to it all taking a number of
mental notes. Then Mr.. Miller once
more stood UP for his country and ex-
planned why he was in favor of the 16
mile rule. The vote on the whole sec
tion-or to make the limit 90 miles an
hour-was placed by Mayor Green.
Again the deadlock occurred. Finally
Mr.. Howard suggested IS miles an
hour as happy medium and the limit
was passed.
Then came the age limit. The
original ordinance read Is years of
age. Mr.. Stanley jumped to his feet
and suggested that it read Is instead
of 18. He said there were many young
boys who could handle cars and he
thought that l 5 years of age made very
little difference as far as the difference
He argued that boy of Is could han
die his car better than the man of
40 or so. Councilman Blakely tried to
make it 16 years of age. Then Mr..
Miller came to the front again. He
said:
gentlemen this is an outrage. This
town is full OF young drivers-in fact
there are too many children who are
handling thse big cars. A child does
not have the cool judgment It re-
quires a cool head to manage a car
when there is danger. A child may
be able to work out in the open but l
insist that when the time arrives-just
this time that we are making this
ordinance for tonight-the child loses
its head and the deed is done. ! am
for IS"
Mr.. Miller carried the day-the mo-
ton was lost and g was adopted as
the age limit.
Then came the clause which requir-