New-York tribune., 1909-04-11
CHAINS LITTLE USED
SAVE LIFE AND LIME.
Their VGLue SAID Far to OutJcelgS
Injury to Roads.
By Coker r CIsrkson-

F-orbiddinr the use OF chains safety devices on
automobile tires will interfere seriously win tAs
use Of automobiles on the highways. bringing "a
under certain conditions factor OF danger ".io @
will be a deterrent The Importance OF the eIec.
OF the use OF automobiles TO every farmer ana
manufacturer indeed. to every citizen OF the stats,
is so great that it would seem wise 70 ~cohSio9I ~
whether the objections 10 the use OF chans can
possibly outweigh the unfortunate result u AOi VIZ
ding their
The automobile has developed faster than the arr
Of road construction 1t must be borne III Tnlns'
that the roads in every part OF the w0rid are cor
structed 20 carry the traffic that develops frame
is not outawed or fmpeded to suit the highways
This Is a natural law. However what IS the possi-
bic injury to the use Of chainsZ only lF&S-
ton Of the automobiles in operation ever use
chains. Those on which chains are used have
them in the tool box nine-teuths OF tha tms-proo-
ably only day i'm a month are chains used Tor
a short time. Is it possible that this small use
can really be the cause OF material damage to ths
roads? During the very small time relatively that
chains are used what happens On the straight
stretches when running free the wheels are In per-
feet rolling contact with the road and the chains
are loose on tire threads and imbed themselves
partly in the tread OF the tire and partly IN tns
road II the road is soft, the chains will com
pact small area OF it. II the total area OF the
road could similarly treated, It would be greatly
improved Thus far. Objectionable feature -
present IN the use 81 chains On the contrary,
every horse that passes every moment he Is on
the road, is digging into and distintegratins ths
road.
This brings US to the question Of starting heavy
cars and also the effect Of braking. when chains
are used Such actions take place the start,
for example. of a mile OF two run, and for a few
feet there may be some disntegratiOn Of the road
caused thereby when stopping. for twenty or thirty
feet there may likewise be injury When Slowing
around curves q small surface OF the FOad may Be
ripped. and cause some damage. But meanwhis
the lives of the occupants OF the car or Of users
OF the road may have been saved.
"a he cru Z
run OF an automobile with chains there IS a
possibility of the road being damaged for hun
dred feet but little probability. This means pos
sibIy per cent OF the time when chains used
But chains are used at the during Of
thirty days. that is per cent Of the time How
ever, all machines do not use chains by any means
At most the above means that per cent OF per
cent, or less than One-tenth Of l per cent OF the
time OF operation OF automobiles the highways.
involves any possibility Of damage
On the other hand. when chains actually used
it for the purpose of saving life and limb. A
new mode Of transportation has come into
midst. The public will IT. The citizens OF rhs
state must use it, and they are beginning 70 SEE
the stupendOUs economic value Of its The
argument sometimes advanced that speeding auto
mobiles use chains in good weather and may there
fore cause injury during a larger percentage OF
the time Of their operation the highways. IL
very logical: but such cases simply occasional
and attract attention out Of all proportion their
actual happening. This different ques-
ton however and the state is enacting laws
against speeding, and all right minded motorists
are cooperating, and Will continue to co-Operats
with the state authorities
Is it not possible that the damage accredited to
chains on automobiles has really been caused by
different agencies We have had IN the past laws
respecting the width Of metal Horse-drawn TehiCls
tires. Have these laws been enfOrCed2 Is il not
fact that the highways have been improved u
NEST the requirements OF hOrse-draWn traf1c.
which formerly rutted all roads. that the
tire laws for hOrss-drawn traffic are in this
spect inmateriaI?
The inAnitesmaI OF chains automoois
tires compared with the total mileage
mobiles highways would therefore to
cause logical basis for the restriction which
may be contemplated Life and limb are saved out
of all proportion to any possible faucied IN
jury to roads; and still it is clear that other
agencies may be the cause OF the alleged road
damage.
Commission is rapidly putting the state highways
into condition wherein the inevitable OF auto
mobiles WILL it must. be accommodated IL
seems clear that the chain question is a de-
tail. although a necessity in the deveIOpn1ent
a great epoch in common road transportation.
The exaggeratiOn or the Importance OF the ques-
ton is undoubtedly due TO some unfortunate Gauss
that has untusty singled out this safety devices