The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-19
FORGET THE LAWS
Automobile Ordinance Is Not
Needed by Topeka Drivers.
Many Children Under Is Years
of Age Running Machines.
BLAMES THE POLICE.
Geo. w. Crane Says They Are
Not Doing Their Duty.
Mayor Billiard Issues Orders for
Better Surveillance.
BLAMES THE POLICE.

Since the accident last week at the
corner of Sixth and Topeka avenues
when Mrs. A. K. Wilson was thrown
from carriage and badly bruised as a
result Of a collision with an automobile
driven by a 16-year-old girl who didn't
have a drivers license, the people of
the city have demanded from Mayor
Billiard that some action be taken in
regard to the reckless driving now pre-
valent in Topeka.
That there are score of Is, IA and IS
year-old children driving automobiles
in Topeka, that there are any number
of drivers without licenses from the
city license board and that the speed
limits are being exceeded on all city
streets is a known fact to every To-
peka pedestrian.
The accidents of the last few months
and the actions of many automobile
drivers on the streets have aroused the
law abiding people of the city and they
have demanded of Mayor billiard and
Chief of Police Jenkins that Something
be done at once to stop this wholesale
breaking of the law.
1t is a city ordinance that no person
under the age of 16 years shall be al
lowed to run an automobile in the city
limits Of Topeka. This ordinance was
passed last year and at that time the
city was aroused over the fact that the
age be left at Is years. 1t was almost
the unanimous opinion of the people
and even the automobile ownerS-thdt
IS years be the age limit for drivers.
When the ordinance came before the
city council this age limit was fought
out for over a month before it was
finally settled.
Then the ordinance provided for an
automobile board Of examiners who
cross-examined all applicants for
licenses and made them secure q
license before they were allowed on the
street with their automobiles. For
awhile this board issued many licenses
and the ordinance was followed out 10
the letter But gradually the ordinance
was losing ground and soon the drivers
forgot about the law.
Not only are some of the children
managing cars in the city incompetent
but they know nothing of the mech
anism of the car. At a recent ac-
cident the girl in charge of the car
was asked why she did not stop her
machine when she saw she was in
danger.
Il didn't know how" she said-and
this person was driving a big auto
mobile down one of the busiest
throughfareS in the city.
When Chief Jenkins was asked
concerning the matter, he said:
I'VE are going to do our best to see
that those under age and those with
biles on the streets i nthe city. But
you may see that it is a hard matter
for a police officer to stop every 9TH
err car and ask the age of the driver
and require them to exhibit their IL
censes. This is almost impossible for
an officer to do"
Mayor Billiard said:
II have given instructions to the
chief of police to make note of
anyone who disobeys this ordinance
will do 81 m
catch them, bring them to the police
court and fine them accordingly
Crane Is Disguised.
George w. Crane, chairman of the
city autom obile board who attempted
to resign the other day, is also aware
of the fact that the ordinance is be-
ing f1agrantly violated.
THE police department is COM
pletely disregarding the fact that
there is an automobile ordinance on
the city records" said Mr.. Crane
when the police department carries
out the ordinances in this matter L
see no reason for having an automo-
bile board. We can't get out and ar
rest people because they do not live
up to our rules.
There have been a number of &C
cidents lately and the police depart
ment has paid no attention to them.
The worst part of these accidents was
the fact that in every case the driver
of the machine was without license
or a right to drive. The police DO
not recognize the speed limit laws or
anything else in connection with our
ordinance
Mr.. Crane tried to resign from the
board which is composed of G. w.
Hackney, w. H. Kemper and himself,
Int on promise from Mayor Billiard
that the police would do better he has
decided that he will remain in office
until the term expires in July. The
city officials have pursuaded him to
do that.
But if there isn't a damper placed
on the reckless and joy driving in To-
peka the people may rise up and de-
mand that the police do something.
x1crropC NAV co UNATTENDED