Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-02-04
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY a, 1910.
WANTS A TAX ON AUTOS.
State Highway Commission Re-
ports That m otor Vehicle Traf-
flc Increases Cost of Main
tanning Roads Million
Dollars Year.

cause of the use of automobiles, we clip
from the Troy Tines
Albany, N. Y, Jan. 10. Declaring
that automobile traffic has compelled
more expensive methods of construction
of highways throughout the state, which
will cost annually over $1,000, 900, the
State Commission of Highway in its
first annual report to the Legislature
recommends the enforcement of an an
nual registration fee for automobiles,
which will give the state not less than
$500, 900, the proceeds to be devoted to
the care and maintenance of improved
highways. The commission states that
the 81 10000 does not take into account
the large additional amount necessary
for repairs on the other roads.
1t is very evident that the tax on
automobiles, in order to pay the extra
expense of road building, will have to
be very much increased-to at least
fifty dollars year on any automobile
of average size or weight. The New
York City papers-The Tribune and
Word-were recently insisting that the
auto costing S., 600 should pay as much
tax as the house costing the same, sug
costing that this would mean in New
York about 500 or more year.
This is eminently proper but does not
at all fully cover the case. For the
house not only does not increase the eX-
penses of the town or city, but instead
raises the value of other real estate, and
in addition to this the man that builds
house gives large amount of employ
ment to laborers, not only in its con-
struction but in its maintenance; whilst
on the other hand the man who buys an
automobile increases very much the
expenses of the community, and lessons
the amount of property for taxation
and other uses-the whole price of it
in most cases being withdrawn from
the county or State.
But worse than all the rest the man
that purchases an automobile, leopard
ICES the safety and comfort of his
neighbors, is almost certain to seriously
injure people and property, one or
both, sooner or later.
The following case has just come to
our attention: Mrs Mears, whose hus-
band is town clerk of Hancock, was
driving last fall from her daughters in
Rochester to her own home in Hancock,
when she met an automobile from Mas
sachusetts going at high rate of speed.
The horse was frightened, turned around
and ran away throwing out Mrs. Mears
and breaking her collar bone. She was
under the doctors care for a long time
and perhaps will never wholly recover
from the accident
Another similar case happened near
Royalton. Two children had driven to
town and were returning home when
they met an auto running at high speed;
their horse was frightened, turned
around throwing them out and severely
injuring them. The autoist in this case
put on extra speed and escaped without
his identity being known.
A recent Montpelier paper has the
following:
TWO RIBS AND SLEIGH VALUED AT
81, 900 IN DAMAGE SUIT.
1.-THE suit of Joseph Chalfoux against
James M. Boutwell, of Montpelier in
which damages of 1000 are claimed
was entered Saturday on the docket of
Washington county court for trial at the
March term. This grows out of an auto
mobile accident on the highway between
Montpelier and Barre January Is when
the team driven by the plaintiff was
run into by an automobile owned and
driven by the defendant and as result
two ribs of the wife of the plaintiff and
his sleigh were smashed. The suit is
brought for loss of the services of the
plaintiff S wife and for the injury to her
body and mind, also for the damages
done to the sleigh"
Quite recently Mr.. Mack of Corn
wall in returning from the depot with
his daughters who were returning from
school, met the automobile that Mr..
Wing, who was elected highway sur
veyor of Cornwall, thought best to buy.
Mr.. Mack says he was unable to hold