Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-06-16
SECRETARY OF STATE HAYWARD
BEGINS TASK OF RENUM-
eERING CARS.
LAW EFFECTIVE JULY
ENTAILS MUCH WORK
Secretary Issues Statement in Reply to
Many Inquiries From People Who
Do Not Understand Statute Passed
BY General acknowledgements
ton Of License Law.

mobile and motor vehicle operating In
the state
While the new auto law does not be-
come effective until July 4, the secre-
tary Of state must begin assigning
numbers at this early date in order to
keep from being absolutely swamped
with applications on July 4.
An idea Of the job the secretary Of
state has on hand can be gathered from
the mere facts that up to date there are
more than $4,000 motor vehicles operat-
ing in the state. One shipment Of ap-
plication blanks out of the office Of the
secretary of state to motor car oper-
ators consisted Of nineteen mail sacks
filled with letters.
Despite the widespread publicity
which has been given to the new auto
law, two thirds Of the motor car men
Of the state still profess ignorance as
to its provisions. Hundreds of letters
asking information come in every day.
Secretary Hayward has had a letter
printed in which all the questions US
ually asked by motorists are answered.
The letter follows:
Des Moines, Iowa, June s, 1911.-Dear
Sir: I am receiving so many letters
asking information in regard to the
new motor vehicle law, and their num-
Der is increasing SO rapidly, I find it
impossible to answer them all promptly
in the usual way. by dictat1on and type
writer, and 50 have prepared this let
ter, giving information that answers
most Of the usual questions, and that
can be mailed by the clerks without
delay. There are over $4,000 registered
machines, and their owners. as we'll as
law INF a n
which they are entitled to receive. All
Of these machines, not out Of use or
sold out Of the state, must be regis
tered under the new law, and dealers
must have new numbers, and all should
be attended to, II possible before the
fourth of July.
Because Of the reason first given and
the immense amount of business to be
transacted in so short a time, am
obliged to ask to be excused from MAX
ing personal replies to the vast number
of letters received, and answer them In
this way.
The new motor vehicle law takes ef-
feet July 4, 1911.
The old law is still in force and will
remain in force until Julys4, and must
be operated under until that date.
The new law. when in effect, will
abolish the IS registration fee and all
other provisions of the old law. It will
also cancel all old registrations
The new law provides for an annual
registration fee which is to be in lieu
of the old IS fee and Of all taxes
am told that in many cases the fees to
be paid will be less than would have
had to be paid in taxes if the new law
had not been enacted.
no Av~t t-t- Poo 70
be paid under the new law Is to cover
period beginning July and ending
Dec. 81 of this year, and is to be one
half of the annual fee; then on Jan.
there must be re-registrationa and
payment Of an annual fee to cover the
year 1912; and so on annually there
after.
Under the new law the state Is to
furnish number plates. two for ach
machine, one to go in front and one in
the rear Each dealer and each owner
of a machine is to be furnished two Of
these plates, with numbers, at no ex-
pense beyond the rgistratoin fee or
cost Of dealers number. Extra plates
will be furnished at 81 each; not 81
a pair or 81 a machine, but 81 for each
individual plate, or 81 pair.
No number plates can be legally used
except those furnished by the state.
Number plates are to have a differ
ent color each year.
Applications may be made and num-
bers assigned under the new law prior
to July 4, but numbers SO assigned
and number plates furnished, can not
be legally used before that date.
Persons who purchase motor vehicles
any time prior to July 4, and who wish
to operate them on the public streets
and highways must, In order to do so
legally, register them under the old
law and pay the required fee of IS for
an automobile and 81 for motorcycle;
then, when the new law takes effect
they must be re-registered and a fee
paid as required bysthe new law.
The annual fees under the new law
are to be as follows: For motorcycle.
SO; for an automobile with steam or
electric power, SIS; for an automobile
with gasoline engine Of twenty horse
power IS and 40 cents for each addi-
tional horsepower above twenty.
Horsepowers are to be figured exact,
including fractions.
To determine the horsepower, take
the diameter of the cylinder to the en-
gine multiply it by itself, then by the
number of cylinders and then divide
by 2.6.
A table has been prepared and will
be found on the back Of each applica-
ton, from which the horsepower Of an
engine may be determined when the
diameter Of tn cylinder is known.
Motor vehicles that have been in use
for four years or more are entitled to
registration at half rates.
Applications by dealers and by indi-
vidual owners Of machines must be
subscribed and sworn to before no.
tary public or justice Of the peace.
No one has any right to operate a
machine under dealers number ex-
cept the dealer himself or his en-
ployes; not for a single day. When
the new law takes effect the buyer of
a machine may operate it for fifteen
days under a dealers number, during
which time he must procure an indi-
vidual number. but that is not the law
now.
1t is my understanding that It was
the intent Of the trainers Of the new
law, as it will be the purpose OF this
department, to give first attention to
the reSregistr of motor vehicles
already registered under the old Law.