Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-29
Maj. Sylvester Agrees With
Nearly Every Suggestion.
WOULD REGULATE TRAFFIC.
Chief of Police Makes Some Impor-
tant Recommendations, However.
CONTROL OF CITY RAILWAYS
Urges in Communication to Commits
sioners That They Be Subject
to Police Orders.

In sending to the District Commission
ers today a report on the traffic regula-
lions drawn up by William p. Emo .ot
this city. and approved by the Washing
ton Board OF Trade, Maj. Sylvester. SUI
perintendent Of police, commends the sug-
gestion that drivers indicate the direction
In which they intend to proceed by a
movement of the hand or whip.
The suggestion. according TO Maj. Syl-
vester is most excellent and should be
put into execution at the earliest possible
time
The police chief urges that steps be
taken to make the street railway com
panies subject to police control at Cross
ings and intersecting streets. While
there has been an improvement in traffic
conditions. he says, the conditions will
not become perfect until the street rail
way companies have been brought within
the scope Of police control
The fact that the railway companies IN
the ID strict are under the control of the
interstate commerce commssSn. rather
than the police, declares Mai. Sylvester
works to the detrinaent of the proper en-
forcement Of trafic regulations.
Discusses Entire Report.
Maj. Sylvester discusses the suggestions
In the Emo report item by item. He does
not indorse the report as a whoe, for
the reason that some of the suggestions
already are in effect here. Many of them
he asserts TO be good however, and he
recommends that they be given favorable
consideration by the Comm ssionerS
The Commissioners have had the Emo
suggestions under consideration for some
time and it is expected that the recon-
m N a nf 40
result in a decision to which of them
il any are to be adopted.
Some of the difficulties that would be
encountered in adopting the Emo slgges-
lions are pointed out by Maj. Sylvester
The first section of the proposed reguia-
tions provides that the word vehicle" in
clude equestrians, led horses and every
thing on wheels or runners, except street
cars and baby carriages.
1T is doubtful says Maj. Sylvester in
his report to the Commissioners. . f our
courts would construe led horses as
vehicles for the purposes of law. although
there is no objection to the definition be-
ing placed in effect, except as L have
mentioned.
Comparison of Regulations.
In several instances the regulations pro-
posed by Mr.. Emo are compared with sim
liar ones now in effect, the police chief
deciding that the present requirements
are the more practical.
AS an example:
One of the Emo regulations provides
that "a vehicle, except when passing =
vehicle ahead, shall keep near the right
hand curb The present requirement IN
this respect is that "heavily-laden, slows
moving vehicles shall keep as close as
possible to the right-hand curb" The
latter is said to be the most effective.
Major Sylvester highly commends tho
Emo suggestion regarding signals. which
is as follows:
Automobile horns and other SOUND
signals are for the purpose of giving
and to pedestrians, and shall be used foH
no other purpose, especially at night"
Age Limit for Drivers.
The report also Endorses the suggess
ton that no person under sixteen years
of age be allowed to drive a public,
numbered licensed or business vehicle.
According to Maj. Sylvester, the police
department already has distributed thou
sands of circulars on the rules of the
road and great improvement has fol-
lowed.
He suggests that, inasmuch as the
street car companies are under the con-
troll of the interstate commerce commits
sion. the regulations might be amended
to the end that persons standing In the
streets to the extent of interference with
traffic, as they very often do. should be
required to keep the roadways open apo
stand close to the curb.