Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01
continued from Eighth Pase.D

Continued from Eighth PaseD
ing of special permits TO PHYSICIANS 10
speed their machines. out suggested TO
the authorities that the policemen be al
lowed to permit a doctor 10 operate his
machine fast as he wanted in AN
emergency case. w. G. Haskell. sealer
of weights and measures for the Dis
trict. invented a device for testing taxi
cab meters and tested all those i'm use
locally The cabs were also required Ia
proide lights Illuminating the meters. 50
that a passenger could with ease read
the amount charged at the conclusion of
a trip.
The police regulations were amended
to make 1t unlawful for motorists to
make any unnecessary noise by opening
the cut-out of his muller. The first an
nual housewarming of the Society OF
Professional Automobile Engineers wa
held in new quarters at IL? PennsNi-
vania avenue. The American Automo-
bile Association held three-day con-
vention in this city for the purpose "f
urging Congress To pass "A federal au-
tomobile law. permitting a motorist 10 en-
ter any state in the tnion 10y display
ing a United States tag. which would
he registered at Washington. -. C.. an
nuaily. Prominent speakers wee in at
tendance, including governors. senator's
representatives, motorists and automobilH
manufacturers from all over the coun-
try. A hearing was given by the COM
mittee on interstate commerce at the
Capitol, but changes were suggested by
members of the committee and the con-
stitutionality of such an act was uuss-
toned. Up to the present time no law
on the subject has been enacted 10y Con-
greSS.
Oppose Wheel Tax.
Opposition was expressed at hearing
by local motorists against the enforce
ment OF a wheel tax, in reality seat
tax, at a hearing 'hefore the District
Commissioners. After "A delay OF sew
eral months the Commissioners an
nounced that they would not ask Con
gress to repeal the wheel tax, and the
collector OF taxes announced that he
would make every effort to collect the
tax for 1910, and that persons refusing
to pay it would be taken into Police
Court AS the year closed the Automobile
Club of Washington decided that rather
than pay the tax its members would pre-
fer to pay a fine i'm the court, believing
that the wheel tax law super se1ed anu
rendered invalid the personal tax law.
A new license law went into effect, com
pelIing motorists to pay an additional tax
of 81 to operate a machine i'm the DIS
trict. as the result of an amendment to
the police regulations. The automobile
ShCW held in Convention Hall under the
auspices of the local auto dealers. the
first in several years in this city was
such a success that ii VIII be repeated
again next month. New automobile laws
went into effect i'm Virginia June II and
in Maryland July ]. ears being licensed
according to horsepower. and the licenses
renewed annually.
H. Chadwick Hunter who was elected
president of the Automobile Club of
Washington at it's annual election. re-
signed on account of i'll health and is re-
siding at Denver Col. William S. Duvall
charter member and former president
of the club. was elected to fill the va
cancy. The Munsey run. which started
from Philadelphia. ended in this city
after 1.551-mile run. in which Washing
ton cars shared in the honor class.
The first automobile funeral took place
i'm Oak Hill cemetery. the funeral party
cabs with a large auto for a hearse. The
county appointed five Rockville lawyers
to draft laws to regulate speed of ma
chimes on the certain roads i'm that ccun-
ty. The sheriff and his assistants were
equipped with motorcycles. The first ar
rests for excessive speeding were made
OH the new road between Potomac Md.
and the Conduit road.
District Motorists Win Contentious.
District motorists were sustained in
their contention that they should be al
lowed two periods OF seven DAYS each in
Virginia without obtaining a license. the
10. hi, Ix-a srrc Iao Of