The Washington times., 1912-03-12
MOTORISTS PAYING
UP TAX WITHOUT
BEING PROSECUTED
Assessors Office Being Kept
Busy Making Out
li&a Receipts.
BY HARRY WARD.

The fact that more than 700 motorists
have paid their wheel tax has prompted
Assessor w. p. Richards to drop prose-
cutions in the Police Court for failure
to pay the tax. Several days ago he
had a number of warrants issued, but
before they could be served the delin-
quents dropped into the Assessors Of
fice and paid the tax.
Inspectors from the Assessors office
are securing data as to the seating ca
pacity of all the machines in town, the
tax being based on the seating capacity,
although the law describes 1t as
wheel tax" More than 1000 bills have
been issued so far, and Mr.. Richards
is extremely well satisfied with the
manner in which the motorists have
responded. In fact the payments have
been so large the office force find 1t
almost impossible at the present time
to keep abreast of the work. 1t is esti-
mated more than 5000 motorists are
subject to the tax.
Indiana leads all the States of the
Union in mileage of improved roads.
Ad Wolgast, the pugilistic champion,
is looking for new worlds to conquer.
He has developed the speed mania and
now aspires to be an automobile racing
driver. Wolgast has purchased a car
j )T inc express VI JHS
Santa Monica road race May and is
now burning up the roads around Los
Angeles in practice. He will have two
famous drivers as his team mates. Har-
vey Herrick, who holds the worlds road
Frecord, and Louis Disbrow. holder of the
records for $50, 200, $50, and 800 miles.
will team with Wolgast. If Wolgast
makes any, kind of a showing in the
the b00-mtle international sweepstakes at
Indianapolis Memorial Day.
Frank Tickling, who has been iden-
titled with the automobile supply
trade for a number of years and who
has host of friends among the motor
lists of this city, has been appointed
manager Of the supply department of
the Norman S. Bowles Company.
Barney Oldfeld, who formerly held
many of the worlds speed records, and
who is serving a suspension inflicted
by the contest board of the Aemerican
iAutomobile Association, was in New
York yesterday trying to get back in
visited William Schimpf, chairman of
the contest board, and made no bones
about asking for mercy and reinstate-
kment by the board.
Oldheld's suspension expires on July
1, but the speed king is particularly
anxious to get in the good graces of
the A. A A. imediately, so as to par
;ticipate in the Indianapolis meet on
May 80 Barney does not expect to
drive in the race, but as the represen-
tative Of a large tire company which
is interested in the racing game, IT will
be necessary for him to be in line in
order to be able to take care of his
FIRMS interests. Then, too, as long as
Oldfeld is on the outside, Carl Fisher,
owner of the indianapolis speedway, Is
antagonistic to him and will refuse him
GA m Gnnn6WaV
There is little likelihood of Barney be-
ing reinstated before April, when the
contest board will have it's first meet
ing. But in the meantime he Is not
His plan would do justice to the Presi-
Genital campaign organizers.
The split chassis" of a Flanders 20" "
which was Shown by the Studebaker
CORPORATION all around the automobile
exhibition circuit the past winter, cost
$4,000 TO prepare, according to Clement
Studebaker, jr. The chassis cost $500
and the rest was to pay for cutting II
through.
as If the chassis had run against a
buZz-saw which split 1t endways from
q point exactly at the center OF the
water cap back through the middle of
the propeller Shatt and the dlHerentlai
gear shaft.
]. Herbert stabler, first assistant
secretary to the United States minister
ing friends in Baltimore during the last
week Mr.. Stabler purchased a ChaI,
mers 49, toy tonneau from the ZelI
Motor Car Company. He will take the
car to Stockholm about April ], when
he will sail to resume his duties in the
diplomatic service.
Eorunar SUracuSe Man