Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-11

or not, the occupants of the wagon.
does not appear, but when they went
to turn out they turned the wrong
way and there was collision. the
wagon was overturned and the mans
arm broken. He sued the man who
drove the automobile and recovered
n verdict of $500. The lawyer who
1 handles his case took 5000 of it, he
paid $50 for getting his arm set. for
the surgical operation. so that for the
two months that he was laid up with
a broken arm he received $3.50, besides
the pain suffering.
Now I was talking with the man
who drove the automobile and he said
that unquestionably If there had been
81 light on that wagon there would
have been no trouble whatever, no
collision, no accident. Because any
one who drives an automobile, knows
and l think it is common knowledge
10 those who don't, that a light can
be seen through this sort of haze that
we have, or even through fog, some
distance off. There will be Il light
spot in the fog which will give warn
ing that some one is ahead.
/ Now just because i own an automo-
| bile l am not advocating this measure.
Some people think that because I
drive an automobile that / am looking
after myself. But / am not.
There was another accident happen
ed, parties who came into the State
who belong in Connecticut, and they
were very much wrought up and mad
because there were no lights being
carried, because in their own state
lights are provided on all vehicles,
and they said they would never come
into this State again where the condi-
tions were so archaic.
And as / said before, the outlay and
expense in this matter would be
trivial. OF course l did not mean to
jnsinuate that all well-to-do farmers
would carry rs cent lantern. or
course those who took pride in their
rigs would buy proper lantern which
would be in accordance with their
eauipment But, as l said before,
do believe that advance and progress
require certain advances IN our
Methods of doing business all along
the line We have passed many pro-
yressive measures in this Legislature,
and | believe that this is one and
move, Mr. President that we supsu-
tute the report of the committee LOT
the bill as it comes in from the House.
Mr.. ALLEN of KenneDec: Mr. Presi-
dent. | think this bill has been pretty
well aired out and lighted up. 1t IS Il
question If We need more light. But
the remarks of the senator from Pehop-
scot suggest to me the fact that as Tar
as am able to determine, it would not
matter much how many lights there
were on a vehicle if the party DRIVING
didn't know which way to turn out ah1
turned the wrong way. The party .hae
he refers to must have been driving al
the Provinces where they turn the oppo-
site way to what We do. WONDER VIVA.
the gentleman would do If ne shouia
meet some of those Province people
with the lights OH, when they turn u
the left instead of the right-opposite
from what We do.
| suggest this, Mr.. President, from my
personal knowledge of the accidehts
which have occurred and collisions OF
automobiles and carriages, that II you
eliminate the people driving them VINO
are intoxicated, you eliminate 20 per cent.
of the accidents, light or no light
Mr.. BAILEY: Mr.. President the idea
Is. it was not because of the man oriV-
ing on the wrong side of the road, or
keeping to the wrong side of the road
If was that the man driving the auto
mobile could not see the carriage at a
far enough distance away so that ne
could slow down. 1t is not confined TO
Province people turning to the wrong
side of the road.
Everybody who drives automobiles
knows you find that condition in broad
daylight. out under those conditions you
can see a team, and most every one VINO
drives an automobile slows down when
!, he comes to a team SO as not to pass 1t
at a rapid rate. But when you are ira
veling along at reasonable rate of speed
and YOU get right on top Of a team, you
don't have time then to swing one way
or the other. That is the question there.
Mr.. WALKER of Somerset: Mr.. Pres
ident, I move the previous question
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. ALLEN: Mr.. President, I call for
the yeas and nays
A suhicient number having arisen, the
yeas and nays swere ordered.
Mr.. Bailey of Penobscot announced that
he was paired with Senator Dutton; that
he would vote yes and that Senator Dut-
ton If present would vote no.
The secretary called the roll. Those
voting yea were: Messrs. Allan, Boyn-
ton, Chase, Colby. Conant, Mansfield,
Maxwell, Morey, Murphy. Richardson,
Smith Stearns, Wing-1s Those voting
nav were: Messrs. Allen, Burleigh, Cole.
Hagerthy, Hastings, Hersey. Jillson,
Packard, Patten, Reynolds, Waiker-ll.