Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-20
MAY MAKE ALL VEHICLES
SHOW LIGHTS At NIGHT
Strong Protest Registered ut .ippar-
cnt Effort at Glass Legislation
Against Automobiles.
DEBATE sEARoHLlGHr LAW
Advice Of Police Board Is Invited.
Several Speakers Take Ground
Legislation Would Not BE Needed
IL Traffic Law We're Enforced.

~ After Il thrce-hour public hearing on
tho ordinance which proposes to make
unlawful tho use OF binding head
lights on automobiles driven in the
city, the Council Ordinance Committee
voted at Il:l5 o'clock last night TO
refer the proposed legislation to the
Board OF Police Commissioners for {,
report as 10 it's practicabilty and OK
pediency.
An overflow attendance OF citizens
caused tho committee to abandon the
regular meeting room and make use
OF the Administrative Board chamber.
! y score or more of citizens, representa-
tive of the automobile and mercantile
interests, participated In the debate.
which several times during the even"
ing took Z heated turn.
The matter was complicated by a
suggestion from the authorities OF the
Richmond Automobile Club. that, with
tho proposed ordinance barring over
brilliant headlights. companion ordi-
nance be enacted requiring all horse :
drawn vehicles TO carry at night lights
which should be visible from the side,
front and rear. Unless horse drawn
vehicles were required TO do this, the
automobile men claimed. the removal
OF the brilliant headlights would ma
terially increase the risk of collision.
OWNERS OF TEAMS OBJECT
TO LIGHTING WAGONS
Representatives OF dairics, groceries
and bakeries entered strenuous objec-
ton to any law which would require
then to equip their delivery wagons
with lights. While they admitted that
n Kerosene or other satisfactory light
could be provided ut small expense.
its maintenance would he I; constant
source of trouble and annoyance. Such
q law. they objected, would cause their
drivers constantly to be hauled UP in
Police Court for failure to keep the
lights burning, and in this way pave
the way for litigation and expense.
An opposite view was taken by
Moses Thalhimcr. who thought that an
ordinance requiring horse-drawn vehi-
cles to carry lights at night would be
q wise one He did not think such n
( law would entail any considerable cx-
pcnse or cause trouble. a driver that
was once fined. he thought. would be
careful in the future to keep his light
going and avoid trouble.
Others, including Harry G. Bcnttic
and Alderman Christian. Il member of
the committee, saw no reason for bar
ring the g)aring headlights at all.
They saw no danger in their use. and
were inclined to the view that their
presence tended to reduce rather than
increase accidents. Both were opposed
TO requiring horse drawn vehicles to
carry lights
QUESTION Is REFERRED
TO POLICE HOARD
AS n substitute for Alderman Pull
lcr's motion to reject, Mr.. English
moved that the ordinance. together
with a suggested amendment making
II unlawful for all automobile to use
glaring headlights or senrchlights un-
less 1t Is equipped with DINNERS or
dlmminS-veils. be referred to the Board
OF Police Commissioners for Its report
on the eXpedicncy OF such legislation.
N l.@ xl.-tI LII, l,,tf
an hour, and finally adopted by II vote
of 8 to 3. The committee voted rs
follows:
For tho Observation-Disclosures Guns,,
and Councjlmen English, Ferguson.
Welsh and jones'.
Against the observation-disclosures
Christian. Puller and Paul--3.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
USERS OF MOTOR CARS
President Peters, Of the Common
Council, addressing the committee as
a citizen, denounced as class leGisla
ton the increasing tendency to exact
the full letter OF the law from owners
of automobiles, and even burden them
by the enactment Of new laws, while
an easy going policy is pursued as TO
owners and drivers OF horse drawn
vehicles. The police, he said. were
alert 20 report and arrest an auto
mobile driver for the slightest !ntrac-
ton of the trafilc laws, but permitted
flagrant violations of the same traffic
laws. when committed by drivers OF
other classes OF vehicles. TO no un-
challenged
II hope that 81 this ordinance is re
ferrcd TO the Police Board" declared
Mr. Peters, speaking TO the subs titutc
offered by Councilman English, that
the committee add It's recommendation
that that body see that all the tfAiiic
laws OF the city are strictly dbcScd
by automobiles ana every other class
of vehicles. 1t IS the general viola
tion Of the traffic rules that is re-
aponsiblc for most accidents"
Alderman FULLER, insisting upon his
motion to reject the ordinance, ana
against the substitute offered by Mr..
English, suggested that ,hc co.ninittcc
as a whole request the Mayor to In
struct the Police Board 10 Insist upon
n strict observance Of the traffic rules.
A rigid enforcement OF the laws on
this point, he thought. would minimize
the danger of accident, and make the
S.r,,- tod nrl N