Evening star., 1914-04-19
DISTRICT AUT0|STS
TO GET NO RELIEF
Registration Fees Must Be
Paid in Maryland as in
the Past.
LEGISLATURE FAILED
TO ACT ON MATTER'
Other Measures Designed to Aid
Motorists Passed, and Bad
Bills Beaten.

ested IN the various automobile bills
which came up for discussion in the ses-
sion of the Maryland legislature which
adjourned last week. and the action taken
In each instance. The Star is in receipt
of a legislative bulletin from H. NJ Lu-
zius. secretary of the Automobile Club of
Maryland. containing the report of Os-
borne I. Yellott. counsel for the club. who
represented the organization before the
legislative committees at Annapolis Md.
The automobilists of the state can now
breathe freely for another two years" "
says Mr.. Yellott. The legislature at
this session gave the motorists of the
state nothing OF any material value, but.
on the other hand, 1t took nothing from
them
Were Thirty-Two Bills.
In all. there were thtrty-two bills at
this session touching motoring and motor
lists in this state directly or indirectly.
All OF these bills had to be watched care
fully from January 81, the date on which
the first Of them was introduced, down
until the closing hour of the session.
Three of the bills In which We were in
terested were reported and put through
on the very last day of the session under
the suspension of the rules, although l
out of committees. I shall not attempt
in this report to enumerate in details all
OF the measures in which We were inter-
ested, but will confine myself to a state
ment of net results.
Three bills were passed which insure
the speedy completion of the Annapolis
Baltimore boulevard. The state roads
commission is required to take over and
rebuild the College Creek bridge. near
annapolis, and complete the road to the
Severn River bridge. Another bill pro-
vides for the reconstruction of the Light
Sveet bridge along modern lines A
third bill was passed requiring the state
roads commission by January l, 1915,
to complete the boulevard northerly from
Glen Burnie to Baltimore city. this being
a route alternative with that over the
Light Street bridge.
Provides $4,000, 900 Loan.
THE Price road BILL" continued Mr..
YeIiott. provides for a loan of $4,000, 900,
to be expended by the state roads COM
mission in connecting up the links in the
state road system. This act Is of tre-
mendous Importance to the motorists of
the state as well as the public generally,
and ii is expected that by the end of two
Years it will be possible to motor through
every county in the state over connect
ed system of modern improved roads,
Another bill appropriated 5000 for the
purchase and maintenance of an auto
mobile for the use Of the governor of the
state in the performance of his official
duties. This bill was passed and signed
by the governor. "At last accounts" :"
continues Mr.. Yellott. "the automobile
had not been purchased, although DEM
onstrators of various makers Of cars
have been in evidence around the ex-
ecutive mansion ever since the bill was
first introduced"
The street car companies of Baltimore.
to pave between their tracks and for
two feet on either side. This bill has
also been signed by the governor.
Motor Cycle Officers.
Speeders from this time out should be
on the alert. for ere long the roads will
be lined with motor cycle officers. A bill
was approved authorizing the commits
sioner of motor vehicles to employ motor
cycle patrolmen to enforce the motor
vehicle and traffic laws of the state. The
act required the commissioner, upon the
demand Of any community, to send such
patrolmen to stop excessive speeding.
1T is confidently believed" says Coun-
sci Yellott that this act will put an end
to village speed traps in the state for
ever. and tnaugurate of a ra-
tional enforcement of the motor vehicle
and traffic laws of the state. The speed
laws now in force are liberal enough for
Z,
eighteen. twenty-five and thirty-five
miles. The commissioner OF motor We
hicles is a gentleman of calm deliberate
temperament, possessed of a high sense
Of justice, and full Of determination to
enforce the law reasonably, but still to
enforce it. All reasonable motorists in
the state will be pleased with the result
of this law, If it comes anywhere near
realizing the expectations OF the franz
ers'
Motor Truck Measure.
Another bill was prepared at the in
stance OF the state roads commission
primarily to limit the size. weight and
speed of motor trucks. Incidentally. as
originally prepared it contained a maxi
mum speed limit of twenty-five miles
per hour on the state roads. Being a
good bill in the main. 1t was amended
and made applicable to public roads
generally as well as state roads. and the
speed limit was raised to thirty-five
miles an hour. The bill was passed in
this form. A speed of over thirtyfve
miles per hour is now prohibited any
where in the state. no matter what may
be the circumstances or conditions.
AS the law now stands, II prohibits an
unreasonable speed at any time. In the
thickly built-up or business sections of
cities, towns and villages q speed of
facie unreasonable. In the portions of
such which are not thickly built up a
speed IN excess OF eighteen miles an hour
will be deemed unreasonable. In the open
country a speed in excess Of twenty-five
miles an hour will be deemed unreason-
able and the burden placed upon the mo-
torist TO show that il was not unreason-
able under all the circumstances of the
case.
But a speed in excess of thirty-fve
miles per hour. as above stated Is abso-
lutely prohibited and no excuse will be
accepted. a violation of this provision
will result. upon conviction, in fine OF
not less than Sos, nor more than 500,
and suspension of the operators license
for three months. II. upon a hearing, the
commissioner of motor vehicles shall de-
terrnine that such speed was in fact ex-
ceeded.
Signposts on Roads.
The signpost law, which was passed
undoubtedly will be appreciated by the
motorist and tourist in general. It pro-
vides for the erection Of signposts on i'm.
portant thoroughfares and calls for signs
on which shall be plainly marked the
name of the next town or place. and o1
such towns and places of note as the
motor vehicle commission may thinl
proper to which the road leads. the mum
Der OF miles to the same. and the figure
of an arrow pointing toward such town OF
place" The act also provides for dan.
ger signs, and provides heavy penalties
for removing or defacing any Of suct