Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-18

NEW YORK. May 17.--Supposc that
you were a traffic policeman stationed
mt Brooklyn Bridge. in Now York City.
continual stream of automobiles is
flashing past you. fifteen or twenty to
the minute. How many of those cars
do you think YOU could identify BY
make and model. in addition to per
forming the regular duties Of regu-
latinR traffic? How much chance do
YOU think you would have for select
Ing, say. 1913 Hudson from the ranks.
and identifying II as a car stolen two
weeks before.
That is the sort of problem tina, tho
police OF every big city are finding
before them. and New York is attack
Ing II in an organized manner. Her
ESQ patrolmen on traffic duty at the city
outlets arc being given unique special
course in lightning automobile identi-
fcation. Run twenty different cars
past one OF these trained men at thirty
miles an hour and he will call YOU the
name OF the factory and the year OF
the model as surcly as an artist names
colors. Give him even a heetinS
glimpse OF some car vanishing around
Il distant corner. and the chances are
he can tell you it's name and whether
it is this years model or last. Some
idea OF what this means il given by the
fact that there arc over hundred
different makes of automobiles driven
caily every one OF these makes has been
issued In several different models.
The immense growth OF the automo-
bile business has brought other prob
lens with II besides the high cost OF
gasoline. One OF the chief of these
is the new thicf-thc motor thief. His
favorite ncld cf operations il the big
city and for years he has been rcaping
a rich and easy harvest, New Sork's
new schoo! for policemen is one big
step toward putting an end TO his ac-
tivity.
Stealing 1. Ensie~t Fart.
The motor thief fnds the actual
stealing OF car the easiest part OF
his business II is when he comes to
sell Il that he encounters real difficult
ties THAT is where the casle-eyed
traffic policeman gets his inning For
the thief liz practically forced 10 take
the stolen auto out OF tho city before
he can safely dispose OF 1t. In the
limits OF Manhattan. the metropolitan
police are so thoroughly conNersaht
with the situation. with the addresses
OF all the Fences" and easy-moraied
secondhand dealers who might buy a
stolen car II they could get IL cheap
enough, that the machin" Is prett"
certain to be recovered II II - sold IN
town. Once IL has passed into the
country ut large, however, the ad-
vantages are all with the thief An
automobile is "A highly movable piece
of property when it is running right.
and he may easily take ii thousand
miles before he tries 20 sell H. An
instance is on record where a gang or
thieves stole cars in New York and sold
them In Kentucky.
The logical point 10 catch the thief
is ,ust rs he leaves the city In the
stolen car. In order e. do this. II is
necessary for the policeman on duty TO
be able to recognize the stolen machine
from it's description AT glance. IN
addition TO performing all his ordinary
duties. which are no light ones. The
problem is further complicated by the
fact that there may be dozen stoleh
cars una ccounted for at once, ana the
guardian of the law has &c be on the
lookout for every one OF them
1t vas found that the average ponce
man was confronted with a hopeless
task lie mad no special training IN
this line, and dozens of different makes
and models OF automobiles are so
nearly alike that even the layman VINO
is n motorist cannot identity more than
n few Of them. 1t was necessary TO
work out some simple system by when
any car could be recognized at glance,
st any hour OF the day or night. An
old experienced chauffeur can tell the
make and model Of most automobiles,
but he goes on no particular system
| His wears Of work with the machines
have fixed the general lines OF different
makes in his mind until he can name
| the car in question. but it would take
too long to train policeman to the
| necessary degree of efficiency on this
plan.
stress Significant betnil.
The method decided on was the Sc
| lection of the significant detail. The
| class Of policemen is instructed III the
little individual peculiarities OF eaci
| make of car-the things that the un-
| trained eye would never notice. They
| arc also given the outline OF a logical
| plan Of quick thinking, which, in q
short tim G. becomes automatic with the
| man directing the rush OF traffic.
| No two makes or models of automo
| hiies are precisely alike in the ltttlC
| things The position of the tail-ligh,
| alone is enough to Identify score OF
| cars. Some carry 1t in the center, some
| on the left side. some have 1t swung
almost on the level of the rear axle
| others carry it high up on the body
On other makes il is placed SO far tc
| the left that IL is in line with the lef
| mudguard. There are score of suci
details on every car that tell story
to the trained eye. The shape OF til,
| radiator and it's cap, the height o
| the headlights. the position OF the
extra tire or It's rack, and the cut o.
the wind shield are only a few OF then
The policeman has all these detail.
| fixed In his mind. AS each car passc.
! him in the stream Of traffic he let's hi.
| eye run over II until he encounter,
| n point that eliminates Il from tn,
| problem. and then lie passes on to tn.
| next. With 4 little practice ne does thi.
automatically, subconsciously, Will,
| his conscious attention may be taker
up with some other duty OF regulating
| traffic.
In actual practice, he starts a it'll,
farther hack than tho observation o.
details, and his task Is corresponding
~ easier. He knows whether the ca,