The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-09-28
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1915
Taking on a Liability.

A lot Of people are beginning to see
that when the city council passed an
ordinance demanding Cylinders en-
the automobiles, that the aldermen bit
off a fair sized chew for mastlcatlon.
The automobile men are now insisting
that the .tdimmer ordinance brings
o new and added liability on the city
and that if the automobile lights are
to be dimmed that the city must pro-
vide to carry out its share of the con-
tract. The city is not expected to
watch over every automobile driver,
but it is expected to make the streets
of the city reasonably safe for him.
There are a lot of drivers of automo-
biles who insist that at the present
time the streets of Kenosha are not
safe if they obey the law in regard
to subduing the flashing lights of their
automobiles. There are some portions
of the city which are so poorly lighted
that when the lights of the automo-
biles are dimmed it is impossible for
the driver to see the road ahead of
him. Tn most cities where DINNER or
dinances have been passed there has
been provisions made toy keep the
STREETS, in such condition that man
may drive over them with the lights
dimmed without trisking the lives of
the passengers in the automobiles,
Some of the streets of the city are
difficult to drive over in the glazing
lightyof midday rand they are difficult
with lights at night. With the lights
of the automobile dimmedyas provided
by the ordinance, these lights become
menace to public safety.
Automobile drivers favor the dim
ming of lights. They demand it, but
they also demand from the city that
the streets be maintained in such
condition that they will be safe for
travel with dimmed lights. They de-
mand that the city put an end to the
littering up of the streets with the
materials of building contractors or
that they enforce ordinances which
provide that this building material be
properly protected by lights. In a lot
of places in the city piles of materials
are placed on the streets and the con
tractors pay no attention to safe
guarding it. The automobile drivers
insist that il they dim their lights that
all wheeled vehicles be required to
carry some. sort of light in order to
make certain that they are not going
to run on to an automobile in the
darkened roadway. The ordinance
provides this, but the enforcement of
the ordinance has not reached the
lights. Certainly if an automobile
must carry lights and a flock of them
point where all wheeled vehicles carry
1T is only fair to presume that other
vehicles should carry at least one
light. OF course, this is something
new, but new things must come to
Kenosha some time and the council has
decreed that now is the time for them
TO come. The automobile drivers for
the most part have met the city's de-
mand. 1t is up to the city to see that
these other drivers obey the law in
order that the streets may be main
tanned with the highest degree of safe
ty for all the people who use them.
Other cities guard their streets UNI
der ordinances similar to the Kenosha
ordinance, but in these cities the law
is enforced, not only as it applies to
automobiles, but also as it applies
to wagons and buggies.
The DINNER ordinance is all right
The trouble is in the city not accept
ing its liability in the enforcement of
it. The enforcement of this ordinance
includes maintenance of the streets as
we'll as the putting Of lights on
vehicles, If the city asks one man to
do his part the city, representing
the rest of the men and women, must
do its part.
Proper safeguarding Of the streets
has long been neglected in the city.
1t is just possible that in the past the
demand for such safeguarding was not
apparent. The new ordinance has
brought this demand home in forcefuI
manner The city must put an end to
the use of the streets by private indi-
viduals if they are to be safe. Not
only must the contractors be told that
if they use the streets as warehouses
that they must use them under the
law, but other people must be told
that if the streets are to be used as
buggy and wagon sheds that every one
of the buggies and wagons standing
on the street must have light on it.
Sauce for the goose is sauce for the
gander and fair play demands the en-
forcement of this ordinance, not only
in letter, but in spirit. That means
that the streets of the city are to be
for the use of the people and the safe
use Of the people and that every man
rs to have the same treatment in max
ing the streets safe.
The approval of plats by the county