Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-25

less task. He had no special training
In this line and dozens of different
makes and models of automobiles are
so nearly alike that even the layman
who Is a motorist can not identify
more than a few of them. 1t was nee
essary to work out some simple sys.
tenn by which any car could be recog'
nized at glance, at any hour of the
day or night. An old, experienced
chauffeur can tell the make and mod.
el of most automobiles, but he goes
on no particular system. His years
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 1t would take too long
to train policeman to the necessary
degree Of efficiency on this plan.
The method decided on was the se-
lection Of the significant detail. The
class Of policemen is instructed in the
little individual characteristics of
each make Of car-the things that the
unframed eye would never notice.
They are also given the outline of a
logical plan of quick thinking, which
In a short time becomes automatic
with the man directing the rush Of
trahic
No two makes or models Of automo-
biles are precisely alike in the little
things. The position of the tail light
alone Is enough to identify q score OF
cars. Some carry 1t in the center.
some on the left side, some have it
swung almost on the level Of the rear
axle, others carry 1t high up on the
body On other makes It is placed
SO far to the left that it is in line with
the left mud guard. There are a score
OF such details on every car that can
tell story to the trained eye. The
shape of the radiator and it's cap. the
height of the headlights, the position
of the extra tire or its rack and the
cut Of the wind shield are only few
of them.
The policeman has all these details
fixed in his mind. AS each car passes
him in the stream Of traffic he lets his
eye run over 1t until he encounters a
point that eliminates it from the prob
lem. and then he passes on to the
next. With little practice he does
this automatically, subconsciously.
while his conscious attention may be
Idhcu up Will SOluc OlucI uuly VI
regulating traffic. .."..
Another wise move in fighting the
motor thief is being made in the elm:
ination of the reward system. For
merly the great idea of the owner, or
of the company which insured the car
against theft was to get the machine
back and no questions asked A man
or an insurance company losing a
three thousand dollar car was much
more anxious to recover it than to
convict the thief. A liberal reward
would be advertised along with a
promise to drop the matter If the car
were returned. Such policy was
badly mistaken and shortsighted
Many of the thieves made practice
Of stealing cars for the express pur.
pose Of returning them on the offer
Of reward and a promise Of safety.
Now the insurance companies have
agreed to offer no more rewards in
New York City, and as practically ev
cry car is insured against theft. they
have the situation in their own hands.
BY taking a few losses for the mo-
ment they are cooperating with the
police to break up the whole system
The motor thief has had PROSPEROUS
and romantic day, but the end is IT.
sight