Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-07-21

OVERLOOK NEW LAWS
Cost of Power Vehicles Are Deter
mined by the Society of Automobile
Engineers :. S,.;t;

Richmond, July 21-Whether it be
the high cost of living or the cost OF
high living, owners Of automobiles can
determine for themselves with the be-
ginning Of the new year. This year
witnessed the largely increased cost
of gasoline and the coming year will
linger long in the memory of men who
apply for automobile licenses as Of
January 1, the day on which the
Same are due and payable.
Last winter the automobile laws
were materially changed, q fact which
seems to have escaped the attention
of nearly everybody in the state up
to this time. Next year all owners
of power machnes-automobiles, To-
comobiles, motorcycles and all others
will pay on the basis of the horse
power of each machine
This will be ascerrained on the basis
of the power of all such machines as
determined by the Society of Automo-
bile Engineers, which bases the power
Of machines on the size of the cylin-
ders.
For many years past manufacturers
have been advertising cars at GER
tain specified power. This has been
found to be incorrect in many in
stances, the power often being far in
excess OF tf,s standard Of the society
above referred to, the cost Of oper-
ating being lower than it will be in
future. In all cases hereafter the
rate for every machine will be 40
cents for each horsepower as deter
mined by the standard Of the society
of-EH@ineers. - - = -
Revenue this year from automobile
licenses will probably go as high as
$25Q,O0O, the money to 60 to the fund
for the maintenance of roads that ::
have been improved either by state
aid Or convict forces. There is rea-
son to believe that, beginning next
year. this will be increased to not
less than S375,O00 to 100000, all
due to the new regulation for, opera.
tion of cars on the ascertained horse
power
According to estimates made by
Chief Clerk Hayes, of the office of
the secretary of the commonwealth
next year the machines, will average
more than SO each. possibly as much
as $3.50. and if the total shall reach.
$4,000 machines it can be seen that
$435,000 would be raised, but the
fact that motorcycles are quite nu-!
merous will serve to reduce this be-
cause they are often not more than
ten horsepower. After all, the oasis
of $40 for each machine would bring
the total for road maintenance to.
$350,000. Owners of. trucks. used in
hauling of freight and COAL general,
ly run as high as fifty horsepower,
and in such cases the sum cxacted for
these will be $50 for each machine.
Added to this is the further stip-.
ulation that any person who shall
operate machine in this state after
January / of next year without first
obtaining a license therefor is liable
to a fine of not less than SO nor
more than $50. each day to consti-
tute separate offense, So it will be
cheaper to get the license the first
day Of the year instead of paying the
fine for any one day, certainly for
any two days.
For some time past the cost for
operating of one Of the cars which
"can go everywhere except into so.
ciety" has been S. for each year, but
it is NOW discovered that this same
car has an indicated horsepower OF
twenty-five. so that hereafter So. 80
will be the fee. And if your car
should happen to be one of the fancy,
100 horsepower affairs, regardless Of
cost, you will produce just $40 for
the privilege Of being the owner OF
the speedy consumer of gasoline.
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