Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1917-12-13
DIGEST OF MISSOURYS
NEW AUTOMOBILE LAWS

en- out the following information with
reference to the new Motor Vehicle
Law Which will take effect February
l, 1913.
All certificates of registration,
number of plates and chauffeur badg-
es issued for use during 1917, expire
January 81, 1918, and should be re-
newed on or before February /.
1918 application blanks will be mail
ed to all who have registered auto
mobiles during 1917. Should your
blank fail to reach you, make applica-
ton for same during January. 1t is
not necessary that the application
be sworn to. Applications will be re-
ceived on and after January /, 1918,
but not prior thereto.
E. By filling out your application
and forwarding to the Secretary of
State, Jefferson City, during the
month of January, you can save mon
ey for the Good Roads Fund, avoid
congestion in the department, enab-
ling you to receive your number plate
during February.
Do not forget to give the motor
number of your automobile.
The new law requires an index to be
kept by this department according to
motor number. This to aid in the To-
cation of stolen cars.
The Legislature has doubled the
registration fee. Such fee is prorat-
ed, however. To illustrate: The an
nual registration fee for % horse
power car is $500. If application for
registration is made after August 1,
one-half of the annual fee only shall
be paid; If application is made after
November 1, one-fourth Of the annual
fee shall be paid.
The registration fee for a dealer Is
$1,000. Extra plates $500 per set.
Two number plates will be issued
during 1918; one for the front and one
for the rear of each motor vehicle. Mo.
torcycles and motortrycles shall dis
play but one plate on the rear there
of.
The fee for registration of chat
feur is $1.50.
All automobiles while n use on the
public highways, shall carry on the
front at least two lighted lamps, moi
exceeding SO candle-power each
showing white lights visible under
normal atmospheric conditions, al
least five hundred feet in the direction
towards which the car is facing. Suct
lights to produce sufficient light tt
reveal objects one hundred and fifty
feet ahead, and adjusted and directed
so that on level ground the main shaft
of clear condensed light shall be pro
jected straight forward, no portion o.
it above the level of the lamp, nol
more than forty-two inches above thu
ground; such adjustment and direction
to be permanently maintained. Elec,
tric headlights shall have the entire
inside surface of their glasses etched
or ground to such a degree that the
lights shall apear blurred, and the
light emitted defused and free from
brilliant or metallic lustre. One red
light to be carried on rear of all auto
mobiles.
Derigible headlights shall not be
used on the public highways within
cities or towns, except in emergency
or when the headlights are inadequate
and then only providing the shaft Of
condensed light is directed downward
below the middle of the lamp and at nc
time into the eyes of persons. Seach-
lights may be used on public high
ways outside the limits of towns OF
cities, provided the light is direct
ed downward.
|. Muffler cut-outs snail not be used
Any cut-out or opening in the ex.
haust pipe, between the engine oil
muffler on any car, shall be CON-
pIetely closed and disconnected from
its operating lever, and so arranged
that it cannot automatically open OF
be opened or operated while the cal
is in motion.
Before purchasing used second
hand automobile, require the owner
or dealer to turn over to you, the
certificate of registration and meta
tag. Examine the factory motor num-
Der on the car to see that it CORE.
spends with the number given on the
certificate of registration. If they
do not correspond, do not purchase the
car. If the owner of secondhand
car claims the registration certificate
has been lost or misplaced, do no
purchase car until he procures from
this department duplicate certifi
/ cate. and turns the same over to yol
I sI'wfth the metal tag when he deliver
the car. Have nothing to do with I
car which has the motor number chis
eled off, obliterated or carved. D.
not rely on the metal tag alone, be
! cause there are hundreds of lost an'
stolen tags in the State which hav
been switched to other cars.
If purchasers of secondhand car
will heed the advise given above b,
this department, it will break the ne
farious traffic in stolen cars, save tn
State thousands Of dollars in regis
) tration fees and an incalculable amou
of trouble and expense in 1nocen
purchasers.
Branch offices will be opened in s
Louis and Kansas City for distribu
! tionSof license plates to residents Q
/ these cities. Location and date O
] sopening of such offices will be an
] nounced through the press. To facil
Z itate matters, residents of these cite
Z are requested to have blanks properl
filled out before presenting for i
cense plate.