Norwich bulletin., 1918-05-28

The effect of wartime activities is probably evidencing itself more upon the civilian of the Nations capital | than any other city in the United States. The quiet and dignifed lure of l Washington has given way to every
 requisite of a busy metropolis. The steady stream of humanity which daily finds a mecca in this melting
 pot of the world has necessitated many changes in civilian as well as military | life.
 The greatest problem which any
 District official has had to face has l been the problem of handling the in
 creased amount of traffic, With at | least 100 percent. more automobiles
 and trucks on the streets. it has been
 up to Major Raymond Pullman, super intendent of metropolitan police, to make traffic conditions as safe as they were in "ante bellum' days. This e has accomplished, first, because Of ad- equate police regulations and. secohd
 because his force is seeing that they are carried out to the letter
 Speeding and glaring headlights are not the only motoring evils which are not tolerated. Drivers of cars in
 Washington soon realize that they
 must keep their brakes in perfect con dition. Major Pullman is one of the most prominent officials who are sup
 porting the national brake inspection
 movement. In order that this point
 shall not be overlooked either through careIessness or direct violation of the
 law, he has one of the best men of
 his force make the watching of brakes
 his special duty. This man IS
 Lieutenant Albert J. Headley.
 Any time of the day, you can see , I 11ie hi
 and take up a position near one of the
 crowded down town corners. If cal
 cannot stop within a reasonable dis
 tance, the driver soon finds himself al
 the nearest station house, making ar explanation.
 Lieut.. Headley says that he con siders properly adjusted brakes tht one thing which stands between the
 motorist or truck driver and fatality
 He is considering the adoption of tht l thermoid brake inspection chart, glvlnE l distance in which car should b' l stopped when equipped with properl! | the thermoid hydraulic compressed brake Things. Motorists in tht
 National Capital may be compelled tt ] stop by this chart.
 The District of Columbia Police reg
 ulations say that all cars must b' F properly equipped,' and the depart
 ment considers we'll made, and prop
 erly adjusted brakes the most impor tant part of the automobile equip ment.
 l "The introduction of the motor truel |. into our commercial life sounds tn f death knell of the short-line railroad, v was the declaration of F. A. Selber . ling, President of the Lincoln High s way Association, at the recent annua
 meeting of the Chamber of Commerc of the United States, at Chicago. | Perhaps never again." continues f Mir. Seiberling," except where heav, t tonnage is to be handled. will short 2 line railroads be built in this country r Due to it's proven economic value. tn 2 motor truck is moving irrestrbly for e ward and now will be forced by tn . pressure of war necessity to do in n year or two what economic eficienc v would have led it to do sooner o Q later-dominate completely the short : haul field.
 S I've must substitute in our shor e haul traffic the motor truck for tn q freight car; the permanant, contin = uous, paved highway for the stee e rallied and rock ballasted road bed d and the loading and receiving platforr S of the individual shipper, for the rail e road yards and freight terminal n needlessly congested with freigh
 which could be hauled on moto h trucks. The motor truck carries it 0 own terminal facilities; being able t S carry a product from it's point of ori e gin to it's point of utilization.
 = 'Disregarding entirely the savin s in cost of short-haul transportation = it must be done to relieve the rail . roads. It would have to be done eve n if the cost were the same or greate o than rail delivery But the fact tha t it is cheaper, quicker and more eff . cient than the short-haul railroad = assures the permanant and continuou e development of motor truck trans k portation, even after the war emer t gency which gave it birth. has passed g within a range of fifty to one hun dred miles the motor truck is easil - today on better than even terms wit e the railroads. Ali that is needed i S the building of hard surfaced high n ways of adequate strength. capable ( e carrying the new burden that tn - great advance in transportation wi e require. Such highways we mu: l, have It is no longer a question (
 whether we should or should not bun l. them with money, labor and equiI n ment which it was at first though d could be better devoted during tf y war to other purposes. It is now onl d question as to where and how the. l, new arteries of traffic should be cor l. strueted.
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