Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-07
BLACK TELLS HOW
ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
Secretary of State Gives Useful
Information About Auto De.
partment-Says Recent Pri-
maries Proved Women Want
to Vote

game for the road hog and the speed
maniaci'' declared Harry A. Black. Sec
rotary Of State, speaking Thursday night
following the Chamber Of Commerce din
ner at the Sherwood Hotel For the
first time since the Chamber of Commerce
began to hold these informal gatherings.
which started with the gubernatorial
luncheons and Is now continuing with
talks by heads of the various State de-
partments, there were a number Of la
dies in the audience Following the din
ner. adjournment was taken from the
large dining room to the grill room. where
Mr. Black was introduced by Levi P.
Smith, vice-president of the Chamber of
Commerce.
Mr. Blacks talk was devoted to the
workings of the various sections Of the
secretary Of States office, with special
attention given to The work OF the au-
tomoble department.. in which practical
ly every ;ermonter Is Interested.
In speaking of the department Of cleo
tons, which Is handled by the secretary
of States office, Mr.. Black called atten-
ton to the fact that the vote in the re-
cent primaries refuted the idea that wor-
en- do not vote when they have the OPP
portunity He quoted figures to prove
his statement. There were 11O,6S7 names
on the check lists throughout the State
for the recent primaries. OF this num-
ber 1899 were men, while 1856 were
women who had had their names placed
on the list between the time of the rati-
fcation Of the 10Th amendment and the
time of the primaries. The total vote in
the recent primaries was 63.Ss5 while the
total vote In 1918 was only 35o71. This
would indicate that a much larger pro-
portion of the women whose names were
on the check list voted than did the men
whose names were on the list.
Some interesting figures were given.
also, to show the growth of the automo-
, bile department. Mr.. Black said that this
department has grown almost as fast
! during the last two years during the
entire ten years previous to that time.
In the years from 1909 to 1918, inclusive,
the total income for registrations of cars
was 81 .T55, 1893; while the total income dur
ing the years 1919 and 1920 will amount to
about 81, OILS 100, according to Mr.. Blacks
estimate. The growth Of the department
may be seen by the fact that in 1909.
seven years after the department was
started, the income for registrations was
s26,657 In 1918. It reached 39s,s55; in 1919.
$3.50 19o and up to the present time this
year the receipts have been s544,0o0. Mr..
Black estimates that by December 81. It
1858 cars registered in the state. During
the present year, the registration will
reach $1,000
The latter part of Mr.. Blacks address
was taken up with the facts about the
enforcement of the automobile law. Ow-
ing to the fact that the number Of auto
| mobiles in the State has grown SO great
~ during the last two years the prob
lem of enforcing the automobile laws has
become a serious one especially that part
Of 1t which deals with accidents.
Mr.. Black explained the drastic mea-
sures which he has found It necessary to
adopt in order to deal with the care
less driver. He said that the department
had been criticized for licensing so gen
erally without more careful investigation.
II would be impossible to investigate
every application, when the licenses are
renewed every year, said Mr.. Black. If
a thorough investigation were made of
every case, there would be many who
would not get their licenses to operate
in time to make use of them during the
year.
However. operators are kept very
close watch of these days, and II any
thing arises to show that a driver is not
Al to operate a car, he loses his license
very quickly and it is hard to get it
back.
Another difficulty which the depart
rent encounters is the rush to register
cars and get licenses at certain seasons
of the year. II the weather is bad in the
winter very few applications for licenses
are sent In until along in April. linen
they all begin to come in at once ana
everybody expects to get his license with
in a day or Two. Mr., Black explained
that it liz physically impossible to take
care Of al! applicants 1T once when they
come IN a rush like that. IN order 10
be sure OF having number plates and
licenses when wanted they should be
applied for at least ten days IN advance.
something must re done to protect
human l:fe and property" sstd Mt. Black
IN taking mp the mater OF Academia. He
said that 15ooo persons lost their lives iI'
this country last year through sutomo-
bile accidents. And the property loss is
! souething tremendous. The death rate
in Vermont has net been 70 high az IN
MANY States. Only o. people have been
killed In automob,io accidents in Vernon,
, thus far this year.
, II claim that tho automobile properly
, driven is tho safest vehicle on earth to
. rice in" continued Mr.. Black. 1T vii
-, ilet what the human hand makes II
IC people keep on the right side OF
tGll ana obey the IaWS OF tne TOdC
L,lcran. it Is perfectly safe Care
, Iessness is the cause Of ~ per cent OF
t all the accidents; only a very small pei
cent is the fault of the machines"
Mr.. Black told of the report slips whicf
are sent out to be Allied in by drivers
who have accidents. On the back Of
these slips, the drivers arc supposed Il
draw diagrams showing how the acciden
occurred Many times these diagrams
tell more OF the story than the verba
reports for it is hard for a person e
deceive through diagram. person
r naturally draws the cars just as the!
were in position and this tells many facts
Reports show said the speaker. that
one of the chief causes OF accidents IL
cutting in between two cars whicf
are meeting: another is trying to pass
a car on a curve or just before reach
0 ing the brow Of hill. Mr.. Black
i took up each case Of the accidents IL
e which people have been killed In thu
!, State this year and showed, so far al
d possible what was the cause of eaci
Z accident In several cases the acciden
8 was caused by the driver attempting
to do something else while driving thu
i car such as help some one on witt
s a coat, fix something on the car
n etc. Several small children wer'
n killed and It was hard to fix thu
blame where the child ran into thu
road in front of car. Reckless driv
ling on curve, speeding and drivinf
t while intoxicated were other causes
d In most cases there was pure care
- lessneNs somewhere.
Mr. Black said that il was hard Il