Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-04
CITY MERCHANTS To
HELP SAFETY WORK
Local Council Asks Business In.
terests to Cooperate in Its
Activities.

Wilmington, the official bulletin OF the
Chamber of Commerce, prints the follow
ing:
The public safety movement which
has been established on such compre-
hcnsive basis in this city and State is ex-
pectcd to receive the fullest cooperation
from the mercantile and business houses
OF Wilmington. At the present time great
part of the efforts of the Delaware Safety
Council is devoted to making Market
street and other principal thoroughfares
safer for both automobile drivers and
pedestrians The traffic committee, with
the corporation of the police department,
is about to lay down white-painted lines
at the intersections of Market street with
other thoroughfares from Front to Tenth.
These lines will help greatly to guide
traffic, to secure safety for pedestrians,
and also to serve as a warning both for the
needless ''iay-walker" and the reckless
motorist. 1t is expected that the traffic
officers will exercise renewed vigilance
when these lines are laid down and insist
upon pedestrians crossing the street at the
spots indicated.
FOR BENEFIT or CITY.
Anv movement to make Market street
a safer place, of course, will have the un-
limited support of all the public-spirited
merchants and business men of the city.
4 safer street means better business. But
il is not only from the point of view of
better business, but also from the public
spirited attitude towards the well-being
of the citizens of Wilmington as whole,
that great impetus ought to be gwen TO
this movement The growth in numbers OF
the automobile has created a condition
that IN some cases makes traffic on the
public thoroughfares menace unless
properly controlled. For instance, the
Delaware Safety Council has prepared
chart showing the frequency OF accidents,
and the indications on this chart point out
that Market street is the scene of more
accidents than any other five streets IN the
city combined But the most serious
point in these accidents is the fact that
pedestrians are injured. Most of the accl-
dents on Market street are those where
men, women and children are struck by
automobiles and more or less seriously
hurt While the accidents, for instance, on
Orange and French streets show, In their
majority, collisions between vehicles re-
sulting in property damage only.
The chart also shows that there have
been a number of collisions on Market
street between automobiles and motor
cars and these are always bad for business
because of the delay and confusion they
cause.
GREAT SUCCESS LAST YEAR.
The Delaware Safety Council during the
last year conducted a wide and persistent
campaign for the reduction of preventable
accidents. 1t established a foremen's
school which WAS highly successful and
which managed TO instruct IN the ele-
mentals of safety a large number of fore
men from the principal plants of the city.
Ii also held safety days" In the public
schools; 1T brought TO this city speakers OF
national reputation In the safety move
ment; it organized and now operates a
vppkAnce committee, composed OF $50
men and women, who report violations of
traffic ordinances. r. L. Read, the execu-
tive secretary Of the council, has followed
up each one of these reported violations,
hiss interviewed hundreds of men against
whom reports were laid, and has been
instrumental In securing the cooperation |
of owners and drivers. Through the work |
of this vigilance committee many care
less drivers have been shown the error of
their WAYS, while the hsbitually reckless
motorist has been sharply called to ac-
count More than that, arrangements
now have been made whereby the author |
ities have at their disposal the complete /
record of the vigilance committees re-
ports and these VIII prove valuable aud in |
the campaign now being conducted against |
the dangerous drivers.
NEED ALL TO HELP.
Beginning now the Delaware Safety /
Council has laid down plan of campaign |
which, If it meets with the cooperation |
Of the business men and the general pub |
lie, Will result In improving to large de- |
gree the unsafe condition existing In this |
city and State. This plan contemplates |
the securing of the hearty cooperation of /
all classes, but principally OF the business
men in the center OF the city.
Other cities have shown by their ex-
ample that the support Of the business
men can be a great factor IN reducing acci- /
dents Membership in the campaign will |
ber solicited by Mr.. Read, the executive |
secretary of the Delaware Safety Council. |
The dues are very small compared to the |
great results and the satisfaction which |
will be obtained when fatalities are elm /
mated and the chances of accident made |