The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-12-01

simply could not have been done. Thii
was the beginning of the long drawr
+ out competition for the franscontin
entail record which has been through
the hands Of many car makers and
now rests with the Essex al four days
Ia hours, 50 minutes, while to begin
with Il was a matter Of months.
An early law was passed requiring
the driver Of a motor vehicle to stop
AZ once upon the signal from the driv-
er Of a horse drawn equipage. This
law has long since been forgotten but
twenty years ago il did not behooye
the motorist to forget il II he hoped TO
avoid liability for the constant dam
age that lay in his wake. Drivers OF
cars early observed that If there was
a fair chance the probability Of a
wrecked wagon was much less II the
car slid By and gave the team or
horse an ambition 10 make progress
straight along the road away from the
car; however, IL the teamster held up
his hand the car had TO stop. Many
cars were stopped that might have
passed quickly with no trouble and
while the horses were making up their
mind what TO do, with the result that
the horses did finally turn the wagon
over or back il into the river. None
Of US lost our licenses for we didn't
have any
In the very early days the steam
cars were the lower in price and for
a dollar expended one could get
much better performing car in a steam
car than in gasoline engined one.
The early gasoline engines were a
mysterious proposition to all mechan-
les and even TO their designer II used
to be said and taken seriously that a
gasoline engine would not run well If |
the weather were not just right The
trouble about this theory was that no
one could find out what kind of /
weather was required to make them
run and il they quit without discern
ible cause on both rainy and clear
days. A common remark used to be
at takes a inmate to find out what is
the matter with a steamer and week
TO fix it, and with gas car it takes
week TO find out what is the matter
and minute to fix IT,"
These things caused a large per-
rentage Of the first cars bought in
Vermont 10 be steamers but the rapid
Improvement in gasoline cars and the
gain in understanding Of the principles
4 the gasoline engine with the final
conclusion that if a gas engine was in
rider it would run in any weather
urned the tables in favor Of gasoline
ars, before 1905.
Motor cars had been in operation {
n Vermont for five years before the
legislature in 1904 passed laws requir- '
ng registration and the licensing Of :
perators. The early fees were nom
nal and the number of cars so small ,
hat as a matter Of state revenue the !
motor car receipts were not an inter
sting item. The first sum turned Z
yer to the state auditor as receipts 3
rom automobile sources was $1,000. q
The rapid growth Of tie motor car 7
ales business in the state is indicated
y the increase in receipts at the Sec n
etary Of States Office for motor car =
agistration. For the two years 1905 "
nj 1906 the receipts were s3,29S00, a
,r the next year, 1907, s2,645.s4, and G
,r the next four years they approx 81
nately doubled each year. From then
p to 1916 they increased by $4,000 a
year and from then on increased n
bout $4,000 year until this years n
,ceipts now amount 10 s670,000. Ap- g
roximately $4,000 in fines and col n
ction Of fees has been the result Of n
e work Of the inspectors this sea- ei
N. "
In 1905, the first year that dealers n
ere required to register, there were "
st 16 dealers registration certifcat- y
issued. There are now but five Of
e l6 original numbers held by =
uses with whom the original holder .
the certificate is connected. These y
-e arc: The Miller Automobile Com = :
ny Of White River Junction Of, II. y y
Bennett OF Barre oil, Manley
Others Inc, Brattleboro 0s, Rutland io'
Itomobile and Machine Co, OH, N
lmilton Stuart, McIndocs Falls ola. m'
Ie Number OF was originally issued '
r. B. Gillette of Jonesville, and up ~
his death was transferred 70 Miller q
White River Junction. who origin
y had O2. J. J. Williams ~ Mont ~
.ier who originally had % Is still en- 20
gcd in the automobile repair busi- @
ss and operates an accessory store r
, has given Up the sale q cars and ye
es not hold the dealers certificate 81
"a .s-~fsrr - 4hte article vrae reEnrf. 70