The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-11-01

up their mind what to do, with the
result that the horses did finally turn
the wagon over or back itSinto the
y river. None Of us lost our licences
for we didn't have any.
In the very early days the steam
cars were the lower in price and for
A q dollar expended one could get a
4 much better performing car in steam
car than in a gasoline engined one.
The early gasoline engines were
mysterious proposition to all mechan-
les and even to their designers. 1t
used Ito be said and taken seriously
that gasoline engine would not run
we'll If the weather was 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 II they quit without dis
! cernible cause on both rainy and clear
days A common remark used to he
"H, takes minute to find out what
HIS the matter with steamer and
week to fix II, and with gas car If
takes week to find out what is the
matter and a minute to fix It,"
These things caused large percen
ltage OF the first cars bought in Yer
mont to be steamers but the rapid
improvement IN gasoline ears and the
gain in understanding OF the princi-
| pies of the gasoline engine. with the
| final conclusion that il a gas engine
/ was in order it would run in any
weather turned the tables in favor
| OF gasoline cars before 1905.
Motor cars had been in operation
in Vermont for five years before the
legislature in 1904 passed laws re-
| curing registration and the licensing
of operators. The early fees were
nominal and the number OF cars so
small that as q matter of state revenue
! the motorcar receipts were not an in
| teresting item The first sum turned
over to the state auditor as receipts
| from automobile sources was $4,000
The rapid growth of the motor car
sales business in the state is indica
| ted by the increase in receipts at the
/ Secretary Of States Office for motor
| car registration For the two years
of 1905 and 1906 the receipts were
$3.S9S.0o for the next year, 1907, ST.
/ 6f5.64. and for the next four years
they approximately doubled each
year. From then up to 1916 they in
creased by s25,0O000 year and from
then on increased about S75000.0O a
! year until this years receipts now a
mount to 500 900 600 Approx
mately Sl0,00O00 in fines and collec-
ton Of fees has been the result of
the work Of the inspectors this sea
son.
In 1905, the first year that dealers
4 were required to register, there were
kjust sixteen Dealers registration GER
tihcates issued There are now but
five of the sixteen original numbers
held by houses with whom the original
holder OF the certificate is connected
These five are, The Miller Artpwo
bile Company CT White River Junction
OF, II G. Bennett of Bare OIL. Mai
ley Brothers Company. Inc. Bratce
boro, 0S, Rutland Automobile and Ma
chine Co. 0l2, J Hamilton Stuart, Nc
Indoes Falls ola. The Number OF
was originally issued to f. B, Gillette
of Jonesville and upon his death was
transferred to Miller's of White River
Junction who originally had OF, J..
J. Williams OF Montpelier who origin
ally had 90 is still engaged in the au
tomobile repair business and operate &
an accessory store but has given up
the sale Of cars and does not hold the
eaer's cert fcate The writer OF
this article was associated with his
father, J. Williams, at the time the
original certificates were issued but
began operations in Bennington under
O9l before J. J. Williams gave up his
90 certificate.
In contrast to the first years issue
OF sixteen dealers certificates II is
interesting to note that this year 1853
dealers certificates We're issued The
records of registration now show 81
TAO cars registered in Vermont which
amounts to a car TO approximately
4 every nine persons There are 44.617
persons holding licenses to operate
motor vehicles and no one knows how
many young people under legal age
for holding licenses who can operate
Mr.. Teachout, Assistant Secretary OF
G State who has handled this work f0l
so long and so kindly supplied this
information Is very proud Of Vermont's
motor car record anu calls attention
to the fact that cars per capita Yer
il mont ranks with the best OF them
4 There are now in the Office taking
q care Of the registration work eighteen
4 employees, and this considering the
u volume of work handled and the ne
8 icessity for constant reference TO vol
umes of filed information is a sur
n prisingly small force.
n During the last year of business
Il difficulty New England has been ont
N of the strongest points in the country
y from an automobile sales point o
II view. Vermont has been proportion
II ately one of the best spots as the reg
n istration records show an increas
a Of 5169 cars this year over 1920 whit
y that year showed an increase of onl.
n $500 over 1919 In spite Of the ALLEGED
u business depression the motor car bus
~ mess in Vermont went blssfully alonI
y and about doubled its volume thi
"a year.
n For the last six weeks the sale o
motor cars has actually picked up a
n judged by reports from the dealer
u who all have an optimistic smile an
are delivering a surprising numbe