New-York tribune., 1922-12-31
Throng Stands
In Cold to Get
Auto Licenses
A O'clock in Morning Sees
Lasi-Aiinule Men in Line
Applying for 1923 Plates
Cars MustHaveTO-mOrrOw
Thousands Are Too Late
Police Reserves Called Out
When Tempers Are Lost
and Window Glass Breaks

Al 4 o'clock yesterday morning
tAlverlnF figures began 70 appear BE-
fore The doors of the motor vehicle
tsresu. AZ si1ty-hfth Street and Broad
say. By 2 O'Clock q thousand sppli-
earts fsr the new motor license plates
we're lined up on the icy pavement IN
the freezing weather, IN double col
umn blocks long They were tho pro-
rrsrtinators. the put-it-ofers, who had
waited tiil the last cold morning 70 get
The 1923 license plates which they
could have got q, any time after No
vsmber Is
Deputies we're appointed from the
ranks who searched the neighborhooc
Tor material % burn. Every ash can
IN the district was requisitioned and
pressed into service as an outdoor
heating plant 20 warn tho frigid vigil
81 the tardy motorists. These cans
,vere placed GO intervals al along the
lines. and everything that would burn
was thrown in. Small boys were not
Glow 20 recognize the commercial value
tf the situation and rushed hot coffee
20 the scene which they dispensed 70
she mstutinal gathering az ten cent?
cup.
Tempers Lost; Police Called
Bv o'clock. when the Offices opened.
fhe corridors. the sidewalks, the streets
lin fact. the whole surrounding neigh
borhood. were thronged with people
timing % get license plates before
she bureau closed % noon. The taxi
cab and omnibus drivers composed one
81 the lines. and owners oi pleasure
and commercial cars were on the other.
when the plate glass windows began 20
break from the press Of fe crowd
and the Inevitable alterations over
positions in the line arose, hurry cal
srar sent in % the police, who dis
fatchod a SQUAD Of reserves and drew
up a Gordon 20 keep things orderly
Once inside Tho bureau, IL took only
two or three minutes for each sppli-
cant % get a license plate, but 20
rreat was the crush OF last minute sp-
pilcants that when the doors closed
90 noon there were 1000 waiting. The
untuccessfui ones will not be able 20
trpy again till next Tuesday When
main and branch Offices wli re-
..Cr 90 9 q. ~.
IGs All the Motorists' Fault
John T. Mcneil. deputy director Of
geo Motor Vehicle Bureau FOR the state
a.. New York. said the eicyenth-hour
conroftion was entirely the fault Of
tte motorifts. since the dates Of lssu-
aree Of the license plates had been
widely advertised. Motor cars which
appear on the streets after January ]
Without the new purple and white li- /
cerse plates will BE- stopped by the
police ne said.
Issuance Of the license plates began
On November TO- Ninety-four thousand
one hundred and nirety-three licenses
bad been issued up 20 yesterday, and
total o. s1.855f3730 received m fees.
Yesterday s308.678 was taken in during
tHe morning rush. The plates can be
obtained ~ the New York Office or any
of the branch Offices In the Bronx,
Richmond. Queens, the 9th Coast De
ferrc Armory and the lst Field Artil-
l.ry Armory. he hinted that the mo-
torist who ventured out after the FIRST
81 the year with his old green and
white license plate would not progress
very far