San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
Keeps His Eye on Timer
and Changes Red and
Green Lights Right on the
Second Regardless Of
Conditions.

IeTndpS you nave ciiihoeu INT io"i
steps that lead to his tower or "dog
house" and pestered him with foolish
questions. Or perhaps you have
jammed the brakes of your automobile
and brought it to grinding stop with
an accompaniment Of strong language
uttered or mentally reserved as he
stopped you in your haste to reach
your destination. 1t makes no diff
ference to the man who operates traf-
fic signals on Houston street. He
has his eye on an Eastman timer
and changes the course of traffic
without regard. to the wishes of any
man except the authority which
plans the traffic periods.
Watch the signals if you cross
or travel along Houston street be-
tween Z 80 in the morning and ii
o'clock at night. If green light is
showing or u green and yellow light,
keep going; but when the yellow
light comes on. get your automobile
in easy control. You have exactly
five seconds in which to pass the
signal post or stop your car. Never
pass a red light.
Traffic is permitted to run 40
seconds on Houston and so seconds
on cross streets without change
under present regulations except be-
tween the hours of 8 and . p. m.
During that hour on Saturday and
Sunday nights, the green light burns
one minute and - seconds OH Hous-
ton and 80 seconds on cross streets.
On all other nights it shows for one
inn MI nr1c
on cross streets.
Yellow Light Flashes Emergency.
If you are travelling along a
street where traffic is regulated by
the light signals and only the yellow
light is burning. and it in intermit-
tent flashes, watch out. The fire
department or an emergency car is
coming through, and all other traffic
must stop.
All signal lights in the recently
installed system are controlled by
single switchboard operated by the
man who sits in the tower built at
the point where Houston street crosses
the San Antonio River. A copper
plate about an inch in width is shift
ed from one connection to another.
The yellow light connection is placed
between the other two at such dis
lance from each that the copper plate
will reach from it to either of them.
At present a separate switch works
the bell, and another flashes the
yellow light.
From the time the signals are
started at 80 a. m. till 3 p. m,
ID. l.. Bradshaw and Dave Cruz take
two hour turns at operating the traf-
fic switchboard. During the remain
ing eight hours of the day, Fred
Workman has it all TO himself seven
days out of the week. They all agree
that there is great advantage in
directing traffic from point where
they can neither see or be seen.
ITS fine to be able to direct traf-
fic without having to stop anybody
and argue with them" said Mr..
Workman. who is entirely relieved
from street duty. Cant show any
partially here"
He threw the signal to stop traffic
on Houston street and looked down
toward the st. Mary's corner.
Stops Mail Wagon.
"Hello!" he said. Caught Uncle
Sam flat time. II I had seen the
mail wagon sooner. | would have
given him a couple of seconds to get
by"
The new traffic system is designed
TO speed up traffic and not to make
it slower. Traffic directors are
unanimous in agreeing that it has
accomplished much good would be
more successful IL drivers would pay
more attention TO what they are do
ing. Some stop behind street cars
at safety zones when they should
drive carefully by them. sicily
beans" drive slowly along the street,
trying to locate someone they can
pick up. And tourists come along
who are entirely unfamiliar with the
system.
Sometimes an hour or two passes
without single violation Of traffic
rules, but in the next half hour a
dozen people may have to be stopped
at c corner. approximately so driv-
ers Ego wrong" in the course of an
eight hour shift, according to one
policeman. Their numbers are being
taken and turned in at headquarters
for the purpose of determining if
the same persons are continually vio-
lating the rules. No fines are being
assessed at present.
There is telephone in the tower
put there solely for use in case of
fire. As soon as an alarm is turned
In, the traffic operator is notified.
At all other times the telephone is
idle. no matter how hungry the OPP
orator may be nor how much he
would like TO call a friend. The
telephone is there for business only.
Many people have climbed up to
watch the operation of the traffic
signals at the tower. Many others
have stopped to gain information.
Women ask how TO locate houses or
cafeterias ard bunch of small boys
stopped to ask Officer Workman if