Evening star., 1925-07-31
BOULEVARD STOPS
LEGAL, COURT SAYS,
BACKING ELDR|DGE
SChuIdt Promises to Punish
Drivers for ignoring
New Regulation.
FIRST ACCUSED TAKEN
UNDER CODE is FREED
Driver Says He Did Not See Sign
Trolley Lines to Get Hear
ing Tuesday.

No matter what application the new
boulevard stop system may have 10
street car traffic, Judge Gus A.
Schuldt upheld Traffic Director Ed
ridge in Traffic Court today. when he
gave as his opinion that the regula-
ton is perfectly legal as to automo
biles and horse-drawn vehicles and de-
clared he would convict those guilty
of breaking the regulations.
This ruling is strictly in line with
that of Col. l. G. Moller. engineer in
the Traffic Bureau, who asserted to
day that the stop signs are in fun
force and effect for automobiles, de
spite the question raised by the
Washington Railway & Electric Co.
that the voulevard stops cannot be
applied to street cars until ordered by
the Utilities Commission after a
hearing.
First Accused Escapes.
The first motorist to be taken to
Traffic CoLl. charged with violating
the stop signo appeared before JUS
tice Schuldt hts morning in the per
son of Phi-ip w. Austin, 2709
Twelfth street northeast. Although
j
plainly stated his verdict was based
on lack of evidence and that he would
inflict punishment on any motorist
! brought before him on a similar in
fraction where the evidence was com
plete.
Mr.. Austin. il was testified, failed
I to stop at the painted sign at Eight
eenth street and Connecticut avenue
Policeman Galamore of the third
precinct arrested him. Austin testi-
fed that taxicab was standing on
the stop sign and that as a result
he did not see it. He pleaded. how
ever, that he could not be held liable
! because ii is compulsory to advertise
a new regulation for 10 days before
| it can be enforced.
Judge Schuldt disagreed with the
| latter plea. He said that in the case
of signs and similar traffic devices
they are sufficient advertising in
themselves. On that basis. Judge
| Schuldt said. he would punish the mo-
| torist, but declared he believed, in view
! of the fact that a taxicab stood on
| the stop sign. Austin was sincere in
| his statement he did not see it, There
| fore, il was ruled, he had not been
| proved guilty of deliberately passing
the sign and the charges were dis
missed
Hearing Set Tuesday.
The Utilities Commission has set
1880 o'clock Tuesday as the time TO
hear any objections the street car COM
/ panieS may have to make against re-
| quiring cars to obey the stop signs
where they cross boulevard streets.
While the Commission was consider
/ ing the application of boulevard stops
to street cars yesterday. the point was
! afe-r.l 1,r4E
| have already been painted are in eff
! feet for motorists unless the boulevard
streets are specifically named in the
traffic regulations
Answering this today, Traffic Direc-
tor Eldridge and Col Moller stated
that ample authority to make stop
signs effective at intersections on
boulevard streets was given the traf-
fee director by the Commissioners in
the new code, when it was adopted
May g.
MOller Quotes Code.
/ Col. Moller quoted the following
clause from the code as adopted Nav
| 3, which, he says. makes the stop signs
/ fully effective:
Boulevard highways tor through
| traffic streets) = Vehicles travelling
| within the legal designated speed
! limit upon such highways as may be
/ established as boulevard shall have
j the right of way over vehicles ap-
/ preaching from intersecting streets.
! alleys or driveways. Upon approach
ing any boulevard highway a vehicle
or street car on an intersecting street
shall come to a complete stop before
| crossing: Provided, however. that
when the intersection is controlled
by police officer or by a signaling
device all vehicles shall comply with
! orders or directions of such officer or
device. Where two or more boulevard
highways intersect, all vehicles shall
obey signals as required in this sec
| ton"
Col Moller further explained that
the clause in the regulations defining
the meaning of device" includes any
| lighting signal, semaphore, sign, stan
chion, whistle or bell.
The traffic officials said the stop
sign is effective when painted on the
street regardless of whether the in
terSecting street has been designated
as a boulevard highway, and the signs
have been painted at a number of
dangerous crossings where neither
street is a boulevard highway.
Will Defer Action.
Director EJlQf1OSe Sdlu lie uiu liOt
contemplate asking the Commissioners
| to specify the boulevard streets by
! name in the regulations until he Is
ready to permit an increased speed
limit on certain portions of the bou-
levards.
The purpose which the traffic direc-
tor had in mind in painting the stop
signs weeks in advance of a. regula-
ton allowing special speed limits was
to enable drivers to become thorough
" familiar with the system.
I'VE did not want to have the
streets officially designated boulevard
highways until we were ready to per
NIT a special speed Mr.. Eldridge ex-
| planned But the stop sign is in ef-
feet as soon as it is painted on the
street
Mr.. Eldridge and Col. Moller de
clared today that the boulevard stop
system will prove to be one of the
biggest improvements yet made in
traffic regulation in the District and
they predicted that all motorists will
be in favor of them when the plan is
in complete operation.
There is some difficulty in seeing
the painted word stop on the pave
ment at night. particularly If another
tcar is directly in front of the driver,
but Mr.. Eldridge said that as rapidly
as funds will permit. rejecting sign
will be erected on the lamppost 81
Continued on Page 2. Column 3D.