Milford chronicle., 1926-07-02
MAKING PLANS FOR
JULY 4TH TRAVEL
(continued from firnt paRel

who use Penny Hill and the Phlla-
delphia Pike so that the congestion
may be cut down as much as pos
sible.
Work on the approaches to st.
Georges bridge over the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal is proceeding
rapidly. The west approach is COM
pleted and the wOrkmen are engaged
in grading the eastern side.
Superintendent Reynolds with
Lieut.. Ray few days ago made a
trip from Wilmington to Dover and
return, leaving Wilmington at mid
night and returning to Wilmington
early in the morning. The object of
the excursion was to learn at first
hand concerning night travel and
traffic.
Night Travel Orderly
The police officials found things
much better than they had anricipat-
ed and their observations refuted
statements made to them concern
ing reckless drivers. On the way to
the capital of Delaware they found
much travel comprising residents Of
rural Delaware on their way home
from attending the movies and social
functions in Wilmington. They also
met many trucks from the strawber-
ry sections and farms of lower Del
aware bound for Philadelphia and
New York. All of the drivers seemed
to be awake and on the job and were
observing traffic laws as well as dur
ing the daytime.
On the return trip they found sew
eraI trucks pulled up along the side
of the road. At each of these they
found the driver curled upon the seat
asleep, taking nap.
Each of these men is a safe driv-
err" said Superintendent Reynolds.
1.-THE fact that he pulled off the road
in order to take nap when he felt
sleepy showed that he was trying to
do the best he could to protect other
people. If he had continued to at
tempt to drive while sleepy, he might
have gone to sleep and either killed
himself or brought on an accident in
which others might have been kill
ed"
Lieut.. Ray showed that he is a
good Samaritan through an incident
which happened a few days ago. He
met with truck on which young
man was riding who, because of his
semi-military clothing looked as
though he might be a deserter from
some army post. The Lieutenant
questioned the man who finally con-
vinced him that he wasn't a deserter.
AS he was turning away, Lieut.. Ray
saw that the man was wearing an
undershirt such as is furnished to
regulars. He asked the man what
clothes he wore when he left home.
"Civics" Gave Him Away
Il was wearing ciYics," answered
the man.
Then the lieutenant knew the fell
low was lying and that he was an
army man and had seen service. He
accused the man anew, and told him
that no one but a man who had been
in the army would have used the
word "civics" as he had done. The
fellow broke down and confessed and
said that he had deserted an army
post in Maryland and had been gone
ten days. The lieutenant reasoned
with the chap and told him that he
had enough information against him
to cause a severe sentence to be inn
posed upon him. The deserter real
lied his predicament and cried when
Lieutenant Ray offered to see that he
got a free ride to the army post If
he would return there and give him
self up. The fellow consented and the
next day Lieut.. Ray heard from the
driver of the truck who took the fell
low part of the way to the army post
that the deserter had gone straight
back to face the music.
The placing of traffic officer at
the junction of the du Pont Boule-
ward and the road leading to New
Castle, largely used by motorists, is
one of the best things the State Au-
tomobile Association has ever done,
in the minds of motorists using the
state highway. This officer, with
traffic semaphore is in complete
charge of the travel at this point on
Saturdays and Sundays and through
his presence is able not only to
keep traffic moving, but to prevent
accidents.
Once-a-Week Drivers
One of the things that bothers
traffic on Sundays on the state high
way, is the presence of "once-a-
week drivers" These, with beginners,
cause traffic to pile up at various
points and irritates motorists some
times to the point of becoming pro-
fame.
The "once-a-week driver" is the
man who is unable to drive his car
any time except Saturday and pos
sibly Sundays. AS a consequence he
is so i'll acquainted with the car and
traffic regulations that he pokes
along at Is to 20 miles an hour, driv-
ing his motor in wobbly fashion so
as to arouse concern among motor
lists who come from behind and con-
slider passing him.
The beginners class, comprising
those men and women who are be-
ing taught to operate machine is
an item in motor traffic regulations
that may be embraced in amend
ments to the state traffic laws next
winter. It is true that these people
have to learn to drive a car if that
is their ambition, but it is contended
that they should use the side roads
on Saturdays and Sundays when
traffic is hnarv and NOT hlnck widely