Evening star., 1927-09-25


motor vehicles, after many years OF
floundering and failing. gradually is
taking on the character OF science.
Virtually every city IN the country
at some time or another has under
taken to conduct a traffic survey.
MANY have failed, some have been
moderately successful, and others, in
smaller number, have been highly
successful in their quest for exact
knowledge OF traffic movement.
Boston recently has undertaken
traffic count that has seen the proc
eSs reduced to an exact science.
Considering the scope OF the under
taking, the character OF the street
LAYOUT in Greater Boston and the
other obstacles encountered, the
results have been remarkable only
;.aacause of the precision with which
tfrSurvey was planned.
Counters did not stand on corners
equipped with stubby pencils and
smudgy sheets of paper. Instead,
they were equipped with boards on
which were affixed the small
registering devices used by telephone
companies in recording calls. Thus
equipped, the counters were able to
check the character as we'll as the
volume of traffic.
The counting was comparatively
simple in contrast with another
feature OF the survey. Policemen
IN the course of one week stopped
100000 motorists and collected from
them exact data as to where they
started and where they were gong.
In addition, they gathered the waltz
able information as to what route
each of the 100000 was using.
A large undertaking, climaxed by
success. the Boston achievement
should be an excellent guide to
other communities considering "a
survey to determine what its trathc
is, where it goes and how 1t gets
there.
Since motorists always seem TO
bear the brunt of criticism when
disobedience to traffic regulations IS
discussed, and no one ever-or rare
lv, at any rate-seems TO consider
anv other person at fault, 1t might
be well. in the interest of fairness,
to record an instance which shows
that there is another side to the pic
ture which cannot be overlooked.
A long stream OF cars, seeking to
make a left turn on the lights at
Seventh and X streets northwest,
had drawn up in the usual position,
awaiting the signal to fash green.
The drivers all were waiting pa
tiently, and made no untoward move.
The instant the signal was in the
process OF turning from red to yell
low, street car behind. also desir-
ing to move uptown, tangled and
pounded its bell in perfect anguish
of impatience.
For the entire time that light was
yellow, when the motorists were
obeying the law by making ready
to move across, but holding in posi-
tion until the signal favored them.
that street car screeched its desire
to leap over the tops of the ma
chimes and be on its illegal way.
This is an instance. Others have
been noted. They are not overly fire.
quent. But they do happen often
enough to be worthy OF notice, and
to be considered at the same time
the infractions of car owners are
considered A street car has no
more excuse for breaking a wise
traffic regulation than has the in
dividual motorist, and it would seem
the fair and just thing to let it
share equal blame when the blame
patiently is equal. And it certainly is
that, IN some cases at any rate.
Among the changes which the ad-
veut of the automobile has brought
about is one in the methods of secur-
ing labor for construction and MAIN
tenance of roads. In the early days
OF our country's history, virtually all
roads were built by statute labor:
that is, by the able-bodied. citizens
living along the roads, a custom ap-
parently carried over from the old
feudal system of Europe.
AS late as 1904 there were 36 States
which had a statute-labor or poll tax
law in force, which could be paid by
working on the highways. Some of
the States. Mississippi, for example,
required that all male persons over
l8 and under so years of age, unless
by law exempt, work on the public
roads for period not to exceed 10
days. In emergency, they could be
required to work a longer period.
Other States-Michigan was one
required but single days work. In
lieu OF working, the Mississippi law
provided for tlee payment of S.. In
the case of Michigan the statute
labor tax was 81.
In some States these laws probably
still are on the books. although unen-
forced, except in SO far as collecting
the tax is concerned. One reason is
that with the present methods of
building highways contractors can
do better work by having their own
labor supply over which they have
complete control.
The law of compensation is at it
again, and this time most interest
ingly
In order to provide the extra
power which the public now is de-
manding, automotive engineers, in
several instances, have been forced
10 add a certain amount of noise to
the engine. This is not necessarily
tappet noise, and most assuredly is
not noise from vibration. 1t is a new
type, known as power noise. 1t
seems TO be form OF penalty which