Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-24
A N old automobile book, pub
~ lished in the interests of

A AAOIOAAOnA AOA bAAC yOoA AoVAi
was found the other day
and although valuable only as an
antique, proves rather fascinating
reading for those who would
dwell again in the days of yore.
This book, published when au-
tomobiles were in their infancy
and one of the first books of its
kind, contains fount of infor-
nation. 1t seems hard to believe
that there was much information
to be learned in those days, but
that was not the case. The book
contained 238 pages, with less
than 20 devoted to advertising,
and how interesting those old ad-
vertiSementS were, too.
How could those old cars run,
whose peculiar lines are so Gu
riously pictured in pen and ink
drawings. But they did run, and
only recently a race of various
makes of the old timers was
staged abroad, and the shouts of
the spectators could not drown
out the noise of the motors.
A Little Information.
In this old book is found the
care of automobiles, road condi-
tons, service stations, ferry sched-
ules, hotel lists, population of
cities, racing rules, road laws,
routes, what to do in case of &C
cidentS, signs of weather, and a
host of scientific information, in
Guiding center of gravity, compo-
Sition of petroleum, expansion of
metals, experiments in mud and
snow and one hundred and one
other things. Oh, yes, calendar
also was included.
The preface of the book, giving
as a reason for its existence, was
as follows:
During the past few years the
development of the automobile
has been very rapid. All types of
motor vehicles have been greatly
improved, and the advancement
in the manufacture has been
very great toward mechanical
perfection and in production. Cor
responding to the growth in pro-
duction and perfection. has been
very large increase Of users.
The manufacture of automobiles
suitable for any. use, from park
rides to the longest tours, has been
met by public acceptance of them
for such uSageS. While the use
OF automobiles has kept pace with
theiE manufacture, the increase
in facilities for convenient tour
ing has not been proportionate to
the increase in actual use. Ex-
cept in the large cities but little
attention has been paid to offering
automobiles the services and
supplies necessary to convenient
touring"
Under a chapter headed Road
Ordinances" rules and regula-
tions for the District of Column
bia, although few in number, are
listed. They are signed by the
three Commissioners, dated No
vember 6, 1899, and secretary, who
were, respectively, John B. Wight,
John w. Ross and Lansing H.
Beach, and w. Tindall.
Regulations of 1901.
Here they are,
Ordered, that the Board of
Examiners of Steam Engineers is
hereby directed to examine such
candidates as may present them
selves for examination for running
automobiles, locomobiles, or any
other vehicle propelled by steam
on the streets or roads of the Dis
trict of Columbia; that the board
is hereby directed to make such
examination of candidates as re-
lates to the operating of the en-
gineS of those vehicles, and upon
a satisfactory examination being
passed, shall issue to them a IL
cense to the effect that the per-
son named in the certificate is
competent to operate the boiler
and engine of such vehicle; that
the fee for this service shall be So,
the same as in other cases; that
all boilers on these vehicles shall
be submitted to the annual in
spection of the inspector Of
boilers"
Dated under December IA, 1899,
is the following:
Ordered, that section % of ar
ticle 10 of the police regulations
of the District of Columbia is
hereby amended by adding after
the word bicycle in the first line
thereof, the following words, or
other horseless vehicle so that the
section shall read as follows: Sec
ton %. No bicycle or other horse
less vehicle shall be propelled
across the interesting streets on
which there are car tracks, in the
City of Washington, at a greater
rate Of speed than 6 miles an
hour, nor at greater rate of speed
between interesting streets and
avenues or cross streets on which
there are no car lines than IL
miles an hour, nor at a greater rate
of speed on any public street or
roadway outside of said city than
Is miles an hour. Every bicycle in
motion on a public highway shall
be at all times under the control
of the rider. InaSmuch as safety
in passing vehicles with rapidly
moving vehicles requires that the
riders or drivers approaching each
other shall each be able to judge
of the probable movement of the
approaching vehicle, no bicycle
shall be ridden on the streets
within the city limits with the
lower end of the handle bars on
a plane lower than four inches be-
low the top of the saddle at it's
center, and the rider shall at all
times keep his head in such a po-
Sition as to command a view
ahead of not less than 800 feet.
This provision shall not be appli-
cable to members of the bicycle
squad of the police force"