davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING HELD
HIGHLY IMPORTANT OCCUPATION
City Officials Should Take Advantage Of
Breathing Spell in y Upward Rush Of
Motor Vehicle Use.

suited in 1927 the creation of the ON
cial Traffic Commission. with a full
time traffic engineer In 1929 Boston
established a similar body.
The youth OF the profession Of traf-
flc engineering is indicated by the or
ganization just year ago of the Insti-
tute of TRAFFIC Engineers.
, UnqueStionably the responsibility fol
trafhc conditions rests upon public off,
Gals. Their leadership is essential &c
| the creation of an adequately stated
official traffic commission.
The present time would Geem to Offer
an unusual opportuni,y ICr cities 10
utilize funds constructive. Tor the ad-
dition of traffic facilitieS md the i'm
provement OF existing equipment. with
resultant benefits to labor, traffic and
municipal advertising. If, as we have
been told, first impressions are lasting
then the traffic tangleS greeting out-of-
town visitors to many city must leave
an undesirable impression of lack OF
progreSsiveness.
After all, traffic congestion is no more
necessary today than score OF diseases
which have been controlled through in
telligent research and organized effort
The program suggested by the Com
mittee on Measures for Relief of Traf-
f1c Congestion to the Third National
Conference on Street and Highway
Safety is sound one.
First. organize officially In order to
centralize responsibility for the traffic
problem. The police department has
a very definite place to fill in the traf-
fic program. While the duty of en-
forcement Of the provisions of the traf-
11c laws and ordinances is rightfully
the responsibility of the police depart
ment, there are equally important func-
tons. highly technical in character
which require special treatment.
Second. secure proper engineering
advice-fup time. If possible; other
wise on part time or on consulting
basis. Third, apply this engineering
knowledge to the problem through the
medium Of trafic surveys which will
determine what should be done, and
when, and where. Then adequate
funds. budgeted to the needs, will pro-
vide any city with a progressive plan
of traffic relief
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
A. NJ. A. OPPOSES
AUTO SALE TAXES
New Legislation Proposed by
La Guardia Is Held Un-
sound Plan.

/ An excellent way to "hamstring" the
, Nations greatest manufacturing indus
try with dire consequences to the 4,
100000 normally dependent upon 1t for
employment Is the characterization
given by the American Motorists AS
ISOLATION to the proposal for a 10 per
cent sales tax on automobiles. Regard
ing the cure as worse than the disease
the A. NJ. A. demands deeper consider
alton OF the issue than the mere fact
that automobile taxes are easy and in
expensive to collect.
Termed Short Sighted.
I'VE have been told for the past two
years by every one qualified to speak
on the subject that me must cast our
economic thinking in new mold" says
Thomas j. Keefe, general manager OF
the A. NJ. A. The proposal for a sales
tax on automobiles falls flagrantly
short of that ideal. Instead Of finding
a new mold, Congress is asked to &c
back to the old one, with It's bad ef-
fects intensified.
Government economics have so long
and so definitely centered about motor
transportation as to become almost a
classic stupidity. If there is such a
thing as justice in taxation, 1t is high
time that a permanent halt we're called
to the imposition of an additional bur-
den upon those who own and operate
motor cars.
only inexcusable shortsightedness
would permit any one to overlook the
consequences Of this tax proposed by
Representative La Guardia of New York.
Add 10 per cent to the cost of automo-
biles and sales are automatically re-
stricted. Diminish the outlet for its
product in this fashion and the industry
is seriously crippled.
Called Serious Blundcr.
ITO hamstring the Nations foremost
manufacturing industry is a serious
blunder. even in the best of times. Di-
rectly and indirectly 100000 persons
are dependent upon motor transporta-
ton for their employment. 1t requires
no abnormally keen vision to foresee
the dire consequences faced by these
millions If further obstacles are raised
to the recovery of this industry.
1T is high time that revenue raising
bodies considered such factors as this
instead of being so greatly influenced
by the fact that motor vehicle sales
taxes are easy and inexpensive to
collect"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
LOWEST COST ROADS
BUILT IN FARM AREAS
100000 Square Yards of Single
Lane Pavements Let in
10 States.

How local communities are removing
the mud hazard and high car operat-
ing and upkeep costs from their mod
erately travelled roads is shown in their
activity in building single lane hard
surfaced pavements. In thirteen States
approximately 100000 square yards of
single lane concrete pavements. eight
to ten feet wide, were let to contract
this year. This is the equivalent of a
little less than 200 miles Of nine-foot
pavement
This years awards bring the total
mileage OF single lane pavement in the
United States to about 1900 miles.
Single lane pavements have been SO
widely adopted because of their low
original cost and the comparatively in
significant maintenance costs: several
States report that the upkeep averages
around fifty or seyenty-f1ve dollars q
year.
When single lane pavements were
first built. nearly twenty years ago. it
was feared that the accident possibili-
ties would be high However, expert
ence has shown that accident likelihood
is no more in evidence than on full
width Davements. r. F. Fisher. super
intendent Of highways for Champaign
County. Ill, where 14849 miles of
single lane pavement are in service,
these pavements and that on foot ball
days when upward of 500 cars an hour
are carried on them, very few nishaps
occur.
In many instances single lane pave
mentS are used as stage construction so
that motorists will have year round
travel until money is available for full
width paving. Missouri, particularly,
has used them as stage construction
with great success The Missouri State
highway department this year awarded
nearly forty miles to contract That
State, along with New York, also
widened noteworthy mileages of single
lane pavement built in former years.
Although serving admirably as stage
construction. single lane pavementS are
more often built as permanent i'm
provements on rural roads that carry
little or no through traffic and local
traffic flows of so to 500 cars a day.
This year has offered unusually low
cost as an inducement for such con-
struction. In Iroquois County, Ill,
where aggregate must be shipped in,
the cost was only S13,720 per mile. In
Bay County, Mich, where all mate
rails are at hand the cost was only
$4,000 per mile-bargain construction
In either case.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION
CONTRACTS ARE AWARDED
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, october IT,
Highway construction contracts amount
ing to $68,149.95 were awarded last week
by the State Roads Commission. The
largest contract was awarded to M. j.
Grove Lime Co. of Lime Kiln, Md, on
bid of $22,025.10 for 1.03 miles of
concrete highway along the Poolesville-
Martinsburg road to Martinsburg in
Montgomery County.
Contract for another road in the same
county was awarded to M. r. Waesche
& Son of Thurmont, Md, on a bid Of
$15,980, and calls for constructing 1.03
miles of concrete from Diamonds Cor
ners, on the GaitherSburg- Ounce Or
chard road, toward old Germantown.
The other contracts awarded were:
Prince Georges County = Through
Maryland Park from Central avenue to
the District of Columbia line 0.51 mile,
concrete. to Christhilf & Ensey, Balti-
more, $1,000.
Dorchester County-Onc section of
State highway near Hills Point toward
Hudson, a dis tnce of 1888 miles, con-
crete. to Phillips Bros, Salisbury,
Y0V10OO4
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
GASOLINE WASTE SHOWN
IN SPARK PLUG TEST
Unique Demonstrat ton Made at Re
cent Meeting of Automotive
Engineers.

In a unique demonstration at q
meeting of the Pittsburgh section Of
the Society of Automotive Engineers,
Sumner S. Howard and r. C. Diehl
of Flint, demonstrated that l out of
every 10 gallons of gasoline is wasted
when spark plugs are used longer than
10000 miles.
An automobile engine in which were
a set of spark plugs that had been used
l0,150 miles. was placed in the meeting
room before the 100 engineers in at
tendance. The engine, with a flow
meter" attached, was put into opera
ton, the "flowmeter" measuring the
amount Of gasoline consumed at, diff
ferent speeds. Then the engine was
stopped, new spark plugs installed and
gasoline consumption measured.
While the same demonstration has
previously been made many times with
an automobile under actual operating
conditions, the "fiowmeter" test has
created an unusual degree of interest
in engineering circles, and the Flint
engineers were specially invited to make
the demonstration before members of
the local Society Of Automotive En-
gineers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
BY PAUL G. HOFFMAN,
Member Street Trafac Committee. Ma
Automobile Chamber of Commerce

Member Street Tranac Committee National
Automobile Chamber of Commerce.
A new and highly important occupa-
ton has been created in the last few
years-that of traff1c engineering.
Five years ago but one or two cities
in the United States employed a full
time traffic engineer. There was no
organization within the municipality
where responsibility for the solution of
! lice officers assigned to traff1c duty did
their best to cope with overwhelming
problems. Street departments often
built and repaired streets in response
to the demands of the moment and
without giving SUFFICIENT consideration
to the needs Of the future. Sewer de-
partments and public utility services
opened streets when and where neces-
sary to their work without regard to
fort in the working out Of a definite
plan for traffic improvement was nom
existent
We still have a long way to go in
getting ourselves organized to provide
adequate traffic facilities. which. after
all, are the only final answer to a ris-
ing accident total. The depression may.
to some extent, be blessing in disguise
If city officials take advantage of the
! breathing spell in the upward rush OF
urban and city use of motor vehicles,
Engineering research has been OF in
valuable aid to the motor industry.
From our experience We believe that
just as great benefits would result from
similar treatment of urban traffic
and transportation.
Today almost a score Of progressive
municipalities and six States and coun-
ties employ full-time trafflc engineers.
Many others employ engineering coun-
sci in an advisory or part-time capacity.
So recent is this trend toward sound
organization to deal with trafflc that
two of the best ordinances creating
traffic commissions were passed within
the last four years and one amended
two years ago.
Following the second National Street
and Highway Safety Conference the
Chicago Association of Commerce spon-
sored a traffic survey from which re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Thank you, Martha. couldn't have
done better myself.

Thank you, Martha. I couldn't have
done better myself.
1t was dusk on a rainy day. She had
tried to turn around on a narrow road
but had gone ahead we'll into a weed
choked ditch. Having burned out the
clutch trying to pull back to the road
she began to realize the seriousness OF
the situation. And there she sat at the
wheel while other drivers passed.
gaped and said various things about
woman drivers
This is a sad story, to be sure, but I
repeat it because it seems to suggest
a lesson. Doesn't it emphasize the i'm
portance of getting out Of the car
when a predicament first arises so as
to survey the situation? This driver
could have spared the clutch trouble
and saved much valuable time had she
seen the utter futility of trying to make
the car pull out under its own power.
Here is an easy way to grasp the
oil pressure situation in your engine
Suppose the oil Is circulated under 80
pounds pressure because of the force OF
the pump and the restriction OF the
oil passages. This is just about the
equivalent to the pressure of the or
binary city water faucet. The garden
hose, for instance, will throw water
about so feet, If you have the nozzle
adjusted for distance.
Not all the readings on the gauge
before you as you drive are an accu-
rate record Of the actual pressure OF
the Oil. Some of the scales are just
arbitrary and might as we'll read A to
2. as 0 to SO pounds. The actual
pressure, however, Is IS in typical
engine-leSS in some, more in others.
1t Is quite pressure to exist In those
small metered passages through the en-
CINE, and from this it should be evil
dent that clogging is best avoided
through the use of clean oil at all
times. When the service man suggests
a new oil filter cartridge you Will be
saving money by following his ADVICE.
Leaving the Riddles in the car while
parking Is bad business at its best, but
II you are obliged to do this, always
lock the ignition and take your key
with you. One woman who has given
this subject some thought believes 1t Is
dangerous to leave the car in gear be-
cause it might move If one OF the
children stepped on the starter. She
prefers to set the hand brake. Children
sometimes are able to release the hand
brake, so the wiser course is to set
the break and also place the car in
gear. Use low II the car is headed
upward on a HILL reverse If headed
downward. The car will then move
UP the hill If the starter is operated.
49, sna Y re tes band hysks SeSs p bod
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Milady's Motoring
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.

Maybe you have already discovered
that better late than never is a poor
rule to apply to the brakes.
Celebrate, If you will. your ability to
demand ultra service from your auto
mobile dealer. but don't go so far as to
make the mistake Of q New England
woman who complained about riding
qualities until the service men were
obliged to resort to a dangerous expedi-
ent in order to keep peace in the fam
lily The owner wanted the ultimate in
floating" type of ride and insisted
city driving. Only by disconnecting the
rear shock absorbers was it possible to
obtain this effect. So far, so good. But
some day, If she Is obliged to take a
trip in the car and some one other than
her own chauffeur handles the car. she
is certain to be thrown of the seat for
head-on into the roof.
The business of head meeting roof is
no laughing matter. A friend Of mine,
who wouldn't have the shock absorbers
looked over when advised to, struck a
roof beam with such force that result
ing nerve upset brought on shingles.
An ornament on her hat ripped hole
through the ceiling lining just by way
of topping the event. And try to mend
ceiling lining, you fancywork experts!
Add to your scrap book Of safety
pointers the realization that after the
tires have been inflated to the recon-
mended pressure the car Is more apt to
skid. Less traction Is the reason. You
tend to become little carelsess with
soggy tires.
When you stop to consider what the
Empress Eugene has already done to
milady's fashions in clothes, it doesn't
require any stretch of the imagination
to foresee the automobile taking on
some marked feminine touches. AL
ready We have glove compartments in
the dash, all-rug floor covering, 'front.'
door arm rests and pillows in place of
foot rails. To save milady's fine foot
wear more and more, manufacturers are
removing the starter button to the in
strument board.
I didn't get all Of the conversation
but it ran something like this:
Meat? My dear. you are comical
You would be mortified all afternoon
with speck of dirt on a glove, yet
you step into a car that hasn't been
cleaned for year. Don't think you
are making an impression, even with
your modish headgear and your new
ensemble. People look at those mud
splattered wheels and cape at you
through those filthy windows. They
wonder what sort. Of enigma EoV ags
anyway. % d61f :,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA
OUTLINES THE CAPITOL TOUR
Historic and Picturesque Scenes Described
in Motor Journey Between New
York and Jacksonville.

Washington, D. c. This city ranks
foremost In the list of :'rtioYal touring
objectives. No ether city in the coun-
try offers the visitor "uch a wealth Of
sights of educational. historic End ar
tistic interest as docs the National Cap
ital. Leaving Washington. Route ]
should be followed to b ltimorc, called
the Monumental City because of itS
many handsome rlcIncr:2E. Here at
the foot Of Fort avenue is Fort Nc
which in l8l. y ,orcis Scott Key COM
posed The Sta opangled Banner"
Route 40 should be followed to Will
mington and on to Philadelphia. Penn
sylvania's leading city. rich in historical
associations. Here the route again picks
up the Lincoln Highway and follows 1t
through Trenton. Princeton. NV Bruins
wick and Newark BAG: to New York.
Shorter Trip.
For shorter trip the following route,
which covers the territory featured by
the capitol tou- which could not be in
cluded in the first trip, is ideal. 1t
passes through soma of the most beau
tiful country here in the East. The
route IS the same as first outlined to
Reading but there, instead of running
down to Lancaster, continue along
Route % to Harrisburg, the capital city
Of the keystone State. Run southwest
ward to Chambersburg. then south to
HagerstoWn, which is located on the
National Old Trails.
Turn westward on the national pike,
running through the Allegheny Noun
tains to Cumberland Here turn north
up to Bedford, where there are some
famous mineral springs. Then through
Altoona, Tyrone Bellefonte and Lock
Haven to Williamsport, on the Susque-
hanna River Follow the river bank as
far as Muncy. there turning off the
Susquehanna Trail for the run up to
Eagles Mere, one of the most beautiful
resorts in the Eastern mountains Here
there is sparkling lake. set in among
the forests, on the summit Of the Ale
ghenies
Continuing. follow Route 220 up to
Towanda, there turning east on Route
6. which is followed through Wyalusing,
Tunkhannock to Scranton. Then over
the Lackawanna Trail down through
the PoconoS to Mount Pocono, from
where one may obtain marvellous views
Of the countryside, including the coloS-
sal notch of the Water Gap, 25 miles
away. Run down to the Gap. then
across New Jersey via HackettstoWn.
Netcong, Denville and MontcIair to the
Holland Tunnel.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
WIDER ROAD NEED
SEEN IN MARYLAND
Situation Caused by Increased Use
of Motor Truck
and Bus.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
BALTIMORE. October 10.-Increased
use Of the motor truck and the pas
senger bus has created a situation in
Maryland in which the need for wider
roads Is made more immediate, &C
cording to Harry D. Williar, jr., chief
engineer of the State Road Commits
sion. Certain roads must be wider If
they are to be useful to the general
public, as well as to the truck and the
bus.
To that extent. says Mr. Williar, the
truck and the bus have presented to
Maryland problems like those they have
presented to other States.
1T IS true that the increase of buses
and trucks has made the need for
widening roads in Maryland greater
and more immediate" said Mr.. Williar.
The most conspicuous need of that
order which has been created is the
need for a wider road north to Phila-
delphia. Independent of the route
more and Philadelphia will take, which
has not yet been determined, we do
need a wider road than we now have.
And we need 1t now.
mo, can't subscribe to the senti.
ment that the buses and trucks are
nuisances, even when the highways are
wide. think. for example, since we
widened the Washington boulevard and
the buses and trucks can move there
with perfect freedom. that the highway
Is entirely adequate to both.
LAS to the amounts which the trucks
pay to the State IN fees and the bearing
of that on the extent to which they use
the roads, it will be remembered that q
plan to revise the license fees was pre-
sented to the last Legislature.
This would have increased generally
the fees paid by the trucks.
1T was defeated in the Legislature.
"Of course, do not wish to discuss
the trucks as compared with the rail-
roads. That is not my affair"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
JOINS SAFETY CAMPAIGN
Boys Club Federation Cooperating
With National Council.

The Boys Club Federation Of Amer
lea. acting in cooperation with the
National Safety Council, has enlisted
in Nationwide campaign to reduce
the number of deaths and accidents
among children in city streets.
The campaign was decided upon
after study OF traffic accident figures
for 1880 which reveal that 7,345 chill
dren less than IS years old were killed
and 233.259 injured in automobile acct
dents throughout the United States.
Spot maps prepared by the council
show that the preponderance of acct
dents occurs in the same underpriviliged
areas in cities where ju.enile delin-
quency is highest.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Aiding Employment.

Distribution of pay rolls among
AS many workers as possible as
the best means of meeting the
emergency of unemployment con-
ditions was recommended in a
report adopted by members of
the National Automobile Cham
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Proper Night Speed.

The Supreme Court Of Mississippi has
ruled that the proper night speed for
automobiles is that which enables the
driver to stop within the range of the
headlights on his car.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Installment Users.

Fifty-three per cent of all new cars
are sold on the installment plan, ac-
cording to the District of Columbia
division of the American Automobile
Association.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Auto Industry EMPLOYMENT.

There are 5056,o00 people employed
in the automobile industry in tie
United States, according to the District
of Columbia division Of the American
/ Aut0nollle Association.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18
Better Times Predicted.

Largely as a result of recent
acts of the Federal adminiStra-
ton, an improvement in general
business conditions will begin in
1882 and lead to the restoration
of prosperity, according to state
ments made by Alfred H. Swayne,
vice president of the National Au-
tomobile Chamber of Commerce,
and other motor leaders, at a
meeting of the automobile cham
Der in New York.
1T is most encouraging that, at
least, we have placed our prob
lens out on the table, taken off
our coats and gone to work to
solve them" declared Mr.. Swayne.
Discussing current trends in in
ternational politics and econom-
les, he expressed the opinion that
the recent abandonment OF the
gold basis by England and a
number of other countries will
not prove permanent.
Our analysis of the induStry's
position indicates that there is a
shortage of 100000 car miles in
the Nations motor vehicle inven-
tory and that this translated in
terms of replacement require
ments will form the backlog OF
1925 motor buying" stated R. H.
Grant, chairman of the Sales
Managers Committee of the au-
tomobile chamber.
1.-THE manufacturers problems
for next year are dual" he con-
tinued. I'm the public interest
and his own, he must do every
thing possible to stimulate pur-
chasing activity and, at the same
time, he must vigilantly protect
his dealers from injury through
unwiSe trading practices.
There is every reason for OPP
timiSm over the prospects over
the long pull" he said. with our
cupboards each day becoming a
little more bare, the time when
the purchasing of requirements
will become necessary is ap-
preaching"
Other prominent automobile
manufacturers, who spoke on in
dustry matters, or participated in
the session, include: Joseph E.
Fields, Roy D. Chaplin, A. r.
Erskine, H. w. Peters and E. S.
Gorrell.