Evening star., 1937-10-31

Of the automobile in the reports for
that year.
However, in 1898 amendments of the
police regulations were adopted re-
ouiring motor carriages" to have a
suitable gong or bell and to carry
lamps at night. Other provisions of
those regulations granted the right of
way to all vehicles on north and south
streets, and required all vehicles to
keep on the right side of the street,
but provided that Pennsylvania avenue
should be considered as two streets
separated by the car tracks.
In 1899 the regulations we're further
amended to extend the speed limit on
bicycles, which was miles per hour at
intersections and IL miles per hour
between intersections, to include ''other
horseless vehicles.S The bicycle squad
now numbered 36 men who apparently
still were able to handle the speed
demons" 1t is also interesting to note
the police department had only one
: captain who was assistant superin-
tendent and that the inspectors and
the precinct commanders were only
lieutenants.
First Motor Ambulance.
Mai. Sylvester, then superintendent
of police, requested motor ambulance
for the Police Department in 1900,
stating that the speed of the age
required that things be done quickly
and giving it as his opinion that these
vehicles have reached that stage of
perfection when they are no longer
experiments"
In May, 1902, bill was submitted
to Congress providing for the registra-
tion and regulation of all motor
vehicles operating in the District, but
1t was not acted on and early in 1908
the Corporation Counsel advised the
commissioners that they had full
authority in these matters within a
special act. According, on May 7 of
that year the commissioners adopted
the first set of regulations for the
control of motor vehicles. These
regulations established an automobile
board Of six members to examine all
applicants for drivers permits and to
cars. This board was composed of
the three members of the Board of
Examiners of Steam Engineers, the
electrical engineer, the superintendent
of the Water Department, and the vice
president of the National Capital
Automobile Club. During the first
year this board issued 852 permits,
but they did not report the number of
tags issued. The tags were made of
leather with metal letters. The board
recommended charging 81 for them
to cover expenses, but this regulation
was not adopted until 1908.
BY the end of the 1904-05 fiscal
year there were 1,247 automobiles
and 1919 licensed drivers in the
District, but this number grew rapidly
and during 1910, 1882 permits and
1889 tags were issued, although annual
registration was not required, at that
time. Vehicles had become so num-
erous by that time that during 1910
there were 455 motor vehicle accidents
including six fatalities.
Operators Permit Fee.
During this year a 50 fee for
operators permits was instituted and
by 1912 the assessor reported that a
disproportionately large tax was being
charged motorists who had to pay So
for their permit, So for their tag plus
an annual wheel tax of SO for two
scatter auto and 81 for each additional
passenger seat, and an annual personal
tax Of $l.50 per s100 valuation, SO
apparently the soak the motorist" cry
is not new one. y
During 1917 a regulation was adop-
ted requiring annual registration of
cars and there was now a way to
check the number of cars. Accordingly,
during 1920 We find the collector of
taxes reporting the sale of 54,329 tags
In city of $4,000, as compared with
a sale of more than 10000 last year
when the city had grown to more than
100000.