Evening star., 1937-03-21
STREET LIGHTING
CHANGE IS URGED
Southwest Group Would
Have "EIectriC Eye' De-
vice Installed Here.

Use of the electric eye," or photo
electric cell, for control Of the city's
street lighting has been recommended
to the Highway Department by the
Southwest Citizens Association.
The new method of control is sug-
gested so that cloudy and foggy morn
ings will not constitute. traffic hazards
after street lights are turned off.
At the last meeting of the South
west Association, complaints were made
of the present system of turning out
street lights one-half hour before SUM-
rise each morning. When the weather
is bad, member pointed out, the
streets are nearly totally dark for
long period Of time until dawn.
Present System of Tables.
Harry S. Wender, chairman, Law
and Legislation Committee, declared
the lights are turned off in Washington
according to sunrise tables which vary
in time according to the seasons of the
year. II the weather is cloudy or there
is thick fog, the lights are turned
off anyway
The Public Safety Committee of the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
which he heads, has considered the
photo-electric cell control method as
Is used in Indianapolis, Ind. The "eye"
automatically turns off the lights only
after predetermined amount of light
enters it.
Reminding members that the Dis
trict was unable to pay for its lights
and had to have many of them turned
out few years ago, Wender said it
might be proved that the photo cell
could save the District money on those
days where dawn occurred earlier than
usual or dusk lasted longer than on
normal days. The lights would not
turn on until the sky was sufficiently
dark to warrant use of street lights.
The device would, he pointed out,
turn the lights on in the middle of the
| day If Washington was in the path of
| total eclipse of the sun or any other
circumstances which would darken the
sky to the same degree as at night.
The total eclipse lasts for a period of
minutes only, he said.
Titles Registrar Asked.
The establishment of a registrar of
Titles office in the Traffic Bureau was
favored in another resolution adopted
at the meeting. Linking the sale of
radios by some local establishments
with loans against cars, Wender said,
the radio financing business is In
some cases one of the biggest rackets
| imaginable"
He explained many purchasers of
radios in the deferred payment n,an
sometimes unwittingly sign liens
against their automobiles in case OF
non-Eayment. Citing cases from
Irafilc Director William A. Van
Duzers otflce, it was shown where
| some, who are slightly late in their
monthly payments, have looked for
their cars one morning and found
them gone.
Or In the case OF purchasers of
secondhand cars many have had them
reposseSsed when they thought the
title was entirely clear by the previous
owners.
Under the proposed set up, which
mas Van Duzer's Wholehearted support
Wender said, such situations would
cease to exist since any one could 20
20 the ottice and Immediately determine
II the title is clear since all encum-
orances against the machine would
have to be recorded.
Price Is Deterrent.
Titles can now be registered with
the recorder of deeds Office. but be-
cause OF the price of $3.50 and sl.5O
additional for clearing, Practically no
one follows this procedure. The finance
companies do not do this and no one
can be absolutely sure if his car is
entirely title free. He cited the COM
paratively recent case of an automobile
dealer who sold both new and used
cars before he had cleared their titles
by repaying loans on them. This now
has been prosecuted.
The ease with which this situation
could be remedied makes it difficult
to understand why it has not been
done before" Wender declared. The
Traffic Bureau now has the files used
for the duplicate titles, and would
welcome the new system, Van Duzer
has informed him. Registrations
would cost about so cents, it has been
estirpa ated