Post by dgriffin on Apr 24, 2009 9:33:22 GMT -5
Since we're discovering a lot of interesting materials as we delve through old newspapers, I thought I'd begin a thread for miscellaneous items of interest.
Here's a story written down by an intrepid reporter at the dawn of creation .... that would be 1907 for all of us motorized four wheel fools. I like the vision of shooting the tires out of speeders, although not much thought seems to have been given to the consequences.
From the June 6, 1907 edition of the Utica Observer:
WILL CHECK SPEED OF AUTOMOBILES
RESIDENTS OF SAUQUOIT VALLEY TO TAKE DECISIVE ACTION
Officials Will Shoot at Tires of Chauffeurs if Necessary to Enforce Sped Laws - Washington Mills gets Directions from Sherriff.
The residents of the Sauquoit Valley are up in arms over the wild speed used by many automobiles in traversing their valley. The wrath of the residents is not a fleeting xxxx, nor will it be futile or vacuous. The officials of every town and village in the valley are determined to stop the dangerous speed of the machines even if it becomes necessary to shoot holes in the tires of the automobiles or in the backs of the chauffeurs.
The people in the several settlements have been patient and long suffering. They are good people and peaceful. They are willing that every allowance should be made to those who come riding in the automobile to enjoy the delightful scenery and the healthful rides. They are willing to overlook minor infractions of the speed and occasional bursts of swiftness over roads that are tempting in their quietness and their excellence. But the limit has been reached.
The first official move in the matter was made this morning when a delegation from Washington Mills, comprising deputy sheriffs, justices of the peace, officers and constables from the town of New Hartford, came to the office of Sheriff Gilmore to the county building, adjoining the ciy hall, and asked for information in regard to the means they would be justified in xxxng in the enforcement of these laws. It was no ordinary delegation that came. The men were determined to know their rights and equally determined to enforce them even to the extent of shedding blood.
"The end has come," they said. "We will no longer allow our roads to be used as speedways for demoniacal drivers of machines, endangering the lives of our wives and our children. Many machines ram through Washington Mills at a speed that often exceeds 40 miles per hour. Forty miles an hour is a xxxx speed for the average machine in our village. The macadamized road built by the State makes it perfectly safe for the drivers of the machines to employ this excessive speed. They have no thought for our rights, no care for our safety. Not all are of this kind, but there are many, and their number is increasing.
They Learn The Law.
The delegation was turned over by the sheriff to his attorney, William A. Douglas. Mr. Douglas read for them the laws governing the speed of motor vehicles and instructed them as to their rights in stopping all the machines run in excess of those laws. The laws provide that no motor machine shall pass through a village at a speed greater than ten miles an hour, where the roads are level, nor greater than four miles an hour where there is an incline to xxx or a bridge to cross or a curve to be taken. "If automobiles exceed these provisions in your village," said Mr. Douglas to the delegation, "It is your duty to stop them, peacefully if you can, otherwise if necessary.
"There is a sharp incline in the state road as you enter Washington Mills by the hoe factory," said the delegation. Automobiles come down this incline at a terrific speed and many of the residents of the village, particularly the children, have had narrow escapes from death by mutilitation from these machines. There is a bridge on the other side of the village as you go towards Chadwicks, and the same carelessness is shown here by many of the machines. We cannot endure this condition any longer."
"Under these conditions," said the xxx xxxxxx, "all motor machines must enter Washington Mills and go out of it on either side at a speed not greater than four miles an hour. Arrest the driver of every machine that viviolates this speed law.
The Fines.
Mr. Douglas then told the justices that penalties they had a right to inflict upon guilty parties. For the first offinse the law provides a fine not to exceed $10; for the second, a fine not less than $50 nor more than $100, or 30 days in jail, or both; for the third offense a fine of not less than $250 and imprisonment for 10 days.
The delegation thanked the sheriff and his attorney for their courtesy and for the instructions received. "We are not going to inflict any undue hardships upon decent people," said they. 'But we will protect our people from the speed of machines where occupants are criminally careless of our lives and contemptibly thoughtless of our rights. We shall make an organized effort in this matter at once.
Will Act.
The residents and officials of the other villages and towns in the Sauquoit Valley are as determined to check the speed of irresponsible drivers of automobiles, as are the people of Washington Mills. At a recent meeting of the trustees in Clayville, action along this line was taken and a special police force will be appointed at once for this purpose. The town officials will co-operate with those of the village and the day will soon be here when it will be necessary for the quietness of the valley to cross xxx, climb trees and mount stumps to escape the reckless speed of automobiles.
Here's a story written down by an intrepid reporter at the dawn of creation .... that would be 1907 for all of us motorized four wheel fools. I like the vision of shooting the tires out of speeders, although not much thought seems to have been given to the consequences.
From the June 6, 1907 edition of the Utica Observer:
WILL CHECK SPEED OF AUTOMOBILES
RESIDENTS OF SAUQUOIT VALLEY TO TAKE DECISIVE ACTION
Officials Will Shoot at Tires of Chauffeurs if Necessary to Enforce Sped Laws - Washington Mills gets Directions from Sherriff.
The residents of the Sauquoit Valley are up in arms over the wild speed used by many automobiles in traversing their valley. The wrath of the residents is not a fleeting xxxx, nor will it be futile or vacuous. The officials of every town and village in the valley are determined to stop the dangerous speed of the machines even if it becomes necessary to shoot holes in the tires of the automobiles or in the backs of the chauffeurs.
The people in the several settlements have been patient and long suffering. They are good people and peaceful. They are willing that every allowance should be made to those who come riding in the automobile to enjoy the delightful scenery and the healthful rides. They are willing to overlook minor infractions of the speed and occasional bursts of swiftness over roads that are tempting in their quietness and their excellence. But the limit has been reached.
The first official move in the matter was made this morning when a delegation from Washington Mills, comprising deputy sheriffs, justices of the peace, officers and constables from the town of New Hartford, came to the office of Sheriff Gilmore to the county building, adjoining the ciy hall, and asked for information in regard to the means they would be justified in xxxng in the enforcement of these laws. It was no ordinary delegation that came. The men were determined to know their rights and equally determined to enforce them even to the extent of shedding blood.
"The end has come," they said. "We will no longer allow our roads to be used as speedways for demoniacal drivers of machines, endangering the lives of our wives and our children. Many machines ram through Washington Mills at a speed that often exceeds 40 miles per hour. Forty miles an hour is a xxxx speed for the average machine in our village. The macadamized road built by the State makes it perfectly safe for the drivers of the machines to employ this excessive speed. They have no thought for our rights, no care for our safety. Not all are of this kind, but there are many, and their number is increasing.
They Learn The Law.
The delegation was turned over by the sheriff to his attorney, William A. Douglas. Mr. Douglas read for them the laws governing the speed of motor vehicles and instructed them as to their rights in stopping all the machines run in excess of those laws. The laws provide that no motor machine shall pass through a village at a speed greater than ten miles an hour, where the roads are level, nor greater than four miles an hour where there is an incline to xxx or a bridge to cross or a curve to be taken. "If automobiles exceed these provisions in your village," said Mr. Douglas to the delegation, "It is your duty to stop them, peacefully if you can, otherwise if necessary.
"There is a sharp incline in the state road as you enter Washington Mills by the hoe factory," said the delegation. Automobiles come down this incline at a terrific speed and many of the residents of the village, particularly the children, have had narrow escapes from death by mutilitation from these machines. There is a bridge on the other side of the village as you go towards Chadwicks, and the same carelessness is shown here by many of the machines. We cannot endure this condition any longer."
"Under these conditions," said the xxx xxxxxx, "all motor machines must enter Washington Mills and go out of it on either side at a speed not greater than four miles an hour. Arrest the driver of every machine that viviolates this speed law.
The Fines.
Mr. Douglas then told the justices that penalties they had a right to inflict upon guilty parties. For the first offinse the law provides a fine not to exceed $10; for the second, a fine not less than $50 nor more than $100, or 30 days in jail, or both; for the third offense a fine of not less than $250 and imprisonment for 10 days.
The delegation thanked the sheriff and his attorney for their courtesy and for the instructions received. "We are not going to inflict any undue hardships upon decent people," said they. 'But we will protect our people from the speed of machines where occupants are criminally careless of our lives and contemptibly thoughtless of our rights. We shall make an organized effort in this matter at once.
Will Act.
The residents and officials of the other villages and towns in the Sauquoit Valley are as determined to check the speed of irresponsible drivers of automobiles, as are the people of Washington Mills. At a recent meeting of the trustees in Clayville, action along this line was taken and a special police force will be appointed at once for this purpose. The town officials will co-operate with those of the village and the day will soon be here when it will be necessary for the quietness of the valley to cross xxx, climb trees and mount stumps to escape the reckless speed of automobiles.
