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TIIE ST7XDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, NOVEMBER 26 1923
SPEED TRIPS SHE
L OF AUTO TOURIST
Washington Rural Districts
i. Over-Enforce Law.
DRIVERS TASOO SECTIONS
PLAN A TRIP TO LOST LAKE, NEAR MOUNT HOOD. FOR 1923.
Club' Official Says Officers in
Country Drive Away Travel
by Motorcycle Banditry.
SEATTLE. Wash., Nov. 25. One
thing that serves more than any
other to "take the Joy out of life"
for the automobile tourist In Wash
ington today is the so-called 'spqed
trap,' which is found in so mafly
rural communities and small cities,"
writes Douglas A. Shelor,. manager
of the Automobile Club of Western
Washington, in a report Just sub
mitted to his body. The report con
tinues: '
-"The use of the -'speed trap' club
for exacting money from motorists
has grown to such proportions that
tome of the smaller villages in
Washington are able to pay prac
tically an their municipal expenses
with money obtained by holding up
motorists. In other sections con
stables and Justices of the peace are
waxing rich on ill-gotten gains,
which are obtained in true Jesse
James Btyle, the only difference 'be
ing that the modern motorcycle
fcandit works with some faint
shadow of legal authority to back
VP his actions.
Original Purpose Worthy.
" 'Speed traps' were originally de
signed for a very worthy purpose,
that of catching th real speed
demon and bringing him to book,
thus making the highways more
safe for the ordinary automobile
driver. When the speed cases grow
Jewer, or so it appears on the sur
face of things, the officials who
handle these cases and who make
their living from the so-called 'costs'
In the case, were loath to give up
the fat incomes that had been accu
mulating to them through this spoils
system and began to very carefully
and In many instances unfairly
check up on the motorist who gets
vp close to legal limit or perhaps a
mile or so beyond. The Consequence
Is that the real speeder now gets
away and the conscientious, law
abiding motorist, who in a moment
of abstraction allows his machine to
travel a mile or two more than the
exact speed limit, is summarily ar
rested and made to put up & so
called 'bond' for his appearance a
week or so later. The result is
Just what these officers expect; the
motorist forfeits his 'bond.'
Notorious Trap Broken I'p.
"The oustanding offenders in this
state during the past year were the
speed traps operated at Silver Lake,
just south of Everett, which was
completely broken up through the
efforts of this club and splendid
co-operatleti of the state highway
patrol. Clallam county officials have
carried the speed trap offense to a
point that has kept hundreds of
tourists from their county during
the past season. A very unnecessary
and officious trap was operated In
Lincoln county between Harrington
and Davenport. A new 10-mile strip
of highway through the sage brush,
without a house or barn in sight,
was used by the officials in that
county and has caused much traffic
to be routed away from that sec
tion. Yakima Worst Place.
"Without doubt, the most offensive
speed trap has been that at Union
Gap, four miles south of Yakima.
Every effort has been made by the
directors of this club to have the
officials at Union Gap at least use
discretion and courtesy with the vis
iting motorists, but all to no avail.
Signs were placed at each end of the
town by the club, calling attention
to the fact that the speed limit was
strictly enforced. These signs
eeemeijl Inadequate to accomplish
the purpose" and recently new bill
boards 6x4 with black background
and white lettering have been placed
at eaph side of Union Gap reading:
Danger, speed cop ahead. Do not
exceed 20 miles per hour." This
warning should be sufficient to at
tract the attention of every driver
and we hope to accomplish the pur
pose for which the signs were placed.
We would like the public to know
that these speed traps are not oper
ated with the sanction of the state
highway patrol, but are the handi
work of the local Justices and con
stables. Ho Defense for Motorist.
"The automobllist who is caught
In one of these iniquitous traps has
no defense. The Justice of the peace
or other magistrate before whom he
Is taken presumes him guilty in ad'
vance and no amount of evidence has
ever proven sufficient to obtain &
not guilty' verdict in such a case.
Jn many instances, especially in
Washington, the motorcycle officer.
wno has replaced the old chin
whiskered constable with his shiny
badge, lies in wait behind a house
or hedge until the motorist gets
eeveral hundred yards ahead and
then, speeding his motorcycle to
overtake the motorist, reads the
speed figures on the motorcycle
Speedometer and ignorantly con
eludes that the automobile ahead is
making the same rate of speed. This
enables the more or less conscien
tious officer to swear that the motor
ist was making 35 miles an hour in
stead of the legal 30, when as aj
matter of fact the automobile was
making less than 30 miles an hour,
while the motorcycle was traveling
35 miles an hour in order to catch
up with the automobile. And the
bewhiskered magistrate holding
court in an outhouse or in his
kitchen or on the front porch, as
the case may be, utterly ignores the
protestations of the motorist that
he was within the limit and imposes
a fine and costs of $10 to J15 or
more.
Ball Usually Forfeited.
"In many Instances, which are on
file at the Automobile Club of
Western Washington headquarters,
motorists have been deliberately
held up by these officials and after
being told that they would have to
make bond for their appearance one
or two weeks later, have been given
an opportunity to 'settle.' Nat
urally the motorist, rather than lose
all this time from his trip or to re
turn later for trial, will put up the
necessary amount to 'settle' and
drive on. Whether any part of this
constame - coiiectea Tine ever
reaches the municipal, county, or
state treasury is a question that
only the officer can answer, but the
motorist who has been mulcted of
his money through this illegal pro
cedure Is careful to pass the word to
other motorists whom he meets
warning them against visiting that
town or section, and thus the ga
rages, the hotels and the general
stores ... loaft jauca - more iaoaey.
"AtMXJ -Syft ;
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CyO 1
Beautiful view of Oregon's mountain and the west fork of the Hood river, taken from the nevr road from the city of Hood River to Lost lake.
This famous mountain lake, on the north slope of Mount Hood, has long; beoa a favorite spot with nature lovers, but has been very difficult of
access. Last summer It bad been expected a new road clear to the lake would be completed, but unexpected obstacles arose, and the lake con'
tinned practically inaccessible .to motor travel. However, during the summer of 1823 motorists should be able to s-t clear to the lake with ease.
through the hold-up of the few-that
do come through. Many sections of
Washington today are 'taboo' to
traveling motorists because of the
word that has gone forth regarding
speed traps in those sections."
FIRST AUTO CRASH REVIVED
BILLBOARDS DRALV FIRE
DEFACEMENT OF HIGHWAYS
COUNTRYWIDE ISSUE.
Protests From All Parts of Land
Against Signs Received at Na
tional Headquarters.
Accident ih California Town 20
Years Ago Duly Recorded.
CHICO, Cal., Nov. 25. The first
automobile accident occurred in
Chico just 20 years ago. Here Is the
way a local newspaper (The Chico
Record) told of it:
"Phil Penick, while taking his old
friend, Sol Pettit, out for a ride in
his new automobile, a contraption
new to the streets of Chico. and
while moving at the speed of eight
miles an hour, ran into a telephone
post at the corner of fourth and
Main streets, landing Sol on the pole
about six feet from the ground,
while Penick struck the sidewalk
"Penick . was endeavoring to avoid
hitting a young woman on a bicycle.
The front of the automobile was
considerably damaged. It was the
first automobile accident in Chico."
JJarley Oar Announced.
KALAMAZOO. Mich., Nov. 25
The Barley Motor Car company of
Kalamazoo, makers of a high priced
car, has decided to enter the me
dium priced field. Announcement
that the Barley company is plan
ning to produce a smaller machine
was made this week by George
Hopkins, secretary of the- company.
The new machine will be given a
different name to distinguish it
from the Boamer, the present ex
clusive product of the Barley plant-
Mr. Hopkins declined to give any
details regarding the new car al
though he declared that plans and I around that curve or down the in-
specifications have been completed. tersectin
NEW YORK. Nov. 25. Protests
against the defacement of high
ways by unsightly road sign bill
beards are being received at na
tional headquarters of the American
Automobile association almost dally.
According to officials, there seems
to be a great and crying movement
against the use of these billboards
in every part of the country.
All sorts of remedies for the
abatement of this nuisance are sug
gested in these letters, from the
enactment of suitable legislation to
a refusal on the part of motorists to
purchase any articles so advertised.
In addition to marring of high
ways. It Is pointed out, the billboard
constitutes an absolute menace to
the motorist by attracting his at
tention from the . road ahead and
often causing a more or less serious
accident.
"I believe that the road sign bill
board should be abolished," said
President George C. Diehl of the
association. "These signs serve as
a distinct menace to motorists, espe
cially when they are placed, as
many of them are. at a sharp curve
or a road intersection. A motorist
driving along the highway and ap
proaching such sharp curve or road
intersection needs to see what is
needs to see a huge sign advertis
ing "Whozis" tires or somebody's
patent medicine or chewing gum.
"The day of the billboard and the
j.eed of such methods of advertising
is past. The class of people who
use the highways and to whom such
signs presumably appeal are a class
that read the newspapers and maga
zines, and who axe governed largely
in their purchases by the advertise
ments of reliable products adver
tised In a reliable newspaper or
magazine. It would appear to me
that the intelligent advertiser would
soon become aware of this fact and
would transfer the money spent on
billboards, which constitute an
affront in the eyes of most intelli
gent citizens, to legitimate news
papers and magazines, where such
advertising would have weight,
"Wjth the general trend of op
position to billboard advertising deT
veloping over the country, as is In
dicated by letters received at the
association headquarters, it can be
but a question of time until the
American public will take things
into its own hands and find some
means for the abatement of this
nuisance."
Ignition Wire Connections.
To insure a firm contact and pre
vent wires breaking off, every' igni
tion wire should have a terminal
soldered at each end. If the terminal
breaks off. be very careful in fas
tening wires, as a single strand of
wire touching another metal part
may ground the current, thus pre
venting the ignition system from
working orruining the storage battery.
An automobile "rolling canteen" is
being designed for the department
of public safety of Philadelphia, Pa.,
to be used for distributing hot cof
fee and sandwiches to police and
road much more than he firemen at conflagrations.
ANOTHER DODGE BROTHERS DELIVERY CAR PURCHASED BY LOCAL FIRM.
III-' jfiy; 1;
SZKef -"V- ' .
Special panel deliver? recently delivered by Braley. Graham & Child, Inc.; local Dodge Bros, distributors to
Lipman, Wolfe & Co. The car has been designed specially to handle bulky and speedy deliveries. The
' loading? space Is 108 Inches In lencrth, 41 Inches In width and 48 Inches high, and the body Is mounted on
a Special Dodee Bros, chassis of 144-inch wbeelbnse, and of three-quarter-tons capacity. Body con
struction and chassis extension was done locally under the personal supervision of Dick Call of the eonv
me r rial car department of Braley, Graham & Child. The car la the tenth Dodge, Bros, to take Its place
U W Llpoian, WoUe M. utllvery fleet, -1 -
AUTO CAPITAL IS IEE
MONEY IN MOTOR INDUSTRY
TWICE NATIONAL BANKS.
Excepting Agricultural Industry,
Represents Greatest Business
in United States.
CONNERSVILLE, Ind.. Nov. 25.
Frank B. Anstead, president of the
Lexington Motor company, Conners
ville, Ind., in an address here be
fore a group of bankers, caused con
siderable surprise when he said:
"Few persons realize that the auto
mobile industry has"grown to such
magnitude In a short time that to
day the capital invested in it is
twice the capital of all the national
banks in this countryl"
Mr. Anstead .took as the latest
total of the capital of all the na
tional banks the sum of $1,276,177,
000. The amount of capital invested
in the automobile industry Is con
siderably in excess of J2, 000,000,
000. Mr. Anstead predicted that the 'n
dustry will build 2,500,000 cars in
1923.
With the exception of agriculture
(which is not a manufacturing en
terprise), the automobile, business is
America's greatest business, he said.
He gave the following figures on
the value of the 1922 output: .
Automobiles ? 1,350,000,000
Tires ..: K7r,.000,000
Replacement parts 550.000.000
Accessories 150,000,000
Total 2,725,000,000
"There are 81,000 retail trade
units responsible for the distribu
tion of automotive products." he
said.
"This is exceeded only by the sale
of food products, cared for by 195,
000 retail grocery stores.
"The number of dealers in other
staple lines ranges from 47,000 drug
stores down to 30,000 shoe stores, all
substantially under the total trade
units engaged in merchandising au
tomotive products."
CARS 'SHIPPED BY EXPRESS
Makers of Oakland Rush Closed
Models to Fill Orders.
PONTIAC, " Mich.,' Nov. ' 25. In
order to satisfy the demand for the
1923 Oakland sedan and five-passenger
coupe in the New1 York territory,-the
Oakland Motor Car com
pany of Pontiac, Mich., shipped sev
eral carloads of its models by ex
press, this week to the .New York
branch for distributio'n to consumers
and Oakland dealers. , . ,
It is' seldom that any automobile
company sends automobiles by ex
press and it. Is the first.' time in
two years that the Oakland com
pany has sent cars this way. The
models were shipped to New York
by express because the first orders
were received from the New York
territory, where the cars were
shown for the first time at the New
York closed-car show.
NEW ELECTRIC TRUCK OUT
Los Angeles Company Announces
Addition to Line.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25. The
Moreland Motor Truck company,
with plant at Burbank, near Los
Angeles, and probably the largest
cage-line truck makes ja tha west,
X B
ii . in tr- i fir 'si i n
t
A car for those
who seek distinction
At first sight youll admif this new Moon Sedan has personality
quick, vivi piquant, Tdaring. In no sense a makeshift but a generously
proportioned, finely built car that measures up in every way as to
beauty of design, finish and mechanical units to sedans that ordinarily
sell at a thousand dollars more than the open model.
Only such "skill as that of Moon craftsmen, acquired through fifty
years, 'of fine coach building, could have achieved so complete and
satisfying a result so compact without crowding so ingeniously
fitted faultless in. taste.
Steel body. Silent roof. Rainproof windshield with sun visor. Wide
doors. Upholstery deep, inviting, restfuL Finished in imported
siUcfinished blue broadcloth. Every refinement possible to put in this
desirable type of car is evidenced in the Moon Sedan. Come in and
see this beautiful car. We'll be proud to show it to you.
Other Moon Models: Six-40 five-passenger Touring, $1195;
Six-58 seven- and-five-passenger Touring, $1785, and 2
. Six-58 seven-passenger Sedan.
SOME TERRITORY OPEN FOR GOOD DEALERS.
PRASP MOTOR CAR CO.,
Fourteenth at Couch . Broadway 3974
Built by Moon Motor Car Co., St. Louis, U. S. A. Founded 1907 by Joseph W. Moon
1
will manufacture a line of electric
trucks. At the same time it has
expanded in the gasoline vehicle
field by adding a line of 15, 25 and
10-passenger coaches for long-distance
and interurban travel."
Electric trucks in one-ton, two
ton and heavy duty types, passen
ger coaches in the three carrying
capacities specitied, ana tne com
plete gasoline truck line, are to be
made. I
The new Moreland electrics aret
the product of exhaustive research
and highest quality materials and j
units, such as the Moreland stand- .
ard chassis and worm drive. Gen
eral Electric motors and controllers, ,
and Hobbs storage batteries, an
other Los Angeles product.
The new trucks are adapted to
quick city transportation, such as
milk delivery and department store
service.
Auto Bank Is Flan.
CHICAGO. Nov. 25. A $500,000
automobile bank and warehouse, an
institution unique m Chicago motor
circles, is being projected in this
city. If an Injunction against the
property, brought for alleged viola-
r .ka Vrtitt AnH act rx.n be dis
solved, work will start within a
wr. automobile
iuvuwi a.wt'u '
dealer and investment broker. Glazer
plans to erect a i-siory miliums.
i. . n i. Ha iinpri for his
automobile banking business, the
upper floora ror the storage oi new
automobiles by firms along auto-
turers can store their cars here and
borrow money from Giazer on ware
house certificates.
salesmanship and service give the
man from the United States the
upper hand over Europeans.
Automobile accidents caused the
death of 12,600 persons in th
United States last year one death
every 42 minutes, day and night
and more than 300,000 persons were
injured.
KUTQ SULES OH UPERftDE
LATIN AMERICAN MOTORCAR
TRADE DECLARED STABLE.
Constantly Improving Highway
Conditions Held Assurance
of Increased Business.
niHTROTT. Nov. 25. Automotive
sales conditions in Latin America
are on the up grade, according to
r . vijtA.nrp&ident and
rf- JL. ill WVJ " W , ' r -
general manager of the General
Motors Export company, i.
cently visited the Cadillac Motor
r. In T-trnit- He was
accompanied by Albert M. de Ton
nay; manager of , the Buenos Aires
.branch of the export company.
One of tne reasons ior seems
rainbow future in the motor-car
industry in South America, Mr.
Mooney told Cadillac . oiuciaio, i
h. rA Kittinttnn. Road building
is far advanced when one considers
what a small - percentage oi me
population owns motor vehicles.
Tjnn iininiav. Argentina. Chile
and p'eru- today, have a great mile
age of automobile roaas. Around
Hio de Janeiro tlre highways. boule
na am tr,Ats are in almost per
fect shape,: permitting many miles
or travel-wiuidui buuuub e
The nighways In Argentina are
usable about seven or eight months
of the year. The rainy season makes
tbem impassable for a part of the
year. For 300 or 400 miles inland
excellent roads are found in Brazil
and the roads in the state of Sao
Paulo are in wonderful condition. .
General business is improving, ac
cording to the General Motors offi
cial. In the automotive industry
conditions are being reflected in
orders to the factories. Cars re
riaining on hand after the depres
sion which began two years ago
have mostly been sold and new life
In the trade 1s being displayed
everywhere.
America holds a strong grip on
the automotive industry in Latin
America. Efficient nethptU ' oi
k
Dddbe Brothers
used CARS
People have gotten over the idea
that "used . cars" and "abused
cars" are synonymous. Every car
seen on the street is a Used Car.
They now realize that it is purely
a matter of judgment on their
part; that is, judgment in choos
ing a dependable dealer to buy
from.
Rememberi A used car is only as
good as the firm vits. which yoa deal
Mm'
Braley, Graham & Child., Inc.
Eleventh at Burnside
Broadway 3281
Official Westinghouse Service
For the Following Factory Equipped Cars:
Hupmobile
Pierce Arrow
Chalmers
Gardner
Case
Velie
Chandler
Locomobile
Dorl
Allen
King
National
We are the only authorized Westinghouse Electrical
Service Station in Portland using only genuine parts
l,et Ts Give Vou Hoest Battery and Electrical Service
)
"Drive in for Service"
Sunset Electric Co.
Ninth and Glisan '
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