Salesmen are Not Chauffeurs.
According to an opinion by the Attorney-General of Illinois, salesmen employed in automobile establishments hereafter will not be classed as chauffeurs. They will, therefore, not be required to obtain driving licenses in order to be permitted to demonstrate cars to prospective customers.
Autos for War.
During September, the second month of the war, Canada imported from the United States 260 automobiles, as compared with 253 in September, 1913. Total imports for the nine months of 1914, however, show a contraction of 1,406, this year's imports being 3,854, against 5,260 in 1913.
War Tax on Motorists.
Motorists of this country are not going to escape a direct war tax after all. New Jersey and New York have already decided that according to the wording of the new war tax measure, all applications for license to drive or own a car must be accompanied by a 10 cent revenue stamp. Even motorcyclists will have to pay.
Russia Buys Cars.
During the first six months of the present year Russia imported automobiles valued at $4,895,500. The imports of automobile parts and parts for bicycles and motorcycles for the same period amounted to $902,500.
Alcohol Out of Autoing.
As further indicating how alcohol is finding its way out of the automobile industry, it is pertinent to observe that the members of the Philadelphia Automobile Trade Association spent during the past year $1,200 for food at its daily luncheons, and $33 for drinks.
Pioneer Builder Dead.
Dr. J. W. Carhart, who is said to have built the first self-propelled vehicle, died i.i San Antonio, Tex., recently, aged 84. He was honored recently by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers in resolutions recognizing him as. the pioneer in the automobile business. He was a retired physician and minister, and formerly lived at Racine, Wis.
Fine for Drunken Drivers.
Intoxicated persons who operate automobiles on the streets or highways will be subject to a fine of not less than $10 or more than $50, if a measure to be introduced by Senator Allen of Iowa is adopted by the general assembly of that State. The bill provides that persons who are in charge of automobiles shall be sober, and that persons under the influence of liquor shall be barred from the use of the country roads.
A Fisherman's Turn Next.
Wm. Rawson, Woodland rancher, was badly frightened recently. The reason: William is a law abiding citizen, and he was responsible for the death of a handsome deer—and a doe at that—whereas the open season for such game closed last August.
Hurrying to the telephone immediately after the deed was done, Rawson called for Game Warden Lee Sinkey. "I've killed a deer," said Rawson. Then the rancher explained how it happened. "Oh, that's all right," answered the game warden. "I'll be out in the morning."
The officer returned to Woodland with the remains. As is provided for by the law, the meat was distributed among some deserving poor families. How the doe met its death is a strange tale—but "truth is always stranger than fiction." Rawson was driving his automobile. The light scared up three deer out of the brush. The doe of the flock frightened and attempted to leap a fence. It missed, however, and broke its neck
Natural Auto License.
Pacific Coast motorists, in common with those from the remainder of the country, must wait a while longer for legislation by Congress making automobile tags general throughout the United States. The Adamson bill, having this for its motive, will not be pressed during the present session.
"In view of the condition of business in the two houses, I shall not undertake to press my bill at this time," said Judge Adamson of Georgia, chairman of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign commerce, to the Times correspondent. "It is my belief, however, that when Congress is ready to legislate on this important question it should do so along the lines of my bill."
The Adamson bill will be introduced in the next Congress and pressed for passage in both houses. There will probably be no difficulty in putting it through the House, and there may be none in putting it through the Senate. The legislation has been asked for by more than a million users of automobiles. The following quotation from the Adamson bill gives its general scope:
"No person who shall have qualified by complying with the laws and regulations of the State, territory or district of his residence to use and operate such vehicle or vehicles, shall be required in any other State, territory or district into which he may go for business or pleasure to make any additional registration, or take out any additional license in order to use and operate any such machines."
In other words, it is the purpose of the Adamson bill to nationalize the automobile license, making a license taken out in Washington State, for instance, good in any part of the United States, and not continuing in use the present arrangement of requiring a Washington State man to take out licenses in every State which he nay visit.
Good Roads Increase Values
The value of good roads was demonstrated recently at a session of the San Joaquin Valley supervisors. The county fathers had road matters under discussion when Ralph P. Lane, the well known real estate dealer, walked in to take up a business matter with the board.
"If you want to know what good roads are doing for the county," said Mr. Lane, "I'll recite a little incident. The other day four or five real estate men happened to meet, and during the conversation, one mentioned a certain piece of property and said that he'd like to have each one present jot down on a piece of paper just what he thought the land was worth. It happened that three years ago I offered $65 an acre for the property and the owner asked $75. I didn't buy. I hadn't kept in touch with that piece of property since, and so I jotted down on a piece of paper $75. The other fellows wrote down $125, $130, and so on. the lowest being $125. When they saw my figure they gave me the ha, ha. They said, 'Why, don't you know that that land has gone up since the good roads were built?' I did not realize that the property was accessible to the good roads."
Mr. Lane then asked the supervisors to improve Murray ferry road in Dent township, promising the county a donation of $10 per acre for each of his 160 acre holding if the supervisors would improve the road.
"I have about 200 tons of hay on my ranch that I can't move now on account of the condition of the road. If I were on the good roads I could get $3 more per ton than I would have received by selling before the roads became impassable."
⸻The fiscal year for the Massachusetts highway commission which controls motor cars in the Bay State, ended November 30th, and the figures just compiled show that motorists contributed a large amount of money to the State this year, a total of $965,669.59.
