Historic Hood River
“…in the interest of safety”
Notes
I enjoy looking through the Hood River City archives to confirm that the more things change the more they stay the same. This letter from a Mr. J. P. Lucas to the city council in April of 1914 implores the councilmen to do something about the danger of automobiles failing to use their horns to warn pedestrians of approaching danger. Recognize the first automobiles had appeared on the streets of Hood River seven years earlier, and the first downtown streets had been paved two years before. The change must have been jarring.
We know a little more about Mr. Lucas because The Hood River Glacier reported on his appointment at postmaster in 1911. They saw fit to include a complete biography, so we know he was born in Monmouth and served at one time as mayor on Condon.
Mr. Lucas’ letter reminded me of this letter from George Lawrence warning that paving the streets would make the city impassable to horse traffic.
Dale Nicol
The quietest cars in that time were steam powered and electric cars. Steam cars had a quiet “whoosh sound” in operation.
WAAAM’s 1900 Locomobile steam buggy has a loud bell, like the type found on an electric trolley and a steam whistle.
The 1914 Detroit Electric has a very loud electric horn and this car is silent in operation.
Both sounding devices are very effective.
L.E.
It seems like the horns would have been alarming to horse traffic when the two existed during the same time frame on the streets.
Arthur Babitz
I’ve ridden in the city’s 1920 American Lafrance fire engine in a parade. Its bell is very loud- my ears were echoing for hours after the ride.