NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
11 
THE ROAD HOG. 
G. E. Willmonton Scores Reckless 
Driving. 
Editors Worth Shore Breeze: 
Last week was an eventful week on the 
automobile question. A great many arrests 
were made tor exceeding the speed limit, 
and several of our wealthy people applied 
to the selectmen for appointments as special 
police, for the purpose of putting a stop to 
the reckless career of the red devils, and, in 
fact, devils of all colors. 
We have a great many automobiles in 
town, and I contend that our own people 
who operate them are more mindful of the 
rights of others ; and I hope I am not wrong 
in my inference that-all, or nearly all, of our 
trouble is caused by the tramp automobiles 
from other towns and cities. These compel 
us to take “the old round about road to the 
regions below,” or take to the woods, to 
keep from being run down; really the only 
Way we can ride with safety and keep our 
lungs from being turned into veritable ash 
sifters is to wear a diver’s helmet. 
The odor arising from the fumes of ex- 
ploding gasolene, when mixed with the dust 
of the road, reminds me very much of the 
way I have always Rined the infernal 
regions to smell. 
locality, perhaps if we cannot give them 
what Major Higginson thinks they deserve 
here, they may get their reward hereafter, 
where the fumes of gasolene are mixed, not 
with road dust, but sulphur. 
In riding out the other day with a friend, 
when one of the particularly fragrant variety 
went by us like greased chain lightning, he 
remarked that a few evenings ago he had 
overheard a rather pessimistic view that was 
taken of this question by two skunks who 
were taking a stroll for their health, when 
one of these machines went by. One skunk 
looked pathetically at the other, and, with 
tears rolling down his cheeks, remarked 
“What's the use?” 
We all must admit that the automobile 
has come to stay, and we cannot drive them 
out if we want to. Yet we do want the priv 
ilege of having some portion of the road 
reserved for us to plod along in our old- 
fashioned way without giving them their 
half of the road in the middle, leaving us the 
alternative of taking our half on both sides. 
Any fair-minded man can be convinced 
without much argument that that is rather a 
difficult process; and while we are troubled 
in this. way with the automobiles, some of 
the humbler vehicles that we constantly 
meet have acquired the habit of taking the 
middle of the road, even if itis a superannu- 
ated tip-cart moving at the rate of three 
miles an hour. The drivers of these tip- 
carts all appear to be hard of hearing, for 
nothing short of a siren whistle would ap- 
prise them of the fact that there is a more 
gily moving vehicle approaching behind 
them. 
In writing this communication I would 
like to remind the automobilists and other 
drivers who are unmindful of the rights 
of other people, that nothing affords a better 
argument for electric cars than to be com- 
pelled to take your life in your hand as we 
do when we venture upon our highways 
under the existing conditions. I am saying 
this !n the hope of heading off a well-defined 
movement which seems to be in progress, to 
have the electric cars in the town, when 
all can have the privilege of making people 
scurry out of the way. If the electric cars 
are introduced, the investment of a nickel 
will afford everyone the privilege of giving 
the glassy eye and the ha-ha to the slower- 
moving, peace-loving public as quickly as a 
$20,000, highly, seasoned motor carriage 
would do it 
Auto 
And speaking of that. 
I am positively sure that if this automo- 
bile scorching is continued in this reckless 
way, that public opinion will not only cease 
to oppose electric cars, but will demand 
them. 
I am notin favor of electric cars in Man- 
chester, and I hope that people who own 
motor vehicles will conduct themselves in 
the future so as to eliminate this argument 
from their equation. 
« GEO. E. WILLMONTON. 
TROLLEY TOURS. 
No. 4—Along the Mystic Lakes by Trolley. 
BY CHESTER FP. STILES; 
One of the most delightful of the 
trolley rides of Massachusetts is that 
link which connects the towns of 
Reading, Stoneham and Arlington. 
It is readily accessible from here- 
abouts, and with a day at one’s dis- 
posal, it is recommended that the 
trolley tourist plan a trip to Cambridge, 
using the Arlington line to goand the 
Lynn route to retuin. 
The starting point is Salem office, 
and the North Saugus car is the one 
desired This leaves hourly at a 
quarter before each hour. The route 
through Peabody and Lynnfield, with 
the change of cars at North Saugus, 
has been described in a previous issue. 
Reading is the next point of change, 
and we make close connections with 
the Arlington car in the square. 
The route now turns southward and 
passes through market gardens to 
Stoneham. Here we meet connec- 
tions from Wakefield direct, and the 
tourist may, if he desires, omit Read- 
ing by going directly from Wakefield 
to Stoneham. This is not recom- 
mended, however, as it involves an 
extra change of cars, and the view of 
Lake Quannapowitt on the Wakefield- 
Reading detour is worth the extra 
time. 
At Stoneham, we turn westward to 
Winchester. Had the trolley gone 
straight ahead, it would have pene- 
trated the Metropolitan Park Com- 
mission reservation known as the 
Middlesex Fells. An interesting day 
might be spent here alone, among the 
wooded ravines and lakes and hills. 
Our route is by way of Marble 
street, so called because of an old 
limestone quarry nearby, which is a 
rarity indeed in eastern Massachu- 
setts. The hill to our left crowned 
by the observation tower is Bear Hill, 
the highest ground in the Middlesex 
Fells. From its summit may be seen 
the mountains of Southern New 
Hampshire, as well as Mt. Wachusett 
near Princeton, Mass. 
As we approach Winchester, the 
tanneries in Woburn show on our 
right. We pass through a beautiful 
residential section of Winchester, and 
halt in the square near the railroad 
station. The tourist should note the 
pretty library building, which stands 
on the banks of the Abbajona River, 
just before the public square. 
More beautiful estates follow, then 
the road again turns south. We are 
now skirting the shores of Mystic 
Lake. The road winds up hill and 
down, bordered on the other side by 
gardens which supply the Boston 
markets. 
At Arlington, we change from the 
B. & N. to the Boston Elevated Sys- 
tem. Arlington is interesting from a 
historic standpoint and a few minutes 
may be profitably wasted here, as the 
car service is very frequent. 
We must be careful to take a car 
for Harvard Square, Cambridge, as 
some go to Boston direct. Immedi- 
ately after starting, we pass the 
historic Cooper Tavern, and farther 
down, a tablet denotes the site of the 
“ Black House Tavern,” one of the 
meeting places of the ‘‘ Committee of 
Safety.” 
A glimpse of Spy pond is caught on 
the right, and shortly we pass Alewife 
brook into the city limits of Cam- 
bridge. The first appearance of 
business is at North Cambridge, suc- 
ceeded by the magnificent residence 
street of Massachusetts avenue (form- 
erly North Avenue), through which 
we pass to Harvard Square. 
We will not attempt to describe 
Cambridge The college, the Wash- 
ington Elm, the Longfellow and Low- 
ell houses are near by, and anyone will 
direct you to them. Among the 
things which should not be missed is 
the wonderful collection of glass 
flowers in the Agassiz museum, which 
has no duplicate in the world. 
Cambridge is but a step from Bos- 
ton by trolley, and the return trip to 
Salem or Beverly may be made via 
Lynn in twoand one half hours or less. 
The total fare from Salem is 48 
cents, as follows: Salem to North 
Saugus, 10c; North Saugus to Read- 
ing, 5c; Reading to Arlington, 10c; 
Arlington to Cambridge, 5c. On 
Cambridge car to subway get 8c check 
to Lynn car. At Park St., subway, 
change (free transfer) to Scollay 
Square, and use the 8c check for the 
first fareon Lynncar. On the second 
collectionask fora Salem car transfer, 
which is accepted for the first Lynn- 
Salem fare. On second collection on 
this line, ask for Beverly transfer, if 
necessary. 
Papa was Busy. 
His Daughter’s Sweetheart (at her father’s 
office: I called to—er—er—er—ask your 
er—er. 
Her Father: Take her and make her hap- 
py. You'll have to excuse me; this is my 
busy day. 
