1914-07-24aa

Traffic on Hamilton city streets in the summer of 1914 was made up with all manner of transportation apparatus. Horse and carriages mingled with automobiles, trucks vied for space with electric street cars.

There were very few actual legal regulations governing street traffic. There were no stop lights, no stop signs, no requirement to drive forward on one side of the street and not on the other.

For pedestrians, particularly in the city’s central core, it was dangerous to simply try and make it across some of the major intersections.

As pointed out in the Hamilton Spectator of July 24, 1914, an innovation had been instituted to govern what was probably the city’s major hectic intersection of all, King and James streets :

“The automobile drivers of this city quickly adapted themselves to the new traffic regulations, until at the present time, almost no difficulty is met with.

“P.C. Yaxley, who governs the traffic at the corner of King and James streets, during the busiest hours of the day, states that he has now no trouble with motorists with the possible exception of a few strangers, who do not know the traffic laws.”¹

¹ “Great Benefit : New Traffic Regulations Are Working Well”

Hamilton Spectator. July 24, 1914.

There were a number of varied regulations but the most obvious one was the power given to the policeman stationed right in the middle of King and James. He could stop vehicles at his will in order to help the flow, whether of people on foot or in vehicles:

“The new rule makes Hamilton’s busiest corner much safer for pedestrians, and is proving a benefit all round.”¹

Well, there was at least one Hamiltonian who found out that the new state of being of King and James did not do him any benefit.

As reported, also in the Hamilton Spectator of July 24, 1914, the story read as follows :

“What are trivial changes often make a great change in the trend of human lives and what would ordinarily be classed as a matter of no importance has made considerable difference in the family life of a prominent Hamiltonian.

“He was recently out taking out for a drive in his auto a young lady who had previously given cause for jealousy on the part of his wife. He was crossing the corner of King and James streets and his car was held up by the traffic officer.

“The motorist’s wife was crossing the street on foot at the identical moment when the car stopped and she espied the couple. Approaching the motor in no friendly manner, she demanded that the lady leave the car at once and her request was immediately complied with.

“The angry wife then entered that car and was driven to her home and she now contemplates laying her marital troubles before the divorce courts.”¹

¹ “Trouble Ahead : For Man Who Took Lady Friend Out in Auto.”

Hamilton Spectator.   July 24, 1914.

While the new traffic regulations seemed to be working well by the middle of July, 1914, and there was widespread satisfaction with them, there was at least one driver who rued the fact that he had to bring his car to a full stop at the corner of King and James streets.