PARKING PROBLEM ACUTE AS YARD COPS TAG CARS

That the parking of automobiles all night without lights has become a menace has been demonstrated by the recent action of the University in tagging all automobiles parked on its property.

This is the first action that has been taken in an endeavor to keep the streets open for traffic. In former years no such action was deemed necessary, but this year there is a startling increase in the number of cars owned by students and there is no more parking room than there was last year. With 500 more cars in the University this year than last the problem is becoming an acute one. However the University has no power over any but its own property, and so the duty of clearing the public highway will fall on the police.

The license numbers of all the cars that have been tagged have been placed on record at the office of the Superintendent of Grounds, 6 Kirkland Street, Cambridge. At present these numbers have not been turned over to the police, but such action is being contemplated in case the students do not find other places to leave their cars. It is understood that no fines will be imposed by the University.

Some time ago the Cambridge Police issued a warning to all students advising them to obey the traffic parking rules, especially the ones relating to night parking. In the opinion of the Chief of Police the time for action has come, and hereafter any persons convicted of breaking parking rules will be liable to a fine of $20, and will have their names placed on record.

Automobiles Cause Fire Trap

According to the University authorities, who are backed by President Lowell, there are various reasons for these actions. In the first place the excessive number of automobiles are a fire trap and a fire risk. In case of a fire on one of the various side streets off Mt. Auburn Street not only would the automobiles parked there by night interrupt the operations of the fire companies, but also they would be a source of danger themselves, due to the gasoline which they carry. This has resulted in greatly increased insurance rates, and as the University owns a great deal of property in the vicinity, it means the loss of money that could be used to better purpose elsewhere. In the second place a great many residents in the vicinity have complained of excessive noise, and also of the fact that automobiles in some places are parked on the sidewalks, thus obstructing all passage. There is still another reason, however, and it may have a heavy hearing on the case. On Thursday night six automobiles were stolen from the immediate vicinity of Harvard Square. According to the police this indicates that thieves are being attracted to this vicinity.

For some time now, the University authorities, in union with the Police Department and the Fire Department, have been working on a plan which will enable the students to park their cars overnight without the necessity of putting them in a garage, or leaving the lights on. Nothing definite has been decided upon as yet, but it is expected that an arrangement of some kind will be completed before long. In the meantime cars, if parked over night, should be lighted and placed in such a position that they will not obstruct traffic.