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Page Twelve
THE PILOT—Southern Pines, North Carolina
Friday, January 9,1953
Growth of Motor Vehicles Department
Reflects Automotive History of State
Former Carthage
Resident Heads
528-Man Patrol
PATROL CHIEF
The Department of Motor
Vehicles was created by a special
act of the 1941 General Assembly,
and made effective as of July 1,
194J. It consists of three major
units that were originally func
tions of the Department of Rev
enue — the Registration Division,
the State Highway Patrol and the
Highway Safety Division.
A fourth unit, smaller than the
others, is the License and Theft
Enforcem.ent Division (formerly
called the Theft Bureau).
Also responsible to the commis
sioner, but not large enough to
have division status are the public
relations, office, the bus and truck
franchise unit and the reports
audit unit.
The Departrr.ent is headed by
Commissioner L. R. Fisher and
Assistant Commissioner Joe W
Garrett. Division heads are Col.
W. B. Lentz of the Highway Pa
trol; H. D. Tarvia Jones of the
Highway Safety Division; and
Miss Fey Ingram of the Registra
tion Division.
Archie M. Gilbert is director
of the License and Theft Enforce
ment Division.
The' Department of Motor Ve
hicles is a comparatively new or
ganization. As mentioned, it was
created in 1941 to' take over the
duties of the Highway Patrol and
the Highway Safety Division
(then one unit) and the Registra
tion Diyisioni The Patrol and
Safety Division were subsequently
separated in 1949. .
Prior , to 1941 these divisions had
been undgr the Revenue Depart
ment.,
Registration Division: On July
1, 1909, a systematic registtdticn
of automobiles in North Carolina
was begun. By legislative enact
ment, inotor'vehicle owners were
required.to secure a Certificate of
Registration; from the Secretary of
State. They were required to pay
a flat fee of .$5,'"good for one year,
and thereafter at renewal fee of
$1. In payrhent of: these fees the
Secretary State'issued the cer-
j X_ r< nWrtl olnrvi.
COL. W. B. LENTZ, head of the
State Highway Patrol, lived at the
McLeod boarding-house in Car
thage in the 1920s, when he drove
a motor express truck on the route
from Charlotte to Durham and
Raleigh.
He left this position to become
one of the original members of the
State Highway Patrol when it was
organized in 1929. lie is now the
head of the greatly expanded Pa
trol, in which only 10 of the orig
inal members remain.
it remained until July,
tificate albfig .with'a seal qf alum-
inuni, or other suitable metal,
shoWing the registration number.
Uppn reCeip't of' this seal the
motorist was required to make a
distinctive license plate, using
Arabic numerals at least three
inches high and one-half ipch
wide. The choice' of colors was
uniquely simple: black and white.
Although .the tag could be either
white with' black numerals or
black with white numerals. Total
registration figure for the first
year was 1,681.
Until 19l3. auto owners contin
ued to make their own license
plates and pay minimum license
fees. After 1913 however, it was
decided to have- the state furnish
the plate and increased fees of
from $5 to' $10 were set up de
pending on horsepower rating. In
1921 a one-cent-per-gallon tax was
put on gasoline and in 1927 le-
cense taxes increased to a mini
mum of $12.50 and a maximum of
$40.
In 1923 a Certificate of Title
law was enacted and a Theft Bu
reau created. Registration by this
time had reached a total of 211,
732.
The 'Motor Vehicle Registration
Division was divorced from the
Secretary of State in 1925 and as
signed to the revenue department
OCLOCK
DISTILLED
LOHDON
DRY
GIN
FULL PINT
4/5 QUART
$085
85 Proof
ObtUbd from Grata
where
1941.
Registration figures climbed to
1,171,228 in 1950 and further in
creases in 1951 brought the total
to 1, 247,824 autos, trucks and
buses, an all time high
At present there are approxi
mately 190 employees in the Reg
istration Division under the super
vision of Miss Ingram, a career
official who has been with the
Department of Motor Vehicles
more than 25 years.
Highway Patrol: The State
Highway Patrol was created by
the 1929 (General Assembly
through the State Highway Com
mission, which retained control
of the troopers until 1933. At the
beginning the' Highway Patrol
was organized around a captain,
nine lieutenants (one of whom is
now the present Commissioner of
Motor Vehicles) and 27 patrol
men, three for each of the state’s
nine highway districts. Today
there "are only 10 members of the
original patrol stiR on active duty.
The act creating this body de
creed that it should regularly pa
trol the highways, enforce the
motor vehicle laws and otherwise
keep the highways of North Caro
lina safe for the motoring public
and the pedestrian.
During the early years of its ex
istence, the activities of the Pa
trol were limited to the enforce
ment of motor vehicle regulations
and testing automotive equip
ment. However, when in 1931, the
General Assembly authorized the
increase of its number to 67, the
duties began expanding accord
ingly. By legislative act of 1933,
the Patrol was transferred from
the Highway Commission to the
Department of Revenue.
■With the transfer it was given
the responsibility of inspecting
gasoline at bulk plants and retail
outlets to insure quality. The Pa
trol also- was charged with tracing
down and collecting bad checks
involved'in Motor Vehicle Depart
ment transactions. During this
was increased to 121. They were
»-elieved of the gasoline inspection
duty and began a sharp enforce
ment of ,the new driver’s license
’aw, passed in 1935 by the Legis-
'ature. Two years later a state
wide radio communications sys
tem was established. The system
today incorporates 12 frequency
modulation stations scattered gec-
“ranhically so as to blanket the
°rtire state. The Patrol communi
/’ations system is headed by C. D.
Cavanaugh.
Still further changes in the Pa
trol organization were made in
1937 when the Legislature author
’zed the commissioning of a rha-
ior as commanding officer. This
action resulted in the anpointment
-'f another caotain and the estab-
’'shm.ent of an additional troop. In
^he same year legislation was
T5=ssed providing for the examin
ation and certification of all school
bus drivers by a highway patrol
man.
Increased motor vehicle regis-
'^’•ation in the state necessitated
'nrther additions to the Patrol
"anks. In 1939 strength had climb-
ad to 173. And too, the world situ
ation at that time was becoming
-M-intic! wb“n in the fall of 1940
the National Guard was called up
'or active duty in the Army, an
other 15 troopers were ad'led to
•Vio Put^nl. bringing strength up
to 188 These new men were badly
needed to handle the tremendous
Metor Vehicles at which time the
Highway Patrol was brought un
der its •supervision. At the same
time additional funds were appro
priated for the employment of 25
more officers, bringing the total
to 213.
By 19^0 strength had risen to
423 under the command of former
Cc’l. James R. Smith, a career
trooper, who had risen through
the ranks.
The present Patrol organization
of five troops is at full authorized
strength (528 men) and is com
manded by Coll W. B. Lentz, for
merly of (Jarthage, who succeeded
Smith August 7, 1952. Smith was
recommissioned a major, making
two such officers who act as exec
utive aids to the commander. The
other major is David T. Lambert.
Highway Safety Division: The
Commissioner of Revenue was
delegated the authority to create
a division of highway safety by
legislative act in 1935. By the act
the commissioner was empowered
to assign to this division, (1) the
direction and control of. the State
Highway Patrol, (2) the adminis
tration of the Uniform Driver’s
License Law (ratified on Febru
ary 28, 1935); and (3) such other
duties and work, not inconsistent
with the Act.
The promotion of highway safe
ty under this act was confined
primarily to enforcement of traf
fic regulations and the adminis
tration of the Uniform Driver’s
License Law. However, after the
highway accident experience of
1937, when 1,123 persens were
killed on the highways ■ of the
state, the division attempted to
carry on a general safety promo
tion program throughout the state
Since no funds were appropriated
for this specific work, various lo
cal and national agencies assisted
the division by providing material
for distribution and in some in
stances lending personal services.
In 1938 the Commercial Invest
ment Trust Corporation of New
York sponsored a newspaper safe
ty institute fer rep'resentatives of
the newspapers in this state. The
institute was held in Raleigh and
was very beneficial in acquainting
the press with ways and means of
promoting safety through the col
umns of the newspaper,
The result of the increased ef-
Goverhor J. Melville Broughton
in 1941. He served until midsum
mer 1947 when Governor Cherry
appointed Landon C. Rosser, an
ex-Army officer and one time rep
resentative in the General Assem
bly. Colcnel Rosser, who retain
ed his Army rank, continued as
commissioner under the Cherry
administration and was re-ap
pointed by incoming governor W.
Kerr Scott in January 1949. Ros
ser left the post June 15, 1952 and
was succeeded by the present
commissioner L. R. Fisher, a na
tive of Mecklenburg county, a
former barnstorming pilot and
ex-Army officer.
Fisher was formerly head of the
malt beverage division of the state
ABC board and has had wide ex
perience in state government. He
was at one time chief hearing of
ficer of the Highway Safety Divi
sion and was later promoted to
director of the division succeed
ing Jeff B. 'Wilson, in March, 1950.
He held one of the original nine
lieutenant’s commissions when the
Highway Patrol was organized in
1929. Later he was promoted to
captain and was for many years
School Cafeteria
active in law enforcement in
western North Carolina. He re
signed his poet in 1943 .to enter
the Army, serving in ■ England,
France and Germany. He was dis
charged a major and returned to
the Department of Motor 'Vehicles
as chief hearing officer in 1946.
Joe W. Garrett, an attorney
from Rockingham county, has
been assistant commissioner of
the department since April 15,
1943. He is a graduate of Wake
Forest, former college athlete, and
a representative in the General
Assembly.
At presqnt the Department, of
Motor Vehicles is htjused in the
annex of the Revenue building in
Raleigh. Certain other divisions
and units, including the ' entire
registration Division and the Li
cense and Theft Enforcement Di
vision, are in the Revenue Build
ing proper. The Department em
ploys approximately 1,200 persons
including the 528 officers and men
of the State Highway Patrol. It is
the second largest state agency,
the first being the State Highway
and Public Works Commission
which employs some 15.000.
JANUARY 12-16
MONDAY
Beef Tomato Stew
Tossed Green Salad
Fruited Orange Jello
Raisiri Gingerbread Square
Wheat Bread, Margarine
Milk
forts in enforcement, engineering
and education are reflected in the
reduction of traffic fatalities for
1938.. In that year only 937 per
sons were killed or a reduction of
about 15 per cent.
.In .1939, the Legislature repeal
ed Section -2, Chapter 324 of the
Public Laws of 1935 and rewrote
the entire section. The new act
directed the Commissioner of
Revenue to set up in his depart
ment a "‘division of highway safe
ty and to make rules and regula
tions geverning said division and
shall have the right to assign to
the said division such other duties
and work not inconsistent with
the provisions of the Act
The Commissioner of Revenue
a result of this enlarged pro
as
TUESDAY
Deviled Egg Sandwich
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Red Cherry Shortcake,
Vanilla Sauce
Saltines, Margarine
Milk
WEDNESDAY
Ham-Potato Scallop
Buttered Baby Lima Beans
Turnip Greens .
Corn Bread, Margarine
Orange Marmalade
Milk
THURSDAY
HEADOUARTERS
FOR
- Clean - Dependable
Steamed Wien.er, Condiments
Spanish Rice
Sauerkraut
Florida Tangerine
Wiener Rcll, Margarine
Milk
FRIDAY
Tomato Juice '
Baked Macaroni—Aged Cheese
Deviled Egg Half
Sweet Sour Cabbage Slaw
Chocolate Pudding
Wheat Bread, Margarine
Milk
AND
Mid-South Motors, Inc.
YOUR
Phone - 9591
DEALER
Aberdeen, N. C.
Worlil nawiitYS
H ere you see pictured the Golden Anniversary
Roadmaster — engineered, styled, powered and
bodied to be fully worthy of its paragon role in this
fiftieth year of Buick building.
A quick listing of simple facts will reveal just cause for
celebration.
BUIGKS
GREJffESI CARS
eOODERHAm t WORTS LTD.
PEORIA, ILLINOIS
gram, delegated the administra
ticn of the program to the Direct
or of the Highway Safety Division
In 1941 the General Assembly
in creating the Department of
Motor Vehiefes included a Divi
sion of Registration and the Divi
sion of Highway Safety and Pa
trol. In compliance with this Act
the sdministraticn of the High
way Safety Division was trans
ferred from the Department of
Revenue to the Department of
Motor Vehicles in 1941.
Safety promotional work was
carried on by four representatives
of the Department during 1939,
1940, and 1941. During the sum
mer of 1941, these representatives
conducted a limited course of
training for all state school bus
drivers. Since then the number
of representatives has increased
to 27 and now conduct an expand
ed program of training involving
more than 6,000 school bus driv
ers in every county of the state
Late in 1952 a reorganization of
the Highway Safety Division was
completed under ftie direction of
Commissioner Fisher. In order to
achieve greater efficiency and in
crease safety promotional activi
ties the Commissioner had all
driver license examiners, hearing
same year, a re-organization be
came effective which divided the
state into troop areas with a lieu
tenant in command of each troop.
In 1935 personnel'of the Patrol
officers, and the unit dealing with
license revocations and suspen-
siens, transferred to the Highway.
Patrol.
The present director of the
Highway Safety Division is H. D
Jones who has held the post since
July 1, 1951. He is a former di
rector of safety for the State
Highway and Public Works Com
mission.
At present the Highway Safety
Division is composed of two units,
the Driver Improvement Section,
headed bv Z. E. Helms and the
Accident Reporting Section, head
ed by James E. Civils.
The first commissioner of the
IN 50 GREAT YEARS
ncrease in traffic brought about
by the growing number of mili-| Department of Motor Vehicles was
■-JT-sr camns and defense projects,T. Bodie Ward, a building supply
throughout the state. dealer, farmer and land holder of
Then in 1941 the General AD-'Wilson. Mr. Ward became com-
sembly created the Depamtment of' missioner by appointment of then
It has the world's newest V8 engine. Vertical
valves; 12-volt electrical system; 100 pounds lighter;
entire engine is so compact, a new, more maneuver
able chassis has been built around it.
It has 188 Fireball horsepower. A new Btiick
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It has a compression ratio of 8.5 to 1. Highest
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It has a dynamic-flow muffler. For the first time in
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infinite smoothness at all speed ranges.
It has new braking power. Most powerful braking
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of Power Brakes, optional at elytra cost.
It has a still finer ride. The softest,
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Buick’s advanced engineering has
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WHIM BirriH AHTeMBSIUS HKC BUUr
BBieKwiUBUiunai
It has, also, wondrous handling ease, with Power Steer^
ing as standard equipment. It has superb comfort. It
has sumptuous fabrics and tailoring. And its acoustics
are so thoroughly mastered that it may well be one of
the world’s most quiet cars.
But no listing of facts can do true justice to this phe
nomenal automobile, or to its brilliant brothers, the
1953 Supers and Specials.
And no words can really tell you the beauty you see,
the comfort you feel, the excitement you experience —
when you look at and drive any one of these big, beauti
ful, bounteous Buicks for 1953,
Will you come in and see for yourself that these , are,
in simple truth, Buick’s greatest cars in five brilliant
decades.^
Equipmeni, ixcceB&ories, trim and models are subjedt to change without
w.
MARIW MOTOR COMPANY
SOUTH STREET
ABERDEEN, N. C.