POLICE REGULATIONS 
 
 IN CONFORMITY 
 WITH 
 
 GOVERNING STREET T MfHbois 
 
 IN THE 
 
 CITY OF BUFFALO 
 
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 Published by Order of the 
 
 COMMON COUNCIL 
 
 D. J. SWEENEY, 
 City Clerk 
 
28 ft ’14 Z.T, 
 
 6? / < f'- 2— 
 
 TRAFFIC RULES AND REGULATIONS 
 
 POLICE DEPARTMENT 
 BUFFALO, N.Y. UBR ARy 
 
 — m ^in T 0 f u 
 
 Department of Police, City of Buffalo. 
 Commissioners’ Office, June 15, 1914. 
 
 
 Sub-division 14 of Section 23, Chapter 4, 
 of the City Ordinances, as amended April 
 20, 1914, places the supervision and con- 
 trol of traffic on all the streets and public 
 places in the city and at entertainments 
 and gatherings under the supervision of 
 the Police Department and further grants 
 the Superintendent of Police discretionary 
 power in enforcing certain sections of the 
 same. 
 
 c^The Board of Police have adopted the 
 following regulations for the police force 
 and the public, for uniform enforcement 
 and compliance with the provisions of the 
 Ordinance. 
 
 WIDTH OF TIKES, ETC. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 (1) For combined weight of vehicle and 
 load, from four to five thousand pounds, 
 tires shall be at least three inches wide; 
 in excess of five thousand pounds, four 
 inches wide. 
 
 (2) No solid lugs, spikes or cleats per- 
 mitted on face of wheels upon paved 
 streets w T ithout permission of Commis- 
 sioner of Public Works. This does not 
 prohibit anti-skid chains on automobiles 
 weighing, w T ith load, not more than five 
 
 • tons. 
 
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(3) No machine weighing more than five 
 tons, used for purposes other than trans- 
 portation (excepting road or pavement roll- 
 ers) permitted on paved streets without 
 written permission of the Commissioner 
 of Public Works. 
 
 (4) No vehicle weighing, with load, 
 more than thirty-six thousand pounds or 
 having a load upon a single wheel of over 
 ten thousand pounds, permitted on streets 
 without written permission of the Com- 
 missioner of Public Works. This does 
 not apply to vehicles running on tracks. 
 
 RULES OF THE ROAD. 
 
 (5) The public streets, avenues and 
 alleys within the city shall be used solely 
 for the passage over of persons on foot, 
 and for vehicles of all kinds, drawn by 
 hand, animal or motive power, except 
 otherwise provided by ordinance. 
 
 (6) The sidewalks are for the exclusive 
 use of pedestrians. 
 
 (7) The carriageways of all streets, 
 except at crosswalks, are for the exclusive 
 use of vehicles and animals. 
 
 (8) On all crosswalks pedestrians shall 
 have the right of way over vehicles, except 
 when otherwise directed by the warning 
 or signal of a member of the police force. 
 
 (9) A crosswalk within the meaning of 
 this chapter is hereby defined as includ- 
 ing the extension of the sidewalk spaces 
 in a direct line across the intersecting 
 streets, as well as the space occupied by 
 artificial walks across streets or other 
 public places. 
 
 (10) Slowly moving vehicles shall keep 
 to the right and pass as near the right 
 hand curb as practicable. 
 
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(11) Rapidly moving vehicles shall keep 
 to the right and as nearly as practicable 
 about eight feet from the right hand curb. 
 
 (12) Vehicles meeting shall pass each 
 other on the right. 
 
 (13) Vehicles overtaking each other 
 shall in passing keep to the left, except 
 that vehicles shall pass to the right of 
 street cars moving in the same direction. 
 
 (14) Vehicles turning to the right into 
 another street, shall turn the corner as 
 near to the right hand curb as practicable. 
 
 i 
 
 ( THUS 
 
 (15) Vehicles turning to the left into 
 other streets, shall pass to the right of 
 and beyond the center of the street inter- 
 sections before turning. 
 
 J v. y 
 
 "\ *■' — NOT THIS WAY 
 
 THUS ! 
 
 (16) Vehicles passing from one side of 
 the street to the other, shall do so by 
 turning to the left, so as to head in the 
 « same direction as other traffic on that side 
 
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of the street and with their right side 
 next to the curb. They will not be per- 
 mitted to turn in the center of the block 
 nor to cross from one side to the other 
 side of the street within blocks, but they 
 shall cross the streets at the end of the 
 blocks and inside the cross walk. 
 
 (17) Except on Sundays and after seven 
 o’clock in the evening of any day, and as 
 specified in sub-division six of this section 
 (and in Chapter six of the ordinances, 
 which exempts public stands for vehicles 
 for hire) no vehicle shall be left standing 
 upon any public street or place except 
 under the following regulations: 
 
 (18) Vehicles may be left standing in 
 front of stores or other buildings while 
 the passengers of such vehicles are actually > 
 engaged in shopping or transacting other 
 business; provided that every such vehicle 
 waiting at the curb shall promptly give 
 place to another vehicle about to take on 
 or let off a passenger or passengers, and 
 
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no vehicle shall be left standing ljpon 
 Pearl or Washington streets, south of 
 Chippewa street and north of Exchange 
 street or the Terrace, for more than one 
 hour unattended by a driver, operator or 
 chauffeur. 
 
 (19) That no vehicle shall be left stand- 
 ing on Main street, south of Chippewa 
 street and north of Seneca street, longer 
 than is necessary to take on or let off a 
 passenger or passengers, unless the same 
 be in actual charge of a driver or chauf- 
 feur, and shall at all times be subject to 
 the orders of members of the police force, 
 and such vehicles shall be moved upon the 
 order of any member of the police force 
 given in the interest of public safety or 
 convenience or to prevent and relieve a 
 congestion of traffic. 
 
 (20) A person in charge or control of 
 any vehicle standing in any street in the 
 city shall cause the same to be removed 
 immediately upon the order of any mem- 
 ber of the police force, or at the request 
 ot the owner or lessee of the property 
 in front of which such vehicle is standing, 
 or at the request of the driver of another 
 vehicle, the lawful movement of which is 
 obstructed or delayed by the standing 
 vehicle. 
 
 (21) No vehicle shall be left standing 
 in front of or at the curb of or adjacent 
 to any property if the owner, lessee or 
 agent in charge of such property objects 
 thereto. 
 
 (22) It shall be unlawful to make re- 
 pairs to any vehicle in any street or public 
 
 » place in the city, except in emergency 
 or in case the vehicle cannot be taken to 
 a shop or garage for repairs. 
 
 (23) No vehicle shall be left standing 
 ^ upon any carriageway or sidewalk in the 
 
 city in such a manner or for such time 
 
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as to binder or obstruct traffic thereon ; 
 except for such time as is actually neces- 
 sary to load thereon or unload therefrom 
 and in such case for not more than one 
 hour. 
 
 (24) No vehicle shall be placed or re- 
 main on any sidewalk or crosswalk at any 
 
 time for any purpose without leaving suffi- * 
 cient passageway thereon for pedestrians. 
 
 (25) Except in an emergency or to allow 
 another vehicle or a pedestrian having 
 the right of way to cross its path, or 
 except as ordered by a member of the 
 police force, or as expressly authorized 
 by ordinance; no vehicle shall stop in any 
 public street, highway or place except 
 where the wheels of the right hand side 
 of such vehicle shall be within two feet 
 of the curb. 
 
 (26) No vehicle shall stop or stand 
 within the intersection of streets ; nor 
 within fifteen feet of the curb line of such 
 streets, nor within fifteen feet of any 
 hydrant; nor so as to unnecessarily or un- 
 reasonably obstruct the operations of any 
 traffic being lawfully or properly carried 
 on. 
 
 (27) Vehicles shall when crossing any 
 street railway track or steam railway 
 tracks be checked to one-half the speed 
 fixed by law or ordinance so as to secure 
 the reasonable safety of the public. 
 
 (28) Under the conditions herein pre- 
 scribed which require the stopping of 
 vehicles, such vehicles shall stop and re- 
 main in single file and not abreast. 
 
 (29) No vehicle shall be so constructed, 
 loaded, operated or driven as to prevent 
 the driver, operator or chauffeur thereof 
 from having a clear view in front and on 
 both sides. 
 
 (30) No oil, grease or other substance 
 tending to disintegrate pavements, or make 
 
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1 
 
 them slippery or otherwise dangerous, 
 shall be spilled or deposited upon pave- 
 ments. Motor vehicles must be equipped 
 with dripping pans. A penalty for a vio- 
 lation of this section is not to exceed fifty 
 dollars. 
 
 RIGHT OF 
 
 (31) Except directed 
 
 by a member of the ] mid&f&i&i, vehicles 
 moving on Main street, shall hav^ftty&^ght 
 of way over vehicles moving on the streets 
 which intersect it. 
 
 (32) Vehicles moving on any street 
 which crosses or runs into Main street, 
 south of the north line of Chippewa street, 
 shall have the light of way over vehicles 
 moving on any street intersecting the 
 same except Main street; provided, how- 
 ever, that vehicles on Niagara street shall 
 have the right of way over vehicles on 
 streets intersecting it. 
 
 (33) In all other cases, vehicles moving 
 on any streets which extend in a generally 
 northerly and southerly direction, shall 
 have the right of way over vehicles mov- 
 ing on intersecting streets. 
 
 (34) Vehicles moving up grade on via- 
 ducts and approaches thereto or on any 
 incline of the street, shall have the right 
 of way over vehicles meeting them moving 
 dowrn grade. 
 
 (35) Street railway passenger cars shall 
 have the right of way along railway 
 tracks between intersecting streets over 
 all vehicles moving in the same direction, 
 and the drivers of any vehicle preceding 
 upon a street railway track in front of a 
 street railway passenger car shall turn 
 out as soon as practicable upon a signal 
 by the motorman or driver of such car; 
 provided, however, that the motorman, 
 drivers and conductors of street railway 
 
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cars shall be subject, as are the drivers or 
 operators of other vehicles, to the orders 
 and signals of members of the police 
 force* 
 
 SPEED. 
 
 (36) Section 23, Sub-division 1. No per- 
 son shall ride any bicycle, tricycle or any 
 other vehicle, or drive or ride any horse 
 or any vehicle drawn by a horse, or horses, 
 or otherwise propelled in any street, lane 
 or alley of the city outside of the district 
 mentioned in sub-division 4 of this section 
 at a faster rate than is prescribed for 
 automobiles by Section 53 of this chapter, 
 nor shall any person ride any bicycle, 
 tricycle or any other vehicle, or drive or 
 ride any horse or any vehicle drawn by 
 a horse or horses or otherwise propelled 
 around any corner or intersection of any 
 street, lane or alley of the city at a faster 
 rate than five miles per hour. The fore- 
 going provision of this sub-division, how T - 
 ever, shall be suspended with reference to 
 Indian Church avenue, between the first 
 day of December in every year and the 
 following first of April. 
 
 (37) Sub-division 4. No person shall 
 ride, drive or operate any vehicle, however 
 drawn or propelled, or drive or ride any 
 animal upon Main street south of Allen 
 street, or upon Delaware avenue south of 
 North street, at a faster rate than twelve 
 miles an hour. 
 
 (38) Section 53, Sub-division 7. Every 
 person operating a motor vehicle on any 
 street shall drive the same in a careful 
 and prudent manner and at a rate of 
 speed so as not to endanger the property 
 of another, or the life or limb of any 
 person ; provided the rate of speed on any 
 street within any district described in [a], 
 [b], [c], of this sub-division, in excess of 
 the rate of speed therein specified, shall 
 
 * 
 
 
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1 
 
 be presumptive evidence of driving such 
 motor vehicle at a rate of speed which is 
 not careful and prudent. 
 
 (39) [a]. Twelve miles an hour on Main 
 
 street south of Allen street, and on Dela- 
 ware avenue south of North street. 
 
 I (40) [b]. Fifteen miles an hour on any 
 
 street, except as specified in [a] within the 
 district bounded by (and included within 
 the exterior lines of) Porter avenue, The 
 Circle, North street, East North street, 
 and Best street, Best street between Jef- 
 ferson street and Fillmore avenue, Fill- 
 more avenue south of Best street, Smith 
 street, the northerly bank of Buffalo river 
 (by its various courses), and the easterly 
 shore line of Buffalo harbor, and the said 
 easterly shore line of the said harbor to 
 its intersection with Porter avenue. 
 
 (41) [c]. Eighteen miles an hour on 
 any street not included within [a] and 
 [b]. 
 
 SIGNAL. S. 
 
 (42) In slowing up or stopping a ve- 
 hicle the driver shall give a plain signal 
 of his intention to slow up or stop ; such 
 signal shall, where practicable, be by the 
 raising of the whip or hand vertically. 
 
 (43) Before making a turn, the driver 
 shall, where practicable, give a sign, by 
 extending the hand or whip over the side 
 of the vehicle, horizontally in the direc- 
 tion in which the turn is to be made. Nc 
 turn shall be made until vehicles or cars 
 behind have had time to reduce their 
 
 9 speed when necessary. 
 
 (44) If such signal cannot be given in 
 the manner prescribed, some plain and in- 
 telligent signal or warning of the inten- 
 tion to turn and the direction in which the 
 
 ^ turn is to be made shall be given. 
 
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(45) When backing, constant care must 
 be taken not to collide with any person, 
 animal or vehicle. 
 
 (46) During the period of two hours 
 after sunset, and two hours before sun- 
 rise, all vehicles shall display at least 
 one light of sufficient illuminating power 
 to be visible for a distance of two hundred 
 feet, both in the front and rear of such 
 vehicles. Bicycles, motorcycles, motorci- 
 cycles and motorbicycles, as well as other 
 vehicles shall be subject to the provisions 
 of this sub-division, except such vehicles 
 as may lawfully be propelled or drawn 
 along or upon the sidewalks of the City. 
 
 (47) Every motor vehicle, upon any 
 street, except motorcycles, motorbicycles 
 and motortricycles, shall during the 
 period of one-half hour after sunset to 
 one-half hour before sunrise display at 
 least two lighted lamps on the front and 
 one on the rear of such vehicle, which shall 
 also display a red light visible from the 
 rear. 
 
 (48) The rays of such rear lamp shall 
 shine upon the number plate carried on 
 the rear of such motor vehicle in such a 
 manner as to render the numerals thereon 
 visible for at least fifty feet in the direc- 
 tion from which the motor vehicle is pro- 
 ceeding. The light of the front lamps 
 shall be visible at least two hundred feet 
 in the direction in which the motor vehicle 
 is proceeding. Number plates on auto- 
 mobiles and commercial cars must be kept 
 cleaned at all times, so as to be plainly 
 visible. 
 
 (49) No vehicle shall carry a dazzling * 
 or blinding light, and the carrying of 
 any lighted lamp or light, which exceeds 
 twenty candle power, with or without a 
 reflector, shall be a violation of this sub- \ 
 division. 
 
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(50) Vehicles while in use carrying 
 pipes, scantling, rails or other like ma- 
 terial, which project more than four feet 
 beyond the rear of such vehicle, shall 
 have a plainly visible flag or other signal 
 of some kind attached to the rear of such 
 projection. 
 
 (51) From one hour after sunset to one 
 hour before sunrise such danger signal 
 shall consist of a light of some kind. 
 
 (52) Motor vehicles shall be provided 
 with a suitable and adequate bell, horn 
 or other device for signalling, but such 
 horn or noise making device shall not 
 be such as to produce startling sounds or 
 noise louder than reasonably necessary to 
 w’arn people of its approach. 
 
 (53) Nothing but a bulb horn or bell 
 shall be used on any vehicle after ten 
 o’clock p. m., and before seven o’clock 
 a. m. 
 
 (54) Bicycles, tricycles or similar ve- 
 hicles shall be provided with a bell which 
 may be heard at least one hundred feet 
 distant. 
 
 (55) All motor vehicles shall be equipped 
 with a good and sufficient muffler or 
 silencing device, which will control and 
 diminish the sound of any explosion of 
 the motor in such vehicle, and the same 
 shall be used at all times when motor 
 vehicle is on or in any of the streets and 
 public places. 
 
 (56) House cleaning machines and gas 
 engines shall be properly equipped with 
 a good and sufficient muffler or silencing 
 device as provided in this sub-division. 
 
 (57) No cut-out shall be used on any 
 motor vehicle at any time. 
 
 (58) The driver of any motor vehicle 
 on any of the public streets or places 
 
 ■ shall not permit the escape of any smoke 
 
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or steam from the motor after such vehicle 
 has proceeded two hundred feet from the 
 starting point. 
 
 STREET RAILWAY PASSENGER CARS. 
 
 (59) The driver, operator, chauffeur or 
 other person in charge of any vehicle 
 shall stop the same at least ten feet from 
 the rear of the nearest exit of any street 
 railway passenger car standing for the 
 purpose of letting off or taking on pas- 
 sengers, and such vehicle shall remain 
 standing until such car has taken on or 
 discharged passengers and again started. 
 (Note : — This section does not apply to 
 street cars standing at terminal points 
 awaiting return time, unless such cars 
 are actually receiving or discharging pas- 
 sengers, and when such cars are not actu- 
 ally receiving or discharging passengers, 
 they may be passed^ by such driver, 
 operator, chauffeur or other person only 
 at a minimum rate of speed.) 
 
 (60) No vehicle shall pass to the left 
 of any street railway passenger car headed 
 in the same direction, either while such 
 car is moving or standing still. 
 
 (61) No driver or other person having 
 charge or control of any street railway 
 car shall permit or allow such car to pass 
 any other car standing at any crossing for 
 the discharge or reception of passengers 
 until such car has started on its course 
 and cleared at least twenty feet. 
 
 (62) Nor shall any driver or other per- 
 son in charge of such standing car put the 
 same in motion while a car on a parallel 
 track is approaching within fifty feet. 
 
 (63) It shall not be lawful for any 
 
 person, except a member of the police 
 force in the discharge of his duty, to „ 
 obstruct or interfere with the free move- 
 ment of any passenger cars of any street 
 railway company in the city. * 
 
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CITY FIRE AND POLICE AND U. S. 
 
 VEHICLES, ETC. 
 
 (64) Nothing in this section contained 
 shall be construed as to interfere with 
 any vehicles of the United States Postal 
 Service, of the Fire Department, or of the 
 Police Department, or any vehicle owned 
 
 * by the City or any public service corpora- 
 tion actually in use in repair work or 
 going to a place or location where repair 
 work is to be done, or of the public hos- 
 pitals of the City; provided, however, that 
 no hospital ambulance or vehicle shall 
 exceed the rates of speed limited by law 
 or ordinance except when responding to 
 an emergency call where such excessive 
 speed is reasonably necessary for the 
 safety of life and limb. 
 
 GENERAL RULES. 
 
 (65) Pedestrians should remember that 
 while they have the right to cross the 
 street in safety, the streets are primarily 
 intended for vehicles and they are expected 
 to use due caution while crossing. 
 
 (66) They should never step from the 
 sidewalk to the street without first look- 
 ing in each direction for approaching 
 vehicles. 
 
 (67) They should never cross the street 
 except at regular crossings and at right 
 angles. 
 
 (68) They should wait for the signal of 
 traffic policemen wherever one is stationed, 
 and move in the direction of traffic only. 
 
 (69) Upon the approach of any fire 
 * apparatus, responding to an alarm, drivers 
 
 of all vehicles shall draw up along the 
 right hand curb and come to a stand- 
 - still. 
 
 (70) Motormen on street railway cars 
 ^ shall immediately stop their car and keep 
 
 13 
 
it stationary upon the approach of any 
 fire apparatus responding to an alarm. 
 
 ( 71 ) No one under 16 years of age shall 
 be permitted to drive any vehicle. 
 
 ( 72 ) Vehicles loaded with ashes, cinders, 
 coal, mortar or dirt from excavations shall 
 have tight bodies, and vehicles so loaded 
 that the contents will not be scattered 
 along the streets. 
 
 ( 73 ) Vehicles which are loaded or in 
 general use for carrying manure, garbage 
 or other substance which give off offensive 
 odors shall be permitted to stand unat- 
 tended in any of the public streets, alleys 
 or public places, but when not in actual 
 use shall be kept in closed buildings or 
 else in places not less than five hundred 
 feet from any building used for resident 
 purposes. 
 
 ( 74 ) No horse attached to a vehicle 
 shall be left unattended on any street 
 unless securely fastened, or unless the 
 vehicle is blocked in such a way that it 
 cannot be moved. 
 
 ( 75 ) No horse shall be unbridled in any 
 street unless secured by a halter. 
 
 ( 76 ) No one shall let go the reins while 
 riding, driving or conducting a horse. 
 
 ( 77 ) Motor vehicles shall be driven in 
 a careful and prudent manner. 
 
 ( 78 ) No coasting or trick or fancy rid- 
 ing with bicycles or tricycles. It is very 
 dangerous for two to ride on bicycle with 
 only one seat, and patrolmen are directed 
 to caution the said riders to refrain from 
 so doing. 
 
 ( 79 ) Bicycles, tricycles, etc., not to be 
 
 ridden upon sidewalks, except by children 
 under ten years of age. v 
 
 ( 80 ) No vehicle to stop with its left side 
 to the curb. 
 
 14 
 
(81) Penalty for each violation of traffic 
 regulations, not less than five nor more than 
 fifty dollars; and if such penalty is not 
 paid, the person convicted may be com- 
 mitted to the Erie County Penitentiary for 
 the term of one day for each and every 
 dollar of the penalty unpaid. For second 
 or subsequent offenses the penalty shall 
 not be less than fifteen nor more. than two 
 hundred and fifty dollars. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR VEHICLES AT 
 PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT. 
 
 (1) Vehicles taking up or discharging 
 passengers at the Twentieth Century Club 
 will approach from the south. While 
 waiting for passengers they will form on 
 the east and west side of Delaware 
 avenue. 
 
 (2) At the Saturn Club, they will ap- 
 proach from the west on Edward street, 
 and south on Delaware avenue, and -while 
 waiting for passengers will form on the 
 east side of Delaware avenue, south of 
 Edward street, and on the west side of 
 Delaware avenue, north of Edward street. 
 
 (3) At the Buffalo Club, they will ap- 
 proach from the north on Delaware ave- 
 nue, and east on Trinity place, and while 
 waiting for passengers will form on the 
 west side of Delaware avenue, north of 
 Trinity place, and on the east side of 
 Delaware avenue, north of Tupper street. 
 
 (4) At the Teck Theatre, they will ap- 
 proach from the north, and while waiting 
 for passengers will form on the west side 
 of Main street, and south side of Edward 
 street, and on the east side of Main 
 
 I street. 
 
 (5) At the Star Theatre, they will ap- 
 ~ proach from the west, and those waiting 
 
 for passengers will form in one line next 
 to the curb, facing east from Franklin 
 ^ street to entrance of theatre ; two lines in 
 
 15 
 
center of Genesee street, the line of vehicles 
 on the north to face west, and the line 
 on the south to face east, with space 
 between curbs and vehicles to allow 
 vehicles to pass in either direction. 
 
 (6) At Shea’s Vaudeville Theatre in 
 Court street, they will approach from the 
 west and while waiting for passengers will 
 form on the north side of Court street, 
 facing west, and on the west side of 
 Franklin street, facing east. 
 
 (7) At the Iroquois Hotel, Main street 
 entrance, they will approach from the 
 south. Eagle street entrance, approach 
 from the -west. 
 
 (8) At the Lafayette Hotel, they will 
 approach from the south on Washington 
 street. 
 
 (9) At the Hotel Genesee, they will ap- 
 proach from the east. 
 
 (10) At the Statler Hotel, Washington 
 street entrance, they will approach from 
 the south, and at the Swan street entrance 
 will approach from the west. 
 
 (11) At Elmwood Music Hall, they will 
 approach from the east. 
 
 (12) At the Auditorium, they will ap- 
 proach from the west. 
 
 (13) At the Chapter House, they will 
 approach from the direction of Delaware 
 avenue. 
 
 (14) At the Seventy-Fourth Armory, 
 they will approach from the east on Con- 
 necticut street. 
 
 (15) At the Sixty -Fifth Armory, they 
 will approach from the south on North 
 
 street. 
 
 (16) At the Majestic Theatre, they will 
 
 approach from the east side of Genesee 
 street. „ 
 
 By order of 
 
 FRED F. KLINCK, 
 JAMES B. WALL, 
 Commissioners of Police. 
 
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