SIGN DESTROYERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 28, 16 January 1912, Page 8

SIGN DESTROYERS.

Since September last there has been in foi;ce ,in .thy State of New York a law whiyh,permits tho destruction of any commercial sign or advertisement on a highway. It authorises the destruction “by anyone” of such signs and advertisements “within the limits of a public highway.” Taking advantage of the law, a squad of automobilists, representing the Automobile Club of America, has been touring tho State, armed with axes and hatchets, destroying thousands of advertising signs which have disfigured the country roads. On fences, rocks, and trees throughout the State the wandering advertiser had erected these defacing signs, and the law was the result of a general protest by automobilists and others. Of course, tho law does not apply to cases where owners of land near cities, or elsewhere, have sold the privilege of erecting advertisement signs, but it is made a crime to paint or erect any advertisement on private property without the written consent of the owner, although private persons are not authorised to destroy such signs on private property. (Already, it is reported, tho appearance of the country highways of New York has been greatly improved by reason of the activity of the sign-destroyers.