RHODE ISLAND

Prior to the first state registration law of 1904, there are no known instances of city ordinances providing for the registration or numbering of automobiles.  The Rhode Island Motor Club was formed on May 31, 1900, and may have been instrumental in allaying the fears and concerns local officials might have had regarding the safe and responsible operation of motor vehicles.  The village of South Kingstown passed an automobile ordinance on July 9, 1900, effective July 14, 1900, but this established speed limits only.  The 1907-09 Providence porcelain plate issue is only included here because the undated nature of it might at first suggest issuance before 1904.

Providence (224,326)

An ordinance, passed in May 1907, and effective July 1, 1907, required drivers of automobiles for hire (such as taxis, rental cars or vehicles used in livery service) to obtain a city license to operate them for $2.  Additionally, each vehicle itself was to be licensed annually by the city for $5 and display, in addition to the state registration plate, a white-on-red city-issued plate.  It is not known if singles or pairs were required.

Two undated white-on-red porcelain plates are known with  "PROVIDENCE, R.I." at top and "P.C." at bottom, which is theorized to stand for "Public Carrier".  Both plates are the same size as regular Rhode Island plates being issued in 1907-08.  Plate #112 has digits with slanted ends similar to R.I. Register plates #2707 to #2950, which were issued from July 20 to November 27, 1907, while #172 has digits with straight ends, matching the style of R.I. Registers #2986 to #3179, issued from January 29 to May 7, 1908.  The latter plate omits the comma after the city name.  It seems likely that numbering began at #100 or #101.

According to a Providence Journal news article on May 26, 1907, these new plates were to be distributed by Benjamin S. Clark, the same person in charge of contracting for Rhode Island state plates.  Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that orders for both types of plates would have been placed by Clark at roughly the same times to the same company.

An August 1909 article in The Power Wagon describes the discontinuance of the city's taxi plates as follows:  "Both branches of the city council have acted favorably upon an ordinance regulating motor cab traffic in Providence, R.I.  The measure provides for a charge of 50 cents for a distance not exceeding one mile for one to four passengers...[lengthy description of rates, mileages, etc.]  A reduction in license fee to $3 is provided.  The license to drive is 50 cents.  A change in the registration is also provided by doing away with the red number plate and substituting a number on the side lights."