1596 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 687

not unnecessarily or unreasonably to damage the same. No
speed contest or contests shall be, under any circumstances,
allowed to take place upon any highway of this State.

(2) Solid Tired Motor Vehicles.

The maximum rate of speed for motor vehicles equipped
wholly or in part with solid tires which motor vehicles, includ-
ing the weight of the truck and the load thereon, weigh, in excess
of four tons and not in excess of eight tons, shall be fifteen miles
an hour. The maximum rate of speed for motor vehicles
equipped wholly or in part with solid tires, which motor vehi-
cles, including the weight of the truck and the load thereon,
weigh in excess of eight tons shall be twelve miles an hour. The
maximum rate of speed of all traction engines or other iron
tired engines, shall be six miles an hour. No motor vehicle in ex-
cess of ninety inches in width, except traction engines, shall be
operated on any highway in this State, and no traction engine
in excess of one hundred inches in width shall be operated on
any such highway, nor shall any motor vehicle be so operated
in which the limit of load per inch in width of tires shall
exceed six hundred and fifty pounds, without the special permis-
sion of the State Roads Commission in the case of a road under
its jurisdiction, or the permission of the city authorities in the
case of a city street, or the permission of the county authorities
in the case of a county highway, and no motor vehicle, of
which the weight of the truck and the load combined exceeds
fourteen tons, shall be operated on any highway of this State.

(3) Other Vehicles.

If the rate of speed of a motor vehicle or motor-cycle,
operated upon any public highway of this State, exceeds twelve
miles per hour in the thickly settled or business parts of cities,
towns or villages, or eighteen miles per hour in the outlying
or not thickly settled parts of cities, towns or villages, or
twenty-five miles per hour in the open country outside of the
limits of cities, towns or villages such rate of speed shall be
prima facie evidence that the person operating such vehicle is
operating the same at a rate of speed greater than is reason-
able and proper, and in violation of the provisions of this
section, and the burden of proof shall be upon him to show
that such rate of speed was not greater than was reasonable
and proper, as above set forth.