Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-07

Health Onicer Of the District Of Columbia:
~ SIR; Mnat s, may be the precise limit or scope
William Gibson at the platform OF the Ivy CITY
station, reminds us that, that ia the third asatk
Lear Lear that place within about one year. This
place Is noted for accidents. Now, Sir II within
your legitimate duty TO prevent accidents from
dangerous buildings, unhealthy water, or food
DANGEROUS excavations and other causes, ana to
suggest remedies, / think Il a legitimate matter
Tor you TO carefully examine this place ana
suggest preventive to the recurrence OF such
sad disasters.
In England a severe penalty attaches to any
person round icatkang on or crossing a rdtl,cdy
fydck Such stringent regulations cannot be
made Ia this free country. II man wishes to
life and those on the train, there is no law that
wishes.
The above locality, between Kendall Green
aid Montello, however, is an exception TO all
other places within the District, and any one
carefully examining the premises could not
ner Ia the case OF William Gibson Evidently
neither the coroner or the jury risited the place
cf fhe accident. The man was probably intoxi-
and the man who sold him the liquor. In the
second place, the B. & o. railroad as the fmmo.
date agents In the killing, would be held re-
possible on pou, .ee oe
was put forward which exonerated them ne
b. q o. road at this place Is straight. kept In
Weeds. SO that nothing but the W darIne@ % infer.
vened between the man and the engineer. It
should also be stated that at this place the t1in
at the rate Of thirty miles per hour, usual Il thi
place, cannot be easily stopped. The coroner
exonerafed the railroad, and here rested hts
Gase assas aeo gave od ns verdict THIS was grest
sponsibility OF the District OF Columbia
The Commissioners Of the District OF Colum-
pa are not free from criminal carelessne3 in
the case OF the death OF William Gibson. Had
this been the first accident at that point, tho
charge could not be maintained against then,
but accidents have frequently occurred at this
the dangerous character OF the place be ro-
boundary street. the old Brentwood road, the
vaey about One ie E6epe roa .n6
one-haf miles long. with the B. & o. railroad
passing through the center. IL approaches
public road In the whole tract OF land. Tnis
territory is not thickly settled, but contains
many fine residences, all approached by private
wa ways; Ine outlet for all this territory Is over
those on horseback frequent this rail tack i
have counted many times from 20 to 100 ner1ons
On the rail track at the same time at this place.
you leave the track you are trespassing. II
You so to either the pike pr Brentwood road fr
Is from half a mile to mile further to reach
town The result Is that the railroad is public
tnorougnIare, as any one can see by fB Woll-
beaten tracks. From Boundary street to w
City the danger is not 80 great, because t.
IoIaVuO - 4cafly On graoe, ana persons Can.
easily get OF the track; but between ivy CMy
and Montello. where all the accidents occur. q
deep cut with steep Sides and 1t n not essv -.
pass the trains, especially for Intoxicated perI
sons. There Is not so large tract az Iand anV
where within the District OF Columbia thaf ~
no pubic road, and there Is no place within tne
Dlstf1ct where one fs so much needed. Ff000
queens Chapel road to Ivy City a private Wsy
IorIy rect wide and one hundred feet from thu
rallIoao mas been laid out the land given 20 the
nsact n,n1 &c ana about one third q mile, begin
would remedy this whole dificulty. and furnislS
safe outlet for this travel is to open this road
from Ivy City to Montello. The road would then
ce used instead OF the railroad. The cost of fbe
wnoie matter will or need not exceed 1900. Ha6
tnlS Deen done year ago, William Gflhson
would In all probability have been spared to hia
now very unfortunate family.
On examining all the circumstances OF the
case, IL seems evident that the coroner did not
leIIorm hls whole duty. He should have called
witnesses ana inquired into the frequency OF
accidents at this point, the occurrence of which
ne, OF all other officials has cognizance. HAD
tne coroner carefully inquired Into the causes
or this accident, he would undoubtedly have
learned that over this portion OF the b. and o.
ROAD tne trains DO not always 90 out on the
same track or come In on the same track They
sometimes go out on one track, and sometimes
on the other, as was the case when the watch
llaM Gibson testify, he doubtless would say che
sat down TO wait for the train to pass before he
went into the cut" The coroner would also
have been able TO have pointed out TO the Com.
mlsSloners their responsibility In the premises
and clearly shown the means OF removing In 4
great degree the danger TO life now existing at
that place. OBSERVER.