Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-22
SAFETY FOR ALLEGHENY.
A PERTINENT LETTER TO THE PENNA'
co.'s ATTORNEY.


j. w. Collins, Esq, Who Conducted tine Late
Important Grade Crossing Suit, writes TO
John III, Hampton, Esq, Outlining n Fair
and Voluntary Way Of Accomplishing m
End Desirable to Many Thousands of
PeopIe-Two Kinds of Bells and High
Watch Tower
John ii. Hampton, Esq, Attorney dor 'ne fenn'
sylyania Company, PittsDurg. "a:
DEAR SIR.-Referring to your request
made TO me during the trial of the Starr
case. that should, after consultation with
Mr.. Wevman inform you what additional
precautions oughtto be adopted by the Penn
sylvania Company TO project the public at
the Federal street crossing in Allegheny,
and vour assurance that you would use your
infnence 10 have the same adopted, allow
me respectfully to submit that Federal street
is the most crowded thoroughfare in Allie
pheny. and every reasonable precaution to
prevent danger to life and limb should be
used at that crossing. At present, however,
trainmen are not required to give any notice
whatever of the approach of trains going
west on your company's lines, but the pub
lie are compelled to gain their knowledge of
such approach from two gatemen, who, on
account of their positions, or because they
thereof, may not know that train is ap-
preaching in time to warn the public or ex-
clude them from the track. 1t some
times happens that by reason of crowds
of pedestrians vehicles and street cars,
upon or crossing over the tracks, the
view Of these watchmen is so obscured that
they may not see a train until the danger is
imminent, and it is too late to avert an acci-
dent; and these causes may be aggravated
BY darkness or other unfavorable conditions,
and it is of the utmost Importance that these
two watchmen, to whom is committed the
fearful responsibility OF guarding the lives
of the tens of thousands who daily pass and
repass their gates, should be war1ed by
every contrivance for safety known in rail-
road management
Every railroad company in the land rec
ognizes the engine bell as a practical and
adequate means of giving notice of the ap-
proach of train. When trainmen ring the
bell both the gatemen and the public are
notified of the approach of the train, not
only through the sense of sight, but also
through the sense of hearing, and double
security against accident is thus afforded.
The necessity for this double warning has
been repeatedly recognized bv the courts,
so often, indeed, that the Supreme Court
has laid on all who attempt to
cross a railroad the duty of first
stopping to look and listen. But if train
NAV approach crossing swiftly and silent
ly, without the sound OF either bell or
whistle, then no duty rests on trainmen COM
mensurate with that required of those at
tempting to cross. On the contrary, how
ever. the duty is equally binding upon all
railroad managers and employees to give ade-
quate warning to both eye and ear of the ap-
proach of every train to a grade crossing.
FTbip Is of roode xUhpro
travel is light and infrequent, and hence in
initely more SO of crowded thoroughfares
in a great city. Even though your
company should deny the validity of the
city ordinance of Allegheny, which requires
all trains to ring bell on approaching
crossing, 1t cannot deny that what / have
stated above is the common law of Pennsyl-
Vania in regard to the approach of trains to
grade crossings The rules of your COM
pany should therefore be so formed, at once,
as to require bells to be rung on every train
approaching this thronged street.
Again, the watchmen at Federal street are
notified of the approach of every train going
east, by ain electric bell. As further safe
guard, at Sandusky and Anderson streets
towers have been erected which enable the
watchmen 10 see approaching trains and
operate the safety gates from an elevated
position, which increases the facilities for
observation Whv should not the Federal
street watchmen have warning as well from
the east as the west, and also be placed in
elevated towers out of reach of the crowds
which interfere both with their work and
their view. Because however affective the
safety gates when down. to prevent danger,
the vital point, after all, is to have timely
warning given to the watchnan in order
that he may lower them before it is too late.
In furtherance, therefore, OF your humane
proposition and of your evident desire to
contribute to the public safety by the adop-
ton of every proper precaution, permit me
to recommend the three methods of giving
warning above referred to-that is to say:
First, by causing the engine bell to be rung
by all trains approaching that crossing; sec.
ond, by so placing an electric bell as to give
notice of the approach of trains from the
east, and third, by the erection ota suitable
tower for the watehmaD.
Yours very respectfully,
JAMES W. COLLINS.
PITTsBURG, June 81, 1889.