Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-21
CARE AT CROSSINGS
Needed as Much by Pedestrians as by
Cable Car Gripmen, in Order
TO PREVENT so MANY ACCIDENTS.
Some Places Where Flagmen Might be
Placed to Advantage.
SEVERAL OTHER REMEDIES PROPOSED
TO PREVENT so MANY ACCIDENTS.
SEVERAL OTHER REMEDIES PROPOSED

SEVERAL OTHER REMEDIES PROPOSED
The violent death of the boy wilkins at
Eighth street and Penn avenue, on Satur-
day, following so closely on similar fatali-
ties, has drawn public attention more than
ever to the continued frequency OF acci-
dents-often, as in this case, with fatal
termination-on the cable roads, From in
quiries made yesterday BY DISPATCH re-
porters into some of the causes, it would
seem that the accidents, as a rule, followed
criminal negligence on the part of the
public in crossing the roads without assur-
ing themselves of the absence of danger.
The evidence of the officers on duty at cross
ings, as well as others along the lines, went
to show that many people, day by day, at
tempt to cross street right in front of a
moving car, and in other cases walk from
behind stationary car without ascertain
ing whether the other lineis clear.
Both corner policemen and f1aamen de-
clare that every day they have to pull peo-
pie right from under an advancing car.
Women, it was discovered, were particu-
larly negligent in this respect One officer
said be observed that women seemed to be
satisfied that there was no car coming down
upon them from one direction, without
troubling themselves to remember that
there were other cars travelling in the oppo-
site direction.
OTHER CAUSES of ACCIDENTS.
Another source of accidents was found to
result from boys riding behind wagons,
and in being chased of, suddenly starting
across the street, forgetful of the cars. Peo-
pie also, were careless in crossing streets,
after alighting from car, without ascer-
tanning If the car on the other line was out
of the vav. Mention need not be made Of
accidents occurring by getting on or off cars
while in motion, as such persons take all
responsibility on themselves.
But if on tine one hand. the public is
largely to blame for accidents, on the other,
it is not SO certain that at times consider
able responsibility for mishaps should not
lie at the door of the gripman. 1t is urged
by citizens who have given this matter at
tentIon, that the gripman should occupy q
perfectly isolated position from the passen-
gers, and that be should in nowise have his
attention distracted. The gripmen of the
Citizens and Central lines are isolated from
the passengers, but it is not so clear that
they are free from distraction. Speaking
on this point, yesterday, an astute citizen
said:
being frequent rider over all the lines,
/ have had opportunity of observing the
gripmen, and forming some opinions re-
garding their attention to duty. 1 have
generally observed that they are careful, and
keep a good lookout ahead, but am clear
that very many of them allow their atten-
ton to relax, though perhaps unconsciously.
Some of them, glancing ahead and seeing no
obstacle in the shape OF wagon in the way,
take occasion to examine the pedestrians on
the sidewalks, look back into the car, or lift
the door OF the grip arrangement for q
moment or two. Now, hold that under
the circumstance of the gripman's RESPONSE
bility In driving car along crowded
thoroughfare at eight miles or so an
hour, or at ten or II in the suburbs, the
chances of his attention being for one in
slant withdrawn from his work should be
minimiZed.
SHOULD BE BOXED UP.
''My idea would be to box in the gripman,
SO that he could not look anywhere but
ahead. On the WyEe avenue and Penn ave-
nue. lines this could be done by binding the
side windows and rear windows of the cab,
so that he could not see out through them.
He has no need to, as tie front window COM
mands sufficient radius of vision for his pur-
pose, On the Fifth avenue line the gripmen
have an opportunity of talking to the pas
sengers and otherwise having their attention
distracted, a thing that might be rendered
impossible by inclosing them SO that they
could not do so. The gripmen would proba-
bly object, but it is better they should suffer
some Inconvenience rather than they should
take chances on running people down."
Another gentleman suggested that brake
power with more instantaneous action would
obviate many accidents. With the ap-
pliances at present in use gripmen cannot
stop their cars in a sufficiently short space
He said that closer fitting shoe, which
would act by one or two turns of spindle
brake, would be more efhaoious than the
lever brake now used.
All the important crossings, with the ex-
ception of two, seemed to be sufficiently
guarded, either by fagmen or policemen.
These two are the Central Traction Com
pany's line crossing at Grant and High
street and Webster avenue and High street. |
At the latter point the double tracks OF the |
line meet and converge on very narrow
street The traffic is considerable. But |
most danger lies in the fact that the chill |
dren from two schools pass and repass, and |
that frequent accidents do not occur at this |
point is due to good luck alone The in |
habitants of these streets are strongly in |
favor of a hagman at this point, as it would |
relieve them rom q deal of anxiety regard |
ing their children.
SUNDAY REGULATIONS. |
Only at the Fifth avenue, Grantaud Fifth |
avenue and Wood and Filth avenue cross |
ings is there policeman stationed on Sum- |
days. On this day the other crossings, such |
as Market and Fifth avenue, Wood and |
Sixth avenue, Smithfeld and Sixth avenue,
are without either policemen or lagmen. A |
triple line of cars passes the latter point, |
and some watch on the traffic was said yes- |
terday to be necessary. The fagmen are on |
duty from z o'clock until o'clock, when |
they are relieved by the night turn, who re-
main until the last car has gone.
The speed at which the cables of the vari- |
GUS lines are operated is as follows. The |
Fifth avenue line, down town, ~ miles per |
hour; Washington street to Oakland, 1Ok |
miles; East Liberty, IL miles; Penn avenue |
line. miles down town and 10 miles |
from the Forks ofthe Road east; Central Trac- |
tion line, down town z miles per hour, and |
from Wylie avenue power house to Miners |
willie 9 7-10 miles.
Regarding the speed at which the Fifth |
avenue cars travel in the evening, several |
policemen and fagmen were emphatic 10 de- |
clsring that the speed was accelerated by a |
mile or a mile and halt after o'clock. |
This seemed so to the reporter, who specially |
inquired from Engineer Welsh, at the Oak |
land house, whether the speed was ever in |
creased, and ne said in reply that uniform |