Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-26
PAID FOR IN BLOOD.
What Grade Crossings Cost the Peo-
pie Of the City.
AN APPALLING SACRIFICE
The Fight In Other Cities Against MUIR
derous Methods-Prcsident Roberts
Own strong Testimony Against the
Life.DestroyinG Grade Crossing.

The fight against grade crossings, in which
the people Of Washington are now engaged in
seeking the anne ndment of the Atkinson bill, il
not . struggle in which the city is solitary.
Other American cities are moving in the same
direction. The shock Of frequent bloody dis
asters and the example OF the superior methods
employed by European cities have affected the
national conscience and touched the national
pride. In all our large cities the sentiment is
strong that the grade crossing is a relic Of bar
barism, and must as fast possible be abol-
ished. These cities will sympathize with the
capital in its efforts to improve the present OPP
portunity of securing partial relief from sur
face tracks, and when they understand the
matter disinterested Representatives of these
cities in Congress can hardly fail to come to
the capitals relief.
sOMK APPALLING FIGURES.
Among the papers which have vigorously
fought the grade crossings is the New York
the subject it said:
"The subject Of grade crossings is one Of i'm
portance to the people in every large city and
ITS suburbs. Tho destruction occasioned by
them Is much greater probably than is COM
monty supposed. In this state there were
forty-two persons killed and ffty-seven in
jured at such crossings in 1887, and there were
| twenty-eight killed and thirty-four injured in
1888. This is better record than many other
states have to show. The total num-
Der OF deaths ut the grade crossings
in Philadelphia for the three years
ending with 1887 is estimated at 49, year
ago the Chicago Tribune published the names
Of twenty-six persons killed in 1887 at the
crossings Of only three roads. and the list for
the entire city reached 142 names. There is no
difference in opinion, Of course, as to the ne
cesslty OF doing away with a system SO fatal as
this. Laws are pending in a number of states
to prevent the making of new crossings at
grade and to do away with them where they
now exist"
CHICAGO EyMEsHED.
Chicago, which WAS referred to in Congress
sional debate as blessed by surface tracks and
grade crossings, does not seem to appreciate
the advantages Of these unnecessary features
Of the railroad occupation, however much she
may with good reason value the railroads them
selves. Her papers have handled the subject
vigorously. The Philadelphia Press in COM
menting some time ago on the Chicago fight
said: Chicago is making an heroic effort to
free itself of the ENHANCEMENT of railroad
tracks which 1t has woven about itself, and
which holds it as securely fly enmeshed in
| spiders web. No city in the country granted
more privileges to the railroads than Chicago
did. With unerring sagacity the city saw that
its future greatness depended largely upon
centering as many lines of traffic within
its limits as possible. The object sought was
gained and the expected prosperity followed,
but now the city finds itself in the grasp Of an
iron minotaur, which it cannot shake loose
and which is demanding every year its quota
of victims. The large number of deaths at
the grade crossings in that city has at last
aroused public indignation to such degree
that the authorities have decided TO take the
matter in hand The Chicago coroners report
that ll0 persons have been killed at the eros
sings, besides the railroad employees and pas
sengers who have met death in the same way,
since the present mayor at Chicago went into
office less than a year ago. This Is an appal-
ing total.
be prevented. Another item against these
nuisances is the time lost by teams and men.
At one grade crossing in Lynn Mass, il has
been calculated that the delays resulting to
persons and horses are worth in one day at
| least S35 at current prices for labor. From
this one illustration Philadelphia and other
cities which tolerate these nuisances can esti-
mate what il costs them in money every day the
grade crossings are permitted to remain"
IN PHILADELPHIA.
As the Press indicates Philadelphia has suf-
fered from this evil. In that city the Pennsyl-
vania railroad, being forced by an active and
effective public opinion into removing some of
its death traps, is a warm advocate Of the aboli-
ton of grade crossings Indeed, outside of
Washington the roads policy In this respect
has been of late enterprising and progressive.
AT the capital it spends too much upon large
and costly lobby, upon lawyers to defend its
illegal practices, and upon petition manufacture
at two cents name to be able to afford to do
anything to decrease manslaughter and pro-
tect the lives of the people. President Roberts
has stated the general policy Of the railroad
| and Congress is invited to apply it in Washing
ton.
PREsIDENT ROBERTS STRONG TESTIMONY.
President Roberts, in a letter written for
Philadelphia consumption and printed in that
city, said:
Il do not think any argument is needed to
convince the public that the time has gone by
when the lives and limbs Of our citizens should
be constantly exposed to the perils resulting
from crossing of streets by steam railroads at
grade. The records OF the city of Philadelphia
| show that annually about forty people lose
their lives at such grade crossings, while
much larger number are more or less seriously
in ured.
Il am glad to have this opportunity to ex-
plain the relation of the Pennsylvania Rail-
| road Company to the question of grade cross
ings. This company has long recognized the
| necessity for their removal in the interest of
| the public and has omitted no opportunity of
| joining literally and heartily with the munich
pal authorities in the construction of overhead
| and underground crossings. 1t believes that
this policy will not only relieve the public OF a
very serious danger, but also the company of
| the grave responsibilities devolved upon il by
| the maintenance of grade crossings In pur-
| suance of this policy it has succeeded in elm
mating all such crossings from its main line IN
| the city of Philadelphia and for a distance of
nine miles beyond. 1t certainly is within your
| recollection that in order to reach the
present station at Broad street by
| an elevated road it expended between four and
five millions of dollars and thus secured the re-
| moval of all the freight tracks from Market
| street and the abandonment OF the then exist
| ing grade crossings between 18th street and the
| Schuylkiil river. The same policy has been
pursued by the company for many years on its
/ main line in the city of Pittsburg with the re-
suit that all grade crossings OF important streets
within its limits are now avoided. This policy
| is steadily pursued on our lines to New York
| and Washington also.
1.-The governor OF the commonwealth in his
message to the legislature, deemed this matter
| Of sufficient importance to say: Another sub
ject, which concerns alike the interests Of our
| railroads and the people in general, is merely
mentioned and commended to your considera.
ton. It is the question OF grade crossings.
| The protection OF the lives Of our people and
| Of the property and treasures Of our railroads
| demand that, whenever practicable, the grade
crossings should be abolished. This is particu-
larly true Of cities where street traffic is inn
| peded and the busy tide Of humanity constantly
| i'll danger. 1t is hoped that some wholesome
provision may be enacted by the present legis-
| lature which will serve to introduce wise sys-
| tenn through which this check to traffic
and danger to lives NAV be minimiZed