Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-12

The delay incident 10 the lowering and rais-
ing OF the gates was experienced by the pub
lie lilo times within these fourteen hours and
nearly 5000 pedestrians and considerably over
100 vehicles were exposed To these DELAYS.
Ihere was nothing 10 raise last TUESDAYS
travel above the average. The obstruction at
this crossing. as IN the other h. and 4.
crossings, affects travel and traffic on the
river. the gong Of business men 20 and from
the river frCnt, and the passage OF the 5000
people living south of the tracks TO aud from
the main city. No matter what the urgent need
OF haste such delays are liable 10 occur. Engines
on their way 20 burning houses In South Wash
ington have been stopped. Not only IL this
crossing. like the others on the Balti-
more and Potomac, an obstruction, but
II as a deaoh-trap. Here the tracks
branch of from Maryland into Virginia
avenue. There Is no fencing, and the curbing
is low. while the tracks are not filled in. Ac-
cordIng TO the record above printed it APP
pears that public reservation lOl. between eth
and 9th streets, which the road cuts in two. was
used ~hfty-one times ON Tuesday for the pur-
pose OF shifting cars and making up trains.
This use OF reservation aud avenues Is a direct
violation of Law, but the reservation IL the
road : regular shifting ground at this point. A
number of accidents resulting i'm death or
manning have occurred 10y reason of this
Illegal shifting of freight cars between eth
ana 9Th streets, and this portion of the road
has contributed its fair proportion TO the 80
10 VI u rNIlOus dttAutHl ~ the DNlll-
more and Potomac crossings.
Various measures affecting the crossings OF
which this Is p sample are pending before Con-
gross. The Lee bill proposes to dispose of this
crossing by passing over 9Th street on an ele-
waited road nearer the river. The Burton bill
proposes to sink the tracks at this point aud
pass 9TH street over them on the roof Of a
glrder tunnel. the topography permitting this
TO be done without changing the grade of the
street lhe Senate subcommittee has been
considering a plan of elevating the tracks at
this point. The Atkinson bill leaves the tracks
as they are, and tends 10 perpetuate this trade
obstruction and death-trap by legalizing sur
face tracks on both sides of it. and by authoriz-
ing the multiplication of surface tracks about
II and the consequent increase Of those whose
financial interest will make them fight TO re-
tain the surface tracks. Ii also gives 20 the
road for nothing small reservations on both
sides OF tins crossing which ought, in the
opinion OF citizens, to be given only as the
price of a removal of this and some other grade
crossings.
In other cities the Pennsylvania railroad
abollshes such crossings. In a formal letter
fayoring the grade crossings bill for Pennsvl-
wanna President Roberts said: ~ am glad TO
have tins opportunity to explain the relations
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Company to the
question of grade Crossings. THIS company
has long recognized the necessity for their re-
movaL In pursuance of this policy it
has succeeded in eliminating all such crossings
lTOm I main line III lnt civ OF InllA0el-
phla and for a distance of nine miles
beyond. Ii is certainly within your
recollection that in order to reach the present
station at Broad street by an elevated road IL
expended between four and five millions of dol
lars and thus secured the removal of all the
freight tracks from Market street. and the
abandonment of the then existing grade cross
lngs between 18th street and the Schuylkil
river. The same policy has been pursued by
the company for many years past on it's
.A..A L.. - IL - A -
result that all grade crossings OF important
streets within Its limits are now avoided.
This policy is being steadily pursued
on our lines to New York and Washington
also. The governor of the common
wealth in this recommendation has followed
the practice. not only of almost all European
communities. but also the established policy Of
the states of Massachusetts,. Connecticut and
New York. Ii has not even been pretended
that the wholesome provisions of law that
require the avoidance of grade crossings by
steam railroads IN such cities as London. Liver
pool and berlin have IN any manner interfered
with their commercial prosperity, although
1t is certainly true that they have compelled
railroad companies seeking admission TO those
cities to eXpend a larger amount of money
than they would have done had grade cross
ings been permitted. But l think that you
will agree with me that hr pubic safety IS the
supreme tar in this case, and that If railroads
can reach our large cities without sacrificing
the lives and limbs of our people IL Is their
duty 10 do So"
The petition of the thousands of persons de-
layed and menaced at eth street. and of the
other thousands suffering at the other cross
ings, is that the wise policy of the Pennsylya-
MIA road outside of Washington shall be forth
with applied in the capital. by Congress If not
by the road. They think that Is is lust as
much manslaughter for the road 10 kill them
and for Congress after being warned to permit
them to be killed as If they were PhIladel-
phians.