Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-01
THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
Reports Made by the Police to the Com
missioners.

| nAssionerss
| rur a.rv~,~
~ ~. .. ~ IiA HOURS OF DUTf-Sffn
| ~ MOTT CASES FOB ADDITIONAL sxRvIcE-THx
UNdUAnDEp CON DrTIoS OF SOME cRossrNes-
TEE Law REGULATING THE NATTER,
-
| 'ss'one" nave lately received
80" pe'Pie living IN the vicinity OF Railroad
crossings on both the Pennsylvania and the
Baltimore and Ohio railroads many complaints
| Of the unguarded condition NJ .everal of tbese
| crossings and the sac, tn, IT,, \. .. ,o,.o-,,
| escaped accident ' "
Recently Can't. Rossell ,rota ,ett.r n Col
| Robert touching the snb;sct in mich he ssys.
The RAILROAD sitnat;on IN W.sh;noton IL
| well known, and the oniy remedy for ali the
evils existing on both sides lies in the hands of
Congress; but under the laws and regulations
| in the District Of Columbia it will be noticed
| in the police regulations framed by the Com
mssicners of the District of Columbia under
an act OF Congress approved January 26 1887,
that in section Is the speed of trains is reRu.
lated and that street crossings or Intersections
are not allowed to be obstructed except for the
time needed for the passage of the cars, trains
or engines at rate of speed less than Eve miles
an nour.
,h. seeNon 40 Is provioeo mat wneLe
msteIy even with the adjacent surface IKE line
of the road shall be securely closed ON both
sides with substantial fence and all grade
crossings or intersections Of any steam railroad
tracks with streets or avenues shall be securely
guarded by suitable gate or guard, erected
and maintained by the company owning or
operating such tracks.
GATES AND aArEMEy.
SIN view nj the com,,.;,ts that h.vo o,,.r
beon ant :, .nd ~. - =. -
- 80 80 s.S e "un'or VI i've. 'aS' nave
Geu Ios' ~ 'ne uiHerehx crossings In the city,
l oeheye IL would be well for the Commission
eIs W nave Reports maze oy the police OF all
sne crossings now In existence In the city OF
washington showing the hours between which
watcnmen or nagmen are stationed there,
"hetner or not gates or guards are In existence
ana also to state whether or not watchmen or
nasmeh are needed Tor longer hours than they
are now Kept on by the railroad company.
~ VIII be noticed under the law Of August %,
iol, an act by the legislative assembly Of the
District OF Columbia, that fagmen are required
W oe KEPT AZ the crossings until the arrival or
HE mater ' We. 's s"o era1n az nagh
tention of the police department and the ssv-
eral lieutenants in whose precincts the two rail-
road companies have tracks were called upon
for reports. These reports were received
recently and are as follows:
IN THE SIXTH PRECINCT
Lieut. John F. Kelly OF the si,tb nrec,nc.
reports as follows: metropolitan Branch, on
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, on LIST street
northeast; X street crossing has proper gates;
gate keeper on duty from - am. to pm. !;
very little travel outside Of those hours; trains
run later than pm. and he thinks the Cross
ing should be guarded at all trains l street
crossing has gates and gate keeper: the hours
are from a. IN. to pm; he thinks attention
should be given to late trains. H street Cross
ing has proper gates and keepers all day and
night. G st. has proper gates and keepers from
I'm. to 9 p. m; he says trains run later and
protection should be given at crossing at all
trains. + street crossing has proper gates and
gate keeper from 6 am. to p.m; after that
time the switch tender looks after the crossing.
He is doubtful whether the switch tender can
give proper attention to both switches and
crossing. Massachusetts avenue crossing has
proper gates and gate keeper from a m. to 9
p ,nI,o, a,aa run la.er s'see. crossing nag
nm. Trans RIM later + street CROSSING h.s
proper gates and is guarded at all times.
THE NINTH PRECINCT
r;av,. n N IT.. =, a.. -,
~ AooPiu Vi '"o h'h'n pfeeAc'
Reports a. ioHo"s: Ihe watcnmen are on
duty from a. IN. till 9 p. m. at all the cross
ings except Delaware avenue and 1st street
and H street northeast, which crossings have
a Waterman on duty both day and night.
There are safety gates at all crossings where
needed. In my judgment watchmen
needed longer ut night at
all of the crossings on both
roads except possibly at L and NJ streets on
Metropolitan Branch during the winter and
spring months, when dirt roads are in bad con-
dltion and not much travelled There are six
regular crossings on Metropolitan Branch, sit
uated at H, l. K l. and NJ streets and New York
avenue and Florida avenue Five regular pas
senger trains, besides specials and freights,
pass over these crossings during the hours the
watchmen are off duty. On what is called
the Washington Branch Of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad there are six regular cross
ings, situated at street, Delaware avenue, 4th,
9th, It'll, l. streets and Florida avenue north
east. At I'd street the track is bridged; Sd, 9Th
and K streets are not graded across the track;
these crossings eleven regular passenger
trains, besides special and freights, pass be-
tween the hours the watchmen are of duty"
THE FIFTH PRECINCT.
Lieutenant Gessford Of the fifth precinct re-
ports as follows: Baltimore and Potomac
railroad-6th and X streets southeast. some one
in charge all day and all night: 5th and
streets southeast, gate keeper from am to
$50 Pr : th and X streets southeast, gate
keeper from am. to $3.50 pm; Sd and X
streets southeast. gate keeper from am to
$50 I'm. I'd and X streets southeast, gatekeeper
from am. to $50 p.m.; street southeast,
gate keeper from a. m. to $50 pm In my
opinion think that there should be some one
in charge OF the gates at all times. At Jer-
sey avenue and the east side of South
Capitol streets southeast there are gates
and men are in charge of them night and day.
but the gates at these two places are kept down
almost continuously after nightfall, they being
not properly attended by the gatemen. At the
Baltimore and Potomac crossing at Bennings
road they have night and day watchmen. At