New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-09
RAILROADS. HIGHU1YS AND GRADE
CROSSINGS.


Attention is once more drawn to the impor-
lance Of legislation TO prevent accidents at
railroad crossings by the collision which killed
Coroner Nordqulst Of WestchoSicr. on Friday.
Such disasters must inevitably become more
frequent with the multiplication OF railroads
and highways and the increase of population.
They already constitute an appreciate element
in the dcath-ratc. In the nature OF things. the
time must come when they will hc remembered
as a strange and dreadful indication OF our in
difference 10 human life Every honest and
intelligent effort TO hasten that time Is entitled
10 support. Massachusetts and Connecticut
have made beginning OF the night sort. bat
in this State no law relating 10 the subject has
been enacted since 1913. From time to time
newspaper appeals have provoked languid
discussion and aroused little interest in the
question at Albany, but no practical result has
followed 1t is discrcditabc 70 the morality
of tho citizens Of Ncw-York that popular
agitation ha, not long since compelled the adop-
ton of some comprehensive measure Of pro
lection The death Of Coroner NordqulSt and
Of every other victim Of gradc-cro>singS is not
ntrin sically less horrible or less cXcuSablc than
the slaughter Of FcckS among the electric
wires. Familiarity in the one case and novelty
in the other make all the difference between
universal unconccrn and universal excitement
1t ought to be possible to accomplish some
thing in the way Of reform n this session OF
the Legislature. Three bills have been intro
duccd, by Mr. Rhodes. Mr.. De pcy,tcr and Mr..
Burns. with this object in view. All of them
contain useful provisions and it il probable that
all are either defective in particulars or at
present impraciicable. The bii proposed by
Mr. De Pcystcr and known Is the Railroad
Commissioners Act. i far moro comprehensive
than the others. and is. so far Is We understand
it, Il sound and efficient measure of relief and
protection, such as must ultimately como into
operation everywhere. It. would prevent new
railroads from crossing existing highways al
grade. and new highways from crossing exist
ing railroads at Grade, and il also contains pro
visions governing the elimination of old level
crossings and the cost of reconstruction. The
trouble with this bill, however, is that there is
small chance Of it, enactment ut the present
time 1t is to be feared that public opinion has
not been educated up to the point Of wclcom-
ing its exactons If this is the fact it would
be wiser to secure, if possible, a less radical
measure making a beginning in the same di
taking any forward step at all. An enormous
gain will have been made when the mutlplica-
ton Of gradc-crossings has been stopped.
Mr.. Rhodes says of the bill introduced by
him, which applies to railroads constructed
hereafter and is modelled on the Massachusetts
law. that it is all that can be done at present.
If this is the case. we should be very glad to
see the Rhodes bill passed. 1t is narrowly
drawn and inadequate, but it is something, and
50 far as it goes is not Objectionable. II does
not touch existing railroads. nor does it apply
to new highways and in these respects is par
tal and oncsidcd but it would certainly re-
strict the multiplication Of new pcrilS, and
would promote the growth OF an effective pub
lie sentiment
The Burns bill is to have a hearing during
! the coming week. 1t provides, in substance,
that in no city of %, 900 inhabitants or more,
nor within twenty five miles of such "A city,
shall any highway be constructed across any
double, treble, or quadruple track railroad, or
across its passenger or freight station tracks,
on the same level, without an order from the
Supreme Court certifying that public necessity
| requires it. This bill has some noticeable feat
ures, one Of which is that it does not apply to
single-track roads and another that it applies
| only to places OF $4,000 or moro inhabitants
and their suburbs These restrictions suggest
that it was drawn with special reference to the
annexed district" Of New-York. 1t is evil
dent that such law might be of particular
value to some Of the railroads entering New
York The Ncw-YorlS and New-IIavcn road,
for instance, has expended a great amount of
money in abolishng level crossings, and has
Justly earned high cCmmendation by so doing.
1t naturally desires to be protected against the
| new crossings on its own level.
| 1t is to be hoped that the debate on tho three
| bills toswhich we have referred maybe frank