Evening journal., 1892-11-29
GRADE CROSSINGS TO GO
When Will the Many Traps
Here Be Done Away With9
THOUSANDS OF LIVES EXPOSED.

Despite the Companies Precautions Men
WIN Get Under the wheeIs-Tranio to
and From the Riverside Delayed aid
Lives Endangered-The City Hemmed
Street.
The Pennsylvania railroad, which has
for years been engaged in getting rid Of
grade crossings in the larger cities ira
versed by its lines especially Phiadel-
phia, Jersey City Trenton and Baltimore,
will next turn its attention TO Washing
ton. To reach its station there, located
on Sixth street, near Pennsylvania ave-
nue., no less than dozen streets are now
crossed at grade. This necessarily re-
tards the quick passage Of the trains,
beside proving a source of constant
danger.
To obviate this difficulty, and, at the
same time TO enable the company to run
its trains into the very heart of the city
at greatly-increased speed it has been
decided to either elevate or depress the
tracks as soon as the necessary permis-
sion can be secured from Congress- Sew
eral conferences have been held, but no
definite conclusion has been arrived at.
The company anticipates no trouble on
this score, however, as there is no oppo-
sition on the part Of the Washington
authorities.
The officials of the company are not
yet prepared to give out the details Of the
proposed change. ln fact. they have not
yet been definitely determined upon. nor
will they be until submitted to the Wash
ington authorities for their approval
With the completion Of the extensive
/ improvements at Baltimore, in which a
million or more dollars have Deen spent.
the company gets rid Of some 10
grade crossings, enabling It's trains
TO pass through that city at
greatly speed. The straighten-
ing of the tracks at various points be-
tween Washington and Philadelphia
gives opportunities for reducing the time
between those two points and with an
unobstructed entrance into Washington
the company viii be enabled without diff
fculty to make the distance between
New York and Washington in considera-
bly, less than five hours, the present fast
est schedule time.
Wilmington Has Them Too.
Just when the company will turn its
attention 10 Wilmington Is not known.
Every foot Of track in this city is at
grade. Thousands Of mechanics are COM
PEELED to walk over them five or six times
a day in the face Of the numerous trains
which ply north and south through a
densely settled part Of the city. Every
week or two the papers are called upon
to chronicle the death of come man,
while returning from work-died with
his dinner pail in hand and the CRIME Of
a day Of honest toll upon his face.
women and Children sufrer.
Nor are these grade crossing accidents
confined to men. Occasionally woman
OF child is knocked out, coroners jury
renders q verdict of accidental death and
the world moves on.
The hundreds of teamsters and teams
used TO convey the freight and other
commodities along the Christiana river
have the grade crossing ghost before
their eyes all the time.
The City Surrounded.
Nearly every approach to the city is
over grade crossing belonging TO the
Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ohio or the
Wilmington and Northern railroad.
Nearly every principal thoroughfare has
It's grade crossing and some Of them more
than one.
Precautions do not Avail.
II is true, that, considering the num-
Der Of these places, the death rate is
comparatively light. The companies use
} every precaution and spend thousand of
dollars in watchmen and safety gates,
but the go-aheaditiveness' Of the
American business man and working
d. man impels him to take risks which lead
him within a few feet of the pilot and
deadly wheels.
, Familiarity Begets Carelessness.
Men employed along the line of a
great corporation become so accustomed
to the blowing of whistles, the ringing
Of bells and the kissing of escaping
steam that they grow careless and
; never realize their danger until
q they are bonre into the hospital
room by the trainmen, laid upon the
? stretcher, aud Detective Jones, the kind
hearted railroad detective, is running
his knife up the seam of a pantsleg in
order 70 lay bare the mangled limb OF
= limbs in order to give the surgeon free
& play with his knife and saw.
q While this is going on the victim has
y ample opportunity TO regret his temerity
!, upon the embarrassing.
= Grade-Crossings Increase.
Ie The city is rapidly growing, and will
D. every new through street opened one Of
N two new grade crossings are made. New
gates are erected, new watchmen arr
hired new accidents occur, damage suitl
arise, verdicts are given against the de
sr fendant corporation Taken altogethe
et IL has become a question whether j
n. would not be cheaper for the companie
/. to pool their interests in safety gates
watchmen and damage suits and use thl
|. money to elevate the roads in this city.
Life could be saved and better tim
made. The original cost would be heav.
D but it would be Offset in few years b.
the amounts saved in many quarters.
m Wilmington has a greater diversit.
r. Of business interests than Washington
"a The political machine is not so large
'. but it is equally effective, and the thou
n. sands of men who work along the rive
: are the men who run It,
A Colored Janitor Turns Thief