The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-30
DANGER ON TIE TRACKS
The Need For Better Protection at the
Bay Street Road Crossings

The Need For Better Protection at the
Bay Street Road Crossings.
a gentleman living out on the Bay street
road called the attention Of the MORNING
News yesterday t. the condition Of the
Central railroad crossings on Bay street,
near the western city limits.
He pointed out that the unprotected con-
ditiOn Of the crossing Is very dangerous 70
parties crossing to and from the city on that
road, and further, that the switching Of
trains across the street is a source OF great
iuconveniencs not only TO persons using the
road who live outside the city, but to the
business men who have interests on that
side OF the city beyond the Centrars ware
houses.
The cotton seed oil mill, the fertilizer
works, the rosin oil factory aud other
smaller interests in that section have teams
constantly going and coming on the Bay
street road, and il Is not an uncommon
thing TO see half dozen teams stopped on
each side Of the crossing waiting for long
train to pass.
The delay in some instances has been
known to amount to fifteen or twenty
minutes and is frequently five or six min
utes. The Central railroad has eight or ten
tracks crossing the streets between the
canal and the city limits running from the
warehouses to tho wharves and freight
trains are constantly moving on these tracks.
The travel on the road has greatly
| increased since the completion OF the bay
street extension, and It IL wonder that a
serious accident has not occurred. Some
time ago farmer returning home at night
| with his wagon was run into and the wagon
smashed up and one mule was killed.
| = This occurred on the wesJernmost track
| out by the rOsin oil factory.
The Central railroad is not accused of
a-t ~ F41a ssffv
| interes of the public and it is not known
| that the matter has ever been brought to
! the attention Of the proper authorities. It
| is thought, however, that in view of the
! increasing traffic on the Bay street extern
sion, that some steps should be taken to les
/ sen the danger Of accident.
The Central railroad now has three watch
men stationed at these crossings night and
! day, but their benefit TO the travelling
public remains 30 far undiscovered.
They have no flags in day time and no
| lanterns at night with which TO signal a
| train or to wave back approaching vehicles,
and so far as known they have never taken
occasion to warn parties Of the approach Of
trains.
This portion Of Bay street is lighted by
electricity at night, but this is Of little adj
vantage, as the warehouses hide the APP
preaching trains. An engine may be heard
putting some distance up the track, but
this gives no olew to passers by Of its move
ments, and may be as likely backing long
train OF cars down as pulling one out.
Another thing is that no lanterns are
carried on the rear OF the cars to signal
their appearance The furthest tracks
out are not lighted up by electricity and
parties on the road as night are likely TO be
run down by a train backing down upon
them.
What it is thought the Central should do
is to erect guards or tenders on each sides of
the crossings, similar TO those used by the
Savannah, Florida aud Western railway on
Gwinnett and Bolton streets, which could
be lowered on the approach Of a train and
raised when the way is clear. There is
more travel on the Bay street extension
than on both Gwinnett and Bolton streets
across the Savannah, Florida and Western
railway combined. This Is a matter that
would seem to call for immediate attention.