Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-22
THE B. AND O. TRACKS
A Tour Made by House District
Committeeman.
VIEWING THE DEADLY GRADE CROSSING
Blghting Influence Of the Presence
of tho Road Shown.
ANOTHER TRIP PROPOSED

IT'S all right, the Baltimore and Ohio
never kills any one" said Mr.. Frizzell. as
two-horse vehicle drove carefully down
the hill and around the fence on North
Capitol street this morning. Just then an
engine slid by on the tracks below. and a
moment after the carriage crossed the
tracks. Inside were three members Of the
, House District committee. Messrs. Heard,
Babcock and Cooper. who were being pilot
cd over the line Of the Baltimore and Ohio
tracks by President Frizzell and Vice Presi-
dent Tucker of the Northeast Washington
Citizens Association. Along also as guests
Of the Association were Superintendent
Alvey and General Counsel Hamilton OF the
railroad
Two HOurs' Trip.
The party started from the Capitol about
10 o'clock. and had q real merry. jolly two
hours trip looking at the deadly grades
the obstructed streets. and hearing reasons
Why the viaduct plan should be adopted
by the road. 1t was case of the lion and
the lamb lying down together. and any
amount Of friendly sparring between the
association and the railroad representatives
prevented anything like dullness.
The tracks here are ten feet below
grade" Mr.. Frizzell would say.
1T IS the grade fixed for US by the gov
Rrnment," Mr.. Hamilton would say.
so and was killed here"
He was walking on the tracks"
MI frlZzell did not carry pointer with
him but he acted as lecturer to consider
able erect, and POINTED out pretty clearly
the conditions resulting from the ramifica-
tons Of tracks In East Washington.
Condition of North Capitol street.
The fact that North Capitol street was
graded only up to the tracks close by the
depot. and that practically impossible
hill cut on communication from that point
to the Capitol. was first pointed out. From
there the different streets on the main stem
ana the Metropolitan branch were visited.
ana by means of ocular demonstration the
committee were put in possession of the
actual conditions. There were several prac-
tcai demonstrat tions also In the way of
waits roi passing trains, which switched
back and forth constantly The condition
or the streets were especially dwelt upon,
and MIR. Frizzell drew marked attention TO
the ract that improvements ceased sudden
tracks.
Delaware Avenue.
AT Delaware avenue a pause was made
and the committee were shown the present
state or the avenue. making IL of no possible
use. and the possibilities IL the tracks
were all brought down its center by means
OF viaducf with wide roadways and side
walks on each side. The sections east and
west: II was clearly seen. would then be
Henoer the streets of little practical value.
Wooden Bridge.
AT I'd street the party stopped on TOD of
the wooden bridge that crosses the tracks
at this point. lIr. Frizzell said the bridge
was In dangerous condition and that the
nre engines were afraid to cross It, The
tracks were thirteen feet below grade, he
Said and pedestrians had to climb a mud
bank to get up on I'd street. a. -
MT Alvey told the committee that the
orloge mad been inspected and was per-
1ectiy safe. while the track was where the
government had ordered 1t placed
u street and E street and the obstruc-
tnat the driving roadway was using the
parking.
Third Street stops Short
AL 90 street 1t was found that the street
stopped abruptly at the tracks, and was Of
no possible use even as an ornament. The
association representatives said that Con-
gress at one time had appropriated s13. 900
TO improve this street. but that finding II
impossible to make grade with the posi-
Soi VI the tracks the appropriation had
been repealed.
Tracks Seven Feet Above Grade
Al oth street the tracks were several feet
shove grade. making a bad crossing. while
~ 9th street there was no crossing what
sver' the tracks being seven feet above
grade This crossing Is close by the Blair
school building. and Mr.. Frizzell said that
the crossing was used by children at the
fisk or their lives He also showed the
committee that the railroad occupation en-
ureiy cut on all use of l street by pedes-
uians or vehicles The abrupt elevations
St ftn and Sth streets were visited while
the practical closing of X street for travel
was ocularly demonstrated.
rlCr1da avenue was also a part of the
route. and the Metropolitan branch of the
1cad was touched at New York avenue.
Complication of the Y,
The further complication of tracks arts-
ing from the was pointed out by the
association, and attention called to the
accidents which have happened there Sew
sral Of the points along the tracks where
victims Of the srade-crossing have dyed the
ground with their blood were visited and
pointed out to the Congressman and as
the party finally pulled UP in front OF the
pepot Mr.. Frizzell remarked that that
pructure down in hole in the ground
was his last exhibit for the day
TO Take More Committeeman Ont
The association proposes to take the rest
OF the District committee out on an inspec
oon OF the tracks at an early day. and the
railroad has offered to afford every facil
lty IN the way of an engine II 1t be desired
Whe questions of guard gates and fencing
we're the subject Of many queries during
the ride.