Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-10

RAILROAD CROSSINGS
Northeast Washington Citizens As
ISOLATION VS.. Deadly Grades.
an UNANSWERED LETTER
A Police Report Which Did Not
Give Satisfaction.
OTHER MATTERS DISCUSSED
OTHER MATTERS DISCUSSED

last night and discussed municipal affairs
until a late hour. President Tucker was
in the chair. After the regular business
had concluded, President Tucker referred
to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, which,
he said had persistently violated the rules
of the Commissioners and the wishes Of
the people. AS far back October g. 1892,
the association had declared by resolution
against this railroad company and urged
that proper grades be established fences
erected along the tracks, lights be put
up, guard gates built and watchmen pro-
vided day and night to guard the danger
Gus crossings. At the present time the
subject of watchmen was under considera-
ton by the association. The association
had by resolution asked the Commission
ers to compel the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company to keep competent watch
men all the time at the crossings. The
resolution had been referred to Lieuten-
ants Kelly and Heffner and they had re-
ported everything all correct. AS a matter
of fact this was not in accord with the
exact condition of affairs, for after a per-
sonal examination he found the watchmen
missing. With these facts in his posses
sion he had written the following letter to
the Commissioners, which, up to this time
had never been answered:
Unanswered Letter.
In reply to your favor of the 18th in
slant transmitting reports from Lieuten-
ant Kelly and Heffner, relative to two
resolutions, which were presented to you
on the 30th ultimo, requesting that the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company be
required to keep competent watchmen all
the time at the crossings of its road with
all streets and avenues, which are open to
travel, within the city limits, and request
Nf t1v,
ticle 10 of the police regulations, which
provides for the display OF lights on the
approaching end of all engines and trains
at night, permit me to state that l hope
nothing contained in these resolutions will
be so construed as to reflect discredit upon
our police force, which is conceded to be
among the most efficient in this country,
but fully realizing that the most nearly
nizing the fact that force ten
times as large could Tot be so placed
as to see every violation of law, we con-
slider that it is in the interest of good gov
eminent for citizens to suggest such new
regulations as will better protect the in
terest and promote the general welfare of
the public, and to call attention to such
breaches of existing regulations as are
apparently unnoticed by the officers of the
law.
Not Borne Out.
I'm regard to the report from Lieut.. KEEL
ly will say, after full consideration, that
the statement therein contained that watch
men are stationed, all the time, at the
crossings of street, Massachusetts ave-
nue. and street, is not substantiated by
evidence, and is not the fact If the leu
tenant makes this statement from the tes-
ttmony of the officers VINO are on that beat
those officers certainly never pass said
crossings after . o'clock at night or, if
they do, they must be very unobservanr
Officers; just casual observer who uses
those streets would surely notice that the
gates of these crossings are never used
after 8 o'clock pm. Personal invest: cation
for three successive nights developed the
tact that these crossings entirely IN
protected from o'clock pm. until the fol-
lowing morning; watch boxes are closed
and gates are up, with no lanterns OIL them
showing that 1T is not intended to use them
at night from this it is seen that those
who use these crossings after 8 o'clock D. m
do so at the peril of their lives, and as
these crossings are used by very large
number of people, testimony is abundant 20
corroborate the above statement and to
verify the fact that the company has never
Kept watchmen at these crossings at night
Relative to the statements of both The
Eeutenants that they are not aware of any
violations of section ,16. article 10 of the
police regulations, Will state that the reso-
luton was offered by gentleman who re-
SIDES near the railroad, who stated that
the company does not comply with the
regulations, and this statement was cor
Tolerated by many who reside in the same
locality and are familiar with the facts
Entirely Unprotected.
Now, by the reports of the lieutenants
it is seen that five of the crossings are I'M
protected after 9 O'Clock pm, and one.
after II pm, and from the above state
ment that three more are added, making
nine important crossings where the lives
ntt
the very time when extra precautions
should be taken to prevent accidents, the
motion of trains at night being very de-
ceiving and confusing. All of these cross
1ngS are important and protection should
be afforded at all times. Not a night
passes that large number of lives are
not endangered at every one of them. But
desire to call your attention to several
of these crossings which are especially
dangerous, owing to the large amount of
travel over them, and for other reasons
Massachusetts Avenue Crossing.
First. The crossing at Massachusetts
avenue is but one square from the depot
and only few hundred feet from the
freight house, and owing to the fact that
1t is The practice of the company to place
freight cars, makeup trains of empty cars,
&C., at night, there is very large amount
of travel over the road at this point. l
have counted as many as eight passages
of engines over the crossing in fifteen min
utes; an average of one passage in every
two minutes. Now, when you consider that
avenue is the main thor
oughfare between the northwest and Capt.
tol Hill, Southeast Washington and Ana
costa, and that a large number of resi-
dents of these latter localities who drive,
or ride on bicycles, in the suburbs of the
northwest section of the city return by way
of Massachusetts avenue after 8 o'clock
pm. and cross the railroad at this point,
you can readily conceive the danger they
are subjected to and the necessity for pro-
ction.
The Bloody Y.
Second. The G street crossing is at the
lower branch of the blood-stained " the
point from which the Metropolitan branch
and the Washington branch dverge, and by
reason of the fact that trains approac ching
on the latter branch round a sharp curve
at H street is rendered exceedingly danger
CuS; for instance, person approaching this
crossing from the west will look up and
down the Metropolitan branch and, seeing
o danger, will venture to cross, and by the
time he reaches the tracks of the Washing
ton branch a rapidly moving train may
round the curve and be upon him; this was
fully illustrated some time ago, when a cart
was demolished and the driver dashed into
eternity without moments warning.
Two Others.
Third. The crossing at the intersection