The morning times., 1895-08-27
Needed at Street Car InterseG-
tiOnS to Prevent Accidents.
PUBLIC SAFETY DEMANDS IT
Com mmissioners to Be Petitioned to
Exercise Their Authority i'll the
the Southeast Corner of the Center
Market Pointed Out.

The fact that several collisions between
the electric and cable cars were narrowly
averted during the last forty-eight hours,
has aroused the street car travelling public
to the necessity OF placing flagmen at all
ofthe dangerous crossings where the electric
and cable systems intersect SO impressed
are the people with this necessity that ii was
reported last night that petitions are being
circulated calling upon the Commissioners
&c take prompt action in the matter.
One OF the petitioners stated last evening
that the Commissioners have the authority
and should lose no more time in demanding
the appointment OF these flagmen than they
would in ordering steam railway officials.
to have watchmen at grade crossings, fCS
there is as much danger OF a collision OF
street cars as steam railway trains.
PRESIDENT PHILLIPS TRICK.
1.-The other day" said the speaker,
''when the presidents of the various com
panics using rapid transit systems on the
streets of Washington were called 10
conference with the Commissioners in re-
gard to the matter, all responded but
President Phillips, of the Metropolitan
Road Those wlo came were without ex
ception in favor of the employment of
flagmcn.
phillips, VINO is opposed to it, waited
until the next day when he had the
coast clear and when the other presidents
were not present to confront and show his
arguments to Ice false From his commu-
ncation to the Commissioners the other
day, one would be iEclircd 10 believe that
Phillips would prefer risking the lives
Of passengers and wrccking his company's
property to employing a few men TO avoid
such dangers.
A president of n railroad should show
his patrons that he Is as much interested
IN their safety while riding over his road
rs he is Interested in the niCkcls they
shower upon him. The collision between
the Rock Creek and Fourteenth street cars
some time ago was due To the absence Of Il
flagman. Considerable damage was done
20 the property of both companies, num-
Der of persons were injured, and the roads
tied up several hours.
FLAGMAN TOO LATE.
After the accident a flagman was sta
toned al the place where the accident
occurred, which reminds one uf doctor
waiting for his patient to die before pre-
scribing for him.
The crossing at Seventh and h streets
northwest is as dangerous as any in the city,
and it is especially dangerous on market
days. Then there is hardly enough space
for one vehicle to pass another leaving
out of consideration the fact that four lines
OF streetcars are passing that corner every
two minutes at a rate of from nine to
twelve miles an hour.
All cars are required ostop before crossing
al Seventh and Is streets, but If two cars
meet there al the same time it puzzles the
mOtorman and gripman some what as to
which car has the right OF way. If both
should happen TO be bul-headed and startat
the same time, there is likely to he work
for repair wagons and Emergency Hospital
physicians.
If the Commissioners should decide not
TO have these flagmen il is likely that
those who are already stationed at different
intersections will be done away with and
the public will learn that the newly adopted
tenders are not the only things necessary
TO avoid accident on the street car lines.