Evening star., 1895-08-22
Important Topics Discussed in a
Report Made Today.
OBSERVATIONS OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Grade Crossings in the City and
the Overhead Wire Nuisance.
rect CAR ENDERS S

department has assigned to it the super
vision of street and steam railroads. in
volvirg inspections looking to features of
maintenance, equipment and the general
cordrct of the roads as affected by char
ter provisions and municipal regulations
hereunder. 1t has also the supervision of
telegraph. telephone and electric light over
head lines and underground conduits, i'll
volviEg regular Inspections looking to safe
and proper maintenance, the selection of
routes, the designation of points for the
location of poles and an oversight of the
stringing of wires. This office also in
vestigates damage suits against the Dis
trict, complaints and general inspection of
all kinds
Perhaps the most important of all work
assigned to 1t Is the supervision of steam
railroads and the inspection of the street
railroads Of the city.
In the absence Of General Inspector e. Y
Beggs, who has long been on the sick list
the work of the Office has devolved upon
his assistant, Mr.. l.. P. Bradshaw, who is
acting general inspector, and who made the
following report Of the workings of his de-
partment to the Commissioners today:
Steam Railroads.
1.-THE situation respecting the steam sur
face tracks remains in statu quo, while the
Inconvenience and dangers resulting from
the grade crossing and unprotected por-
tions of the tracks lying in the line of the
public streets are an ever fruitful subject
of discussion. The Baltimore and Ohio
road has added no protection in the way of
fencing during the year; in consequence,
long stretches of'unprotected track, lying
in and across the public streets on an ap-
proxfmate grade Herewith, pass through
populated localities. affording no security
whatever against accident. The danger Of
this condition of affairs needs no comment
ard If existing law cannot abate it, legis-
lation should be sought at the earliest
practicable moment that WILL 1t would
seem, however, that the requirement of
fencing, SO far, at least, the right of
way proceeds upon public property, is with
In the scope Of present police power.
The maintenance Of crossings on both
branches of this road to the District line
has noticeably improved, but some within
the city are yet to be brought up to the
required standard. and the company is now
In receipt of orders to that effect.
The Baltimore and Potomac road, with
In the year, has inclosed its tracks along
9th street as far as the station, and also
OF It's mCst dangerous piece of road. along
Maryland avenue between 9th and 7th
so that there remain to be fenced
the tracks between 9th street and the Long
bridge. for which the company now has
a permit. and between Sd and South Cap
ftol streets east, which latter are, in part,
above Sgrade. Additional protective ap-
pliances and fiagmen have also been pro
vided at the New Jersey avenue the 9Th
and Virginia avenue and the 9th and Mary
land avenue crossings, and 1t is believed
that these crossings are now as we'll pro-
tected as is possible under the circum-
stances. The maintenance of crossings
throughout this road has been of the usual
high standard.
The 18th street crossing Of the Southern
railroad also received attention during the
year, AMI safety gates were erected and
manned In accordance with the recommen-
dat1on.
Street Railroads.
Under this head, considerable time and
study has been given to the question of
safety tenders suitable for use on the cars
OF the rapid transit roads, the outcome of
which has been the adoption of desgrz
combining the action OF what is styled the
front pickup and wheel-guard fender the
practical merit Of which has now been fully
demonstrated and its capacity for saving
life proven beyond question.
The roads having full equipment as re-
quired by the fender regulations are, in the
order of compliance, the following: The
Rock Creek. the lexington and Soldiers
Home, the Georgetown and Tenleytown and
the Brightwood. The 9th street electric line
has a regulation equipment upon such Of
Its new cars as are In operation. The grips
of the Washington and Georgetown and Co
lumbia road are not as yet, fully equipped
as required by the regulations.
"Other events of interest occupying the
time and attention of the office in the way
of general supervision requiring compliance
with permit conditions have been the COM
pletion and successful operation of the Co
funlbia cable and 9th street underground
electric roads, both advantageous changes
oN er previous conditions, the one as having
substituted cable, the other electric for
horse rower, and each alike dispensing with
a considerable area of cobble stone paving,
while the 9th street construction has been
0f no
feasibility of operating street railways by
means of underground electric conductors,
The work of construction of both these
reads was expedited in the most workman
like manner, and there was no real cause
of complaint from any source, the con-
II actor and his assistants in every instance
showing a most willing disposition to COM
ply with the orders of the Engineer Com
missioner The track surface of these new
roads, barring slight defects in the paving
of the Columbia tracks. Is excellent, while
the companies, as whole. have given at.
tention to paving and track surfacing. and
&c Cd conditions of maintenance prevail, US
rule
Overhead Lines and COndutts.
"This office was relieved of the super
vision of underground constructions early
In the yeay and the sew er department was
given control of this branch of work. There
vi as also one overhead line less to be look
ed after, the old dilapidated Rapid Transit
line having been removed from the streets
under the direction of the superintendent
Of streets. OF the remaining companies
operating overhead lines the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company alone
has maintained respectable standard of
repairs or made any effort in the way OF
improving distribution service, the other
companies having done nothing except as
absolute sefety demanded or street i'm
prOvementS necesSitated.
"The work done by the Chesapeake and
Potomac Telephone Company consisted in
the replacement of old with new, stronger
and taller poles, the strirging Of copper in
place of iron wires and uniting lines, the
most extensive work of this character be-
ing done n the Benning and Brentwood
roads, extending as far as the District line.
Owing to the lack of attention given to
features of n aintenance by the other com
panies their lines of necessity are daily
growing weaker. the poles in many IN
stances have rotted at the base, and unless
early legislation shall be secured compel
ling the companies to operate underground
loss of life and injury to property are like
ly to result. The lines especially noted as
being in bad condition were the Western
Union Company's line along Tth street
northwest and Brightwood avenue and the
Postal Conpanys lire. which traverses the
city by way of Virginia avenue, / street
south and 18th street east. This latter is
an abandoned line, and there appears to be
no excuse for it's existence except that an
occasional pole is utilized for carrying a