Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-17
GRADE CROSSINGS AGAIN
Mrs. Kate Neil and Her Son Run Down by q
Train.
A Serious Accident In the Northeast
Caused by Inadequate
Track Protection.

Had Congress responded to the call of the
people long ago, and abolished the deadly
grade crossings and surface tracks on the
steam railroads, James Neil, a horseshoer,
who lives at No. 1908 I'd street northeast,
would not now be so sadly afflicted. His
wife and boy were caught on the I'd street
crossing Saturday afternoon and hurled
through the air several feet. When picked
up, the boy, Joseph, seven years old, was
mangled almost beyond recognition. while
his mother, Mrs. Kate Neil, was severely
cut about the head, and was unconscious
There is no regularly defined street crossing
at Sd street, though it is so near the heart
of the city, but pedestrians are in the habit
of using this place as a crossing, as well
as following along the path beside the
tracks. The scene of the double accident is
the northeast corner Of the property occu-
pied by the Little Sisters Of the Poor.
Mrs. Neil and her son Joseph were going
southwark from home shortly before 5
o'clock. Before they could reach the south
side of the track train came along and did
the serious damage.
No Waterman at Hand.
A train Of freight cars was moving along
the south-bound track, and Mrs. Neal and
Joseph waited unit lit had passed. They
saw nothing Of north-bound passenger
train moving on the other track, nor was
there any Waterman there to give them no
tice that they were in danger. In conse-
quence of their being no protection of this
kind. the little boy moved south as soon as
the freight had passed. The mother heard
the train come laundering around the
sharp curve just northeast of the H street
crossing. Joseph was Oil the track, not
far from the moving train and the mother,
VINO was horror-Stricken, made a leap to
save him. But the train was too close on
him, and 1t was then impossible for either
mother or boy to get out of the way. The
engineer reversed his engine applied brakes
and did all in his power to stop the train,
but all to no purpose, for tine train was too
near the mother and son on the track, and
both were struck and tossed some distance
ahead.
When picked Up both were alive, and
the boy, although horribly mangled. had
not lost consciousness. One hand had been
cut off and dropped beside the track while
one leg was SO badly crushed that he may
lose it, In addition to these fearful
wounds, he may have received internal in
Jurles. Still the doctors thought yesterday
that he would possibly pull through. The
mother, although unconscious was not SO
badly injured, and her condition was far
more favorable than was that of the boy
There were several ugly cuts about her a nd
a piece OF her scalp had been entirely cut
from her head Somebody picked up the
boys hand and buried it in the cinders, but
later the police took charge of it.
A Police Investigation.
Both Mrs. Neil and her boy were picked
up and taken to the depot on a train, and
from there they Were removed to Provi-
dence Hospital in the ambulance When
this had been done the police made an in
vestigation, and it was learned from sew
eral railroad men that the train was not
gong fast at the time the accident hap
pened
This morning both Mrs Neil and her son
were doing fairly Well. Joseph Is, of
course, the much worse off, and there is
not much certainty about the result of his
injuries. Mrs. Neil, however, is much i'm
proved. and the physicians feet certain
that she will recover