Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-11
GRADE CROSSING RULES
The Present and Proposed Regulations on
This Subject Contrasted.
Surprise That the Latter Does Not
Supply the Alleged Deficiencies
of the Former.

sSome surprise is expressed by those who
have followed the course OF the commits
sioners in seeking a practical remedy Tor
the grade crossing dangers that exist at
least along the lines of the Baltimore and
Ohio road in this city, owing to the Gus
tom of the company of Withdrawing some
of the gatemen after o'clock each night,
that the regulation proposed L substi-
tute for the present rule should be In the
form chosen AS recently Sc. forth by the
attorney for the District the present grade
crossing regulations are inadequate, be-
cause while sufficiently stating the require
ments imposed upon the company, they do
no. specify an exact means of enforcement
by the punishment of yiolators. AS amend
ed I'D to date the regulations read as
follows:
"AI grade crossings or intersections of
any steam railroad tracks with streets,
avenues or roads, shall be made safe by the
company owning or operating such roads
by gates and electric bells, or other means
and appliances approved by the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia. Be
tween sunset and sunrise of each DAY a
headlight or other equivalent renecting
lantern or a hand lantern in the hand OF
an attendant, to give due warning to per-
sons near or crossing steam railroad tracks
of the approach of trains, locomotives or
cars, shall be displayed upon the adVanc.
ing end of every train OF steam railroad
cars and of single steam railroad cars ana
locomotives, not in trains, when moving IN
the District of Columbia. 1t shall be I'M
lawful for any person to SET IN motloil, run
or operate any train of railroad cars, single
railroad car or locomotive, without the
said display of such light of lanterns over
any crossing or intersection named hereln
unless the same is guarded by sa1ety gates
.lnIi tn n
ton hereof.
..The safety gates at every railroad cross
ing shall be closed during the passage OF
any train, locomotive or car, ana snail De
onened Immediately after the passage OF
the same.
So far as it's mere requirements are con-
cerned this regulation is sufficient 10 give
protection to each of the grade crossings
within the District, but it has lately be-
come apparent that the railroad company,
while fully complying with the rule at
scn,e crossings, complies only IN part at
Others where the men necessary TO ope-
rete the safety gates are withdrawn frcn
duty at 8 o'clock each evening, returning
at in the morning, thus leaving those
crossings unprotected for nine hours out
of the tWenty-four. Although the reguia-
ton is clearly violated in these instances,
ard although the regulations provide d fine
of from S. to $40 for each cHense 1t has
been thought by the legal officials of the
District that there is no means at ha1d 10
tasten the penalty upon any individual,
ard that the courts are therefore power
less to enforce the rule.
In view of this disclosure the Commits
sioners have set about to devise remedy.
ard the proposed new regulation Is in
tended to accomplish this purpose. This
regulation reads as follows:
THAT it shall be the duty Of each rail-
rad company owning or operating u rail
road with locomotives and steam railway
cars, occupying any road, street. avenue
or public way, within the District OF Co
lumbia to erect, maintain and cause to be
operated at its own expense, safety gates
across every such road, street, avenue or
public way may be designated by the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia,
and to provide such protection at other
railroad crossings as said Commissioners
may prescribe. That each of said gates
shall be In charge of a competent person,
employed by such railroad company, who
during the hours designated by the Com
mssioners shall keep SUCH gates closed
while any locomotive or steam railroad
car or cars are occupying or crossing such
read, street, avenue or public way At which
such gates are erected
1t is noted that the regulation does not
require as much in its own terms as does
the existing regulation, which commands
the maintenance of safety gates or other
approved appliances at all crossings at all
hours At the same time it does not seem
to supply the deficiency in the specification
of the person to be punished and the pen
atty that causes the present regulation to
be received as imperative, the intention
apparently being to rely upon the blanket
penalty clause Of the article which con-
| tains the grade crossing rule.