Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-10
The Police Regulations Will Likely
Be Changed.
LIST OF TEE DEADLY GRADES
Places That Are Left Unprotected
All Night.
THE TAKoMA STATION

vi
lines of the steam railroads operating in
the District of Columbia Late yesterday
afternoon the attorney for the District,
Mr.. 8. T. Thomas. had a conference with
the Commissioners upon the desirability of
adding something to make these crossings
safe. The recent accidents have brought
this matter squarely before the Commits
sioners. and they are awake to the situa-
ton. The regulations governing this mat
ter at present are considered totally IT,
adequate, and the new regulation, which
the attorney for the District is now pre-
pairing Under orders of the Commissioners,
Will be SO broad that the several railroad
companies will be required at all times,
day and night, to keep watchmen and
safety gates in operation.
1t has been considered that perhaps the
whole subject could be best regulated by
requiring railroad companies to protect
their crossings at all times with safety gates
and to open them only when requested by
citizens in passing. But this, it is argued
would be nuisance in itself and the citi-
zens would not tolerate it.
Another plan, similar, 1t is understood.
to the one in force in Cincinnati, is 10 enact
law requiring the railroad company to
so protect Its tracks and crossings as to
render them at all times safe and insert a
civil penalty whereby for violation of any
OF the laws the railroad company would
be submitted to civil process and a fine
portion of which would go to the in
FORMER As an argument against the Com
missfoners urging Congress to take this
action come the promises of the railroad
companies to so arrange their tracks with
IN the near future as to practically abolish
grade crossings.
Second Precinct CROSSINGS.
Apropos of the investigation now going on
by the Commissioners of the subject of
grade crossings in the District of Columbia.
vi xyiau of
as to safety gates and watchmen, instruc-
lions were sent to the chief of police direct
ing the lieutenants of the several precincts
IN which railroads were operated to report
the condition of the same at the grade
crossings in those precincts.
THESE reports were submitted to the Com
missioners today and are from the second
the sixth, the eighth and the ninth. Lieut.
Herner from the second precinct reports
as follows:
Metropolitan branch of the B. and O. rail-
road In this precinct, at LIST and l. and at
LIST and NJ streets northeast. There are
gates at these crossings and watchmen are
on duty there from am. to . pm. These
gates are not operated after 8 pm
Eighth Precinct.
Sergt. Slattery. under detail of Lieut..
Kenny of the eighth precinct, reports as
follows:
tons of grade crossings with and without
safety gates and watchmen on the Metro
politan branch, Baltimore and Ohio, rail-
road, in this precinct: New York avenue
and Florida averue, gates operated by
Waterman between the hours OF & am.
and Pm; r, S and T streets and Bates
road northeast, neither gates nor watch
men; University station or the Bunker Hill
road. gates operated by Waterman be-
tween m. and pm; Chase road,
Lamond's station and Chestnut avenue,
neither watchmen nor gates; Takoma sta
ton, Carroll avenue, gates operated by tue
agent"
Lieut.. Kenny, in transmitting this report,
adds the following: I'm addition TO the SER
geants report l wish to add the informa-
ton that the man named Charles Dickin-
son at Takoma, ID. c., has the following
duties to perform. Gateman. ticket agent.
express agent freight agent, baggage mas
ter and telegraph operator. He goes on
duty. 1 am informed. at 6 o'clock am, and
goes off at O'Clock p.m.- The ~gateman,
Benjamin Melton, at University Station.
d. c., and the gateman, Melton Cramer at
the Florida avenue crossing, go on duty at
the same hour and come off at the same
hour. They have nothing to do with the
station work except to keep the station
clean and tend to the gates between the
hours named. The crossing at University
Station has an electric gong that indicates
the approach of all trains, and is in opera
ton all Of the twentyfour hours, this be-
point.
Sixth Precinct.
Lieut.. Kelly of the sixth. through off,
GERS detailed for the work, reports that
the eight crossings in his precinct are all
provided with gates and operated all night
except the D street crossing. There is a
f1agman stationed at this crossing, but the
gates are never lowered.
Ninth Precinct
The following report is that of Lieut..
McCathran of the ninth:
"Grade crossing at Langdon, D. c., has
no gates or Waterman.
Grade crossing at Ivy City and Mount
Olivet road have gates and a Waterman
between G am. and 8 PM, but none after
ward.
Grade crossing at Florida avenue be-
tween 9th and 10th streets and at l. street
and 9th has gates and a Waterman be-
tween am. and PM, but none after
ward
Grade crossing at 7th between and K
las gates and Waterman from $50 Am,
until IL PM. but none after midnight.
Grade crossing at 9Th and streets has
gates and Waterman between am. and
pm. but none afterwards.
Grade crossing at 4th and streets has
gates and Waterman between am. and
PM. but none afterwards.
Grade crossing at Delaware avenue and
II street has gates and Waterman, both
day and entire night.
Grade crossing at Delaware avenue and
G street has gates and Waterman, during
day and entire night
Grade crossing at LIST and H street north
east has gates and Waterman during en-
tire day and night.
Grade crossing at Delaware avenue and
/ street has gates and a Waterman from
ain. to . pm. but none during the
night.
Grade crossing at Delaware avenue and
] street has gates and a watchman between
ain. and y pm, but none during the
night.
Grade crossing at LIST and 1 street has
gates and Waterman during the day and
entire night.
Grade crossing at LIST and streets has
gates and Waterman between O am. and
Pm. but none afterward
Grade crossing at LIST and L streets has
gates and a Waterman between am and
pm, but none afterward.
Grade crossing at 1st and NJ streets has
gates and a Waterman Between q am and
p.m.. but none afterward.
The tracks at 9Th and streets, while con-
siderably above grade, are approached on
either side BY wooden stairway three
feet wide for use of pedestrians, but has
no Waterman or gates. At night II has
an electric light above It.
Grade crossing at Benning road has no
gate or Waterman. r+-1
"(xrade NJ TNoa