Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-12

The same excellent methods whereby the
police authorities are gradually reducing
the evils of bicycle scorchng might profit
ably be applied to the steam railroads en-
ter;nS this city at grade. 1t has hereto
fore been found to be practically inpossi-
bic to secure a conviction in the case of
a locomotiv" engineer wko brings his train
into town at a higher rate of speed than
the police regulations permit even though
reputable citizens have been prepared to
swear that they have held stoi-watches on
thu. train as it passed between given
points This ordinarily should he accepted
as conclusive testimony. but for some oc-
cult reason the accused have never been
punished. the trains have continued to
rush into the city at killing speeds and
the roads have gone on withou, interrupt
ton in their violations of the law and
their incquitable use of the public spaces
When bicycle rider is halcI into court.
however. on the charge of exceeding the
lawful rate Of speed for wheels the mere
unsupported testimony of the hicvcie po-
liceman to the effect that he is satisfied the
by the court. notwithstanding denidIs and
even reasonable proof to the contrary
Against this procedure there can he no
just complaint. for it is in the interests Of
d large majority of the people that the
bicycle scOrchcr should be effectively sup
pressed. and this result must be attained.
even If a small percentage Of innocent rid
erS suffer from unjust accusations. The
process Of proof is established on he lines
OF doing justice 10 the greatest number
The sam" degree OF severity when applied
70 tn" steam railroads would probably pro-
due results in short order. The Commits
~iorers have been foilci in their efforts to
secure a regulation that would Cause the
stoppage OF the trains before CROSSING,
rapid transit street car tracks and thus
their weapons for use against the great
nuisance are not as effective as it was
hoped they would be. I;ut they still Dos
sess the rule against high speeds that It is
q matter of common knowledge Is vio-
lated every day and In every hour of the
day on one or the other of the roads. 1t
Is Impossible that even The swiftest of the
bicycle policemen could effectively com
pete with some of the trains that are
whirlci into the city. but 4 method Of
computing the speeds has already been es-
tablished by the citizens Interested in the
case, and all that remains is for the police
to be alert to carry informatiuns into court
and for the court TO be severe in applying
the remedies provided by the law. AS in
the case Of the scorcher, the testimony OF
the police or Of reputable citizens should
outweigh all disclaimers and denials on the
Part of the railroad officials.
The end to be sought is. of course to
attach so many penalties and difficulties to
the continued use OF the streets at grade
by the railroads that the companies in
volved will be moved 10 propose satisfac-
tory plans fer the abolishnent of these
death traps. All other means nave here
tofore failed. and it seems at last to be
in order TO seek to persuade the companies
that compliance with the public require
ments will be more economical than the
dog-in-t hemanger policy now in vogue.