Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-08
Important Report Made by District
Commissioner Wight.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROTECTION
List of the Crossings With and
Without Gatemen.
IN HANDS OF THE BOARD

SViGiHiSslOHtl WiSht tAio disNiiiOOA S0D
rnitted to the board of Commissioners his
recommendations concerning the protection
of grade crossings in the District of CO.
Iumbia. along the lines of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad. He urges better pro.
lection at numerous crossings, and insists
that gatemen be assigned no other duties
in connection with the operation Of the
gates.
This report. it is said. is the result of an
interview between the officials of the road
and the Commissioners, the former ..gree-
ing in advance to comply with the wishes
of the Commissioners for the betterment
OF prevailing conditions. 1t being coz
sidered police matter. the subject was re-
ferred to Commissioner Wight for exami-
nation and report. and the folio wing is the
result OF his Investigations:
The matter of the further protection of
the grade crossings of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad in tie District of Col rmbia
having been referred to me, have TO re-
port that careful examination has been
made into the condition of all the cross
ings of this road. and a list is herewith ap-
pended. showing the location of these
crossings. the amount of travel and the
present arrangements which the company
has for protecting them:
The Commissioncr's Demands.
I'm the recommendations 1 have to
make. asking for further protection at
some of the crossings, 1 have endeavored
to consider the matter fairly. with View
of asking what is reasonable and proper.
Some of these crossings are Travelled but
little, and over the crossings of the Alex
andria branch only two freight trains are
run day. 1t would not seem reasonable
to require the company to guard sucn cross
ugs continuously. All of these crossings
are provided however. with danger signals
sign posts near the track.
insBS af i nd Srr Mos
chuSetts avenue, G.. II, j and streets are
now guarded continuously for the twenty
four hours In addition to these. 1 recon-
mend that the company be requested to
guard the crossings at NJ street Florida
avenue. Metropolitan branch, Bunker Hill
road. Carroll avenue. 4th, 9Th and Tth
streets, Florida avenue washington
tranch). anu Mt. Olivet road for twenty
four hours continuously. These crossings
are now guarded from am. to pm
and the amount of travel over them ap-
make the request for continuous watching
reasonable
Heavy Travel.
Il also recommend that on the Alexan-
dria branch the crossing at Monroe street
be guarded from Z am. to IL pm, on ac-
count Of the heavy travel. which is con-
stanily increasing over this road in con-
nection with the AnacosJia bridge.
Il further recommend that the company
be requested to assign no other duties to
the men who are employed to watch grade
crossings, as it is believed that the dis
charge of other duties prevents their Civ
ing proper attention to the guarding of the
tracks.
IF the foregoing recommendations are
earierd out 1 think the grade crossings Of
tne baltimore and Ohio railroad in the Dis
trict OF Columbia will be sufficiently guard
ed, IL those crossing the tracks will use
such diligence and precaution MS it is rea-
sonable to expect.
Grade Crossings in District.
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, METROPOLITAN
branch-lnvestigation covering a period of
twenty-four hours in each instance. u
street. very little travel, fagman, gates not
lowered; street, moderate travel gates
watehman all night; Massachusetts ave-
nue., considerable travel, gates watchman
al night; + street, moderate travel gates
Waterman all night. G. street. considera BILE
trdHei, gates. watchman all night; IL street
street. light travel. gates watchman ali
hishti h street. heavy travel, gates watch
man all night; l. street. light travel gates
Waterman TO am to p-m-; NJ street
heavy travel gates, watchman 6 to 8 am
10 pm: Patterson avenue not opened
street. not opened; o street. none: Ffori-
ia avenue, heavy travel, gates, watchman
u a m TO pm; South avenue light travel.
central avenue. light travel. not a public
street. bunker Hill road. very heavy tray-
e- gates. watchman q am to pm. Bates
Ioo1' PIN teams DAY. unprotected, Riggs
road. bridge; Sligo Mill road, bridge; Blair
road. light travel, unprotected; Carroll ave-
nue.. constant travel, gates, watchman 6
am to . pm, no other duties; Oak ave-
nue.. same; Chestnut avenue, very little
travel, unprotected
Washington Branch.
Second street. bridge; Sd street, not
epened; 4th street. gates, watchman I'M
10 y pm, heavy travel: 5th street, mod
crate travel, gates. watchman 6 am to o
pm; 9th street, not opened: 7th street,
gates, watchman $50 am. to II pm, con-
siderable travel: X street. not opened: sth
street not opened: 9th street. light travel:
street. moderate travel; Florida avenue
gates. watchman am. to pm, heavy
travel: Mt Olfvet road. gates, watchman
am. to pm. heavy travel; Queens
Chapel road, bridge: Emporia street light
travel. unprotected: Rives street. bridge
Alexandria Branch.
Stevens avenue. unprotected: Sumner
avenue. unprotected; Howard avenue un-
protected; Monroe street. gates. watchman
am to 10 pm. IL pm, no other duties
Naylor read, unprotected; Carroll street.
unprotected; Pennsylvania avenue unpro-
tected; Renning road. unprotected. heavy
travel; Ahacostia road, moderate travel
unprotected: Sheriff road. light travel un-
protected. kenilWOrfh