Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-05
SUGGESTIONS FOR SAFETY.
Lieut.. Amiss Recommends Change in
Methods of Transfer.

As means of relieving the congested
condition of 18th street between G street
and New York avenue Lieut.. Amiss of the
first precinct recently recommended to Maj.
Sylvester, the chief Of police, that the
Georgetown cars on the Capital Traction
line going both east and west be required
TO stop and discharge their transfer passen-
gers on Pennsylvania avenue west of 18th
street Cars on the 14th street line going
both north and south, Lieut.. Amiss recon-
mended, should be stepped and required to
discharge passengers on New York avenue
east of 18th street.
After stating that in his opinion the pres
ent arrangement for transferring passen-
gers at the corner of 18th and G streets is
both dangerous and an impeachment to travel
of other kinds, Lieut.. Amiss stated that
by the arrangement recommended by him
passengers transferring from the George
town to the 14th street cars and vice versa,
could walk from one car to the other on
the north side of Pennsylvania avenue
without having to cross any car tracks,
and in this way avoid the danger to which
they are now subjected. His recommended
ton, the lieutenant thought, would also
remedy the present congested condition OF
18th street, which is occasioned, he thinks,
by the cars going in both directions stand
ing side by side, practically blocking the
thoroughfare at all times from G street to
New York avenue. The corner, Lieut..
Amiss says, is now one of the most dam
gerous in the city, and not only would
travel be facilitated, but the corner would
also be made safer to very great degree
for transferring passengers, pedestrians
and bicyclists.
Maj. Sylvester explained to the District
Commissioners that he had in the consid-
Grafton of the questions of street railway
crossiI gs, the protection of lives and prop
erty, and the enforcement of the regula-
tions al these points, suggested to his lieu
tenants the necessity of keeping the streets
free of obstruction by people waiting to
transfer Lieut.. Amiss suggestions were
n ade as a result of his suggestion, ana
Mai. Sylvester remarked that 1t appeared
to him they could be carried into successful
effect.
The lieutenant's recommendations do not,
however. seem tc have the approval of the
Commissioners, as will appear from the
following indorsement by Commissioner
Wight:
81 have considered the recommendations
of Lieut. Amiss and have conferred with
Commissioner Beach regarding them. While
we appreciate the desire of Lieut.. ArnisS to
reduce as much as possible the danger ele-
ment at 18th street and New York avenue
We ire of the opinion that the change sug-
gested would not be satisfactory. inasmuch
as IT would involve long distance to walk
from one point suggested to the other, to
which the public would probably object,
and which does not remedy the difficulty of
CfosslHS car TRACKS III an cases as Il car
going east from Georgetown and stopping
In front of Riggs Bank would require the
passenger to get off on the south side Of
the car, and In order to take 14th street
car going north, which had stopped in front
of Fusselfs, he would be compelled to cross
four car tracks in order to reach 1t.
While the crossing at this point is very
much congested and crowded, a matter
of fact there are comparatively few acct
dents there, and the Commissioners are of
the impression that the present arrange
ment Is better than the one suggested.
Some attention should be given, however,
by the policeman in charge to the point at
which cars stop, and It is suggested that
the rule be established, If 1t has not already
teen established, that cars going south
should stop with the fender of the car on a
line with the curb on the north side of q
street, and that cars going north should
stop with the platform of the rear car on
line with the curb on the north side of G
street"