Evening star., 1898-08-26
ALLEGES VIOLATION OF LAW.
MIR. MerrilI's Criticism of u Local
Hallway COmpuny.

Several days ago the District Commits
sioners received a communication from
George w. Merrill of 500 New York ave
nUe northwest, asking by what law or reg
ulation the cars of the Capital Traction
Company were allowed to stop on .he far
side of street crossings in the southeast,
while in the northwest they were com
PEELED to stop on the near side always. He
has also called attention to the fact thai
the cars were running across other rapid
transit lines without stopping, as provided
by law The Commissioners replied to Mr..
Merrill that the cars stop on the farther
side of street crossings in the southeast
section of the city in compliance with the
request of citiZeEs in that section. who pre-
fer that position because of the location of
paved footways il the parking in tie cell
ter of the street. If the ears stopped upon
the near side the passengers would be
obliged TO alight in the mud. This answer
was made at the suggestion of Capt.
Beach, TO whom the matter was referred.
Today another letter was received from
Mr. Merrill and referred to Capt. Beach
Addressing the Commissioners, he says:
Your reply to my query to the law
or regulation permitting the Capital Trac-
ton Company to stop its cars on the far
side of street crossings in the southeast
section of the city, while requiring it and
all other companies TO stop ears en- the
near side in other sections cf the city, is
noticed in the public press. L would re-
spectfully submit that the answer to my
communication is not as complete and full
as the public would like. Neither is It sat-
isfactory to those of US who use the streets
ether than those monopolzed by street car
companies, as means by which to &c
from one part of the city to another.
1T is understood that some time ago,
when it was the practice to stop these cars
some on the near side and some on the far
side of the street crossings, your honorable
board took the matter under consideration
and ordered that, in the interest of public
safety, all cars should stop the near
side of such crossings, and, moreover, that
one rapid transit car should come TO a full
stop before crossing the line of another
railway company. This latter order is
being also frequently violated by the cars
Of the Capital Traction Company
'1nasmuth as that portion of our people
who have occasion to cross t tracks of
rapid trarsit street car lines, aereby being
exposed to danger, Is greater than the peo-
pie of the southeast Section,' who request
the abrogation of this good and whole
some law. and inasmuch as this majority
comprises the children of our public
schools, well many others not accus-
toned to being watchful, it does not seem
to me that the mere request of a few peo-
pie of one section of the city, who fear get
ting their feet wet, should avail to cause
suspension of a regulation designed for the
protection of life and limb
Rather should not these same tender in
dividuals have humbly petitioned the great
ard powerful Capital Traction Company to
transfer its beautiful and useful tiles to
that side of the street crossing on which
the regulation required cars to stop?'
After calling attention to accident
that happened at 7th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue some years ago by the COL
lison of cable and hook and ladder
wagon, Mr.. Merrill concludes:
TT seems as though there should be
some stronger argument than the request
of a few people of delicate constitution or
the saving of a rich corporation the cost
of removing a few paving blocks ard re-
laying them the other side Of the cross
irg, to cause an exception to be made to
the general enforcement of a regulation
providing for the safety of our citizens"