Evening star., 1898-11-04
Suburban Grade Crossings.

The coroner's jury sitting in the case OF
the women killed by train at Langdon
Wednesday hight rendered verdict which
means that as far as the initiative of this
body is concerned no one will be held re-
spcnsibe :or the tragedy. The jllry's de-
Cision was that there was no evidence to
show that the legal requirements of the
read Were not complied with" If this be
the case It is reasonable for the citizens to
demand that there be more legal require
ments, such will prevent. if enforced, a
repetition of this slaughter.
The case with these suburban grade
crossings is somewhat peculiar. At only
two places outside of the city boundary are
there legal crossings over the Baltimore
and Ohio main line tracks within the Dis
trict. These are at Ivy City and at Lang
don The Langdon crossing is over bridge.
Il was not at this crossing. which is used
comparatively little, that the tragedy oc-
CURED. The other is at Ivy City, at grade.
At every other one of the numerous sub
urban settlements along this line the roads
are unguarded for the reason that they
have not beer condemned across the rail-
ways right Of way.
Somewh1t the same conditions exist on
the other branch of the road, and in Eek
ington, practically a city district, the
streets are UIcC CDdemned and the railway
company is at liberty to use its discretion
in the erection of gates. At one Of these
crossings it has elected to provide such a
barrier. This Gratuity was the result Of an
earnest agitation of the question year or
so ago gro wing out of the Deanewool hor-
ror, which Vas quickly followed by other
accidents at grade crossings in and near
the city.
Wednesdays tragedy shows that there
are not enough condemned roads across The
railway line, not enough means of protec-
ton The Commissioners are embarrassed
in their dealir gs with the corporation but
they may perhaps cure the evil by seeking
ar early opportunity to secure the passage
of a law which will enable them to desfg-
nate addi ionai crossings where it is illegal
for railroad trains to pass without the use
of barriers. 1t is obviously unjust that the
people of these suburbs should be shut off
from safe passage across the tracks of the
main line of the Baltimore and Ohio from
Langdon north to the District line and he
tween LangGen and Ivy City. These sec
tions are rapidly growing and becoming
citlfied. 1t is of course unfair to the rail-
road company TO expect it to erect a gate
whenever citizen seeks to make q road
across the tracks at will. But the matter
would be we'll regulated if the control of
these crossings We're placed in the hands of
sCme competent central authority.
The time viii come when 1t will be uD-
lawful for any railroad line to cross
street or country road at grade anywhere
within the limits of the District. Pending
the arrival of this time city conditions of
protection at grade crossings must inevita-
bly, be extended to the outer boundaries of
the local jurisdiction, and these tragedies
VIII hast3l the day of accomplishment
Meanwhile it may be we'll for the Commits
s!oHers, .f they have no direct legal remedy
for the evil, to seek to persuade the rail-
read companies in the name of humanity
and equity to provide gates and fences at
every suburban station. The legal REQUIRE
nents concerning protection at the grade
crossings within the city limits are so Sc
we're when rigidly applied to some of the
less used streets that the Commissioners.
having the power to enforce these REQUIRE
ments without exception or moderation in
respect to the urban crossings, are armed
with the means of negotiating to advantage
with the railroads concerning safeguards at
those suburban crossings to which their
jurisdiction and authority do not so fully
and clearly extend.