Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-17
CARROLL AVENUE CROSSING
The B. and O. viii Be Requested to See It
is Properly Protected.
MIR. Hervey 8. Knight Writes a Letter
Describing It's Menace to
the Public.

The attention of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company has been invited by the
District Commissioners. through its attor-
neys, Messrs. Hamilton and Colbert, to a
complaint filed with them by Mr. Hervey s.
Knight. with the request that the road see
that proper protection is afforded the pub
lie at the Carroll avenue crossing over the
company's tracks. Takoma Park.
In his letter Of complaint Mr.. knight
wrote the Commissioners as follows:
Il beg leave to ask your attention to a
serious menace to life and limb existing at
Takoma Park. in the District, as result
of neglect on the part of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad to observe reasonable precau-
ton in guarding the railroads crossing at
Carroll avenue. The matter Is particularly
brought up at this time by q hair-breadth
escape experienced by my wife on July f.
shortly after o'clock a NJ, at which time
she approached the crossing, going east, on
a bicycle. The track to the north of this
approach is abscured by the drug store
Moreover, there are gates here, which the
public has learned to regard an indica-
ton of the condition of the track. On this
occasion, a special train was approaching
at rapid rate of speed, but the crossing
gates were not lowered. Just as my wife
got right UP to the track the station agent
shouted a warning. She was, fortunately
not going too fast to dismount. and did So
while but moment elapsed before the
train rushed past, and convinced her that
had she been little tardy in arresting the
momentum of the bicycle she would have
been struck by the train.
Overworked Agent.
Il relate the circumstances in order that
the honorable Commissioners may see the
Urgent necessity of remedying conditions
which have already existed too long and
have cost the community more than one
life at this place. Such occurrences are
made possible by the niggardly policy of
the railroad in not employing a suitable
number of operatives. The warning ticker
in the station was out of order, so that the
agent. who has to serve as telegraph op
orator ticket seller, express agent, mail
carrier, receiver and dispatcher of bag
gage, janitor of the station, etc, and who
was busy in the line of his prescribed du-
ties at the time, did not know of the ap-
rroach of the special until he heard the
rumble of its approach, when he rushed
out but too late to lower the gates. No
blame can attach to the agent who Is uni
versally known for his painstaking care
and solicitude for the public. He, of course
does not blame the company. He only
apologies and explains. Any
that the conditions at this place neces-
sarly convict the railroad of neglect. The
blame lies in the stinginess of the corpora
ton, which apparently does not weigh the
lives of the people as against the wages of
a gateman
The Duty of the Railroad.
II respectfully submit that it is the duty
of the railroad to provide, and the right of
the people to insist on. a gateman to man.
age the gates. The ticker IN the office is
unquestionably not infalible. nor yet suf
ficient even when in working order for the
agents duties compel him to attend upon
local trains at distant parts of both plat
forms. to receive mail pouches to receive
and dispatch trunks and to attend to other
duties During the school season there are
several hundred persons crossing at this
place twice a day. Is it not reasonable to
require of the railroad to properly protect
the crossing? In some communities where
the authorities sustained by proper
legislation grade crossings are not suffered
to exist. In our community it is believed
to be within the power of our Commission
erS to prescribe what is proper protection
against the dangers of such evils. AS for
my household, we have received a warning
which will be sufficient to insure our safe
ty in the future. hut there are yet many
unsuspecting ones"
SerEt. SIattery's Investigation.
The Commissioners referred Mr.. Knight s
complaint to the police department. and
Sergt. Slattery of the eighth precinct was
detailed to investigate the matter He re
ported that he found that Mr.. Knight I'M
Iut5iloHdDly utScflbeu tiIt uuIieS VI llie
station agent at the Takoma Park station.
whose duties as such, says the sergeant.
begin at 6 am. and end at 7:30 pm. In
| addition to his duties as agent, states the
sergeant, the railroad company requires the
man to guard the Carroll avenue crossing
| by properly lowering the gates on the ap-
proach of all trains between the hours of
! 6 am. and pm, the agent at the later
hour being relieved of all responsibility at
| the crossing by the regular gateman, who
al G11ty until mid OIL ha
geant states that the police officers have
| been instructed to report any derelction
| of duty on the part of either the agent or
Waterman, and three times 1t appears, the
officers have observed that the gates were
not lowered at the proper time.
1t appears from the records in the Office
of the Commissioners that the attorneys
| for the Baltimore and Ohio company wrote
| the Commissioners November TO- 1897, that
| in regard to the Takoma Park crossing
from the information obtained by the
company. from careful observation, the
company thinks that If this crossing is
guarded from Am. until II midnight all
reasonable requirements will be met and
the public fully protected"
COmmfssiOners' Conclusions.
The Commissioners wrote the attorneys
of the company November 80 1897, approx
ing the company's suggestions. and Deem
Der /, 1897, they We're assured by the COM
pany that the additional safeguards and
watchmen agreed on in connection with
this and other crossings of the road would
be put on duty and in operation on or be-
fore January /. 1893. 1t Is understood that
the Commissioners do not consider that q
station agent cam in addition to the numer-
Gus other duties he is compelled to per-
form, properly care for and manipulate the
gates at a crossing, and it is expected that
they will inform the railroad company,
with the request that 1t see that a watch
man is placed on duty at this crossing.
with instructions to see that the gates
are so managed to afford security at all
times to the public.
TUTTON'S ALLEGED RELATIONS.