Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-30
a WORD 10 wHEEInEN.
Jones, OF the street Rail-
why Company. Suggests Care.

President JOnes, of the street Rail-
why Company, Suggests Care.
President G. d. Jones. of the Mar
shalltown Light, Power & Railway
Company, SENDS the following commu-
nication to the T.-R. The accidents of
late have probably caused Mr.. Jones to
feel that the wheelmen and pedestrians
and not the company are to blame.
He says:
Independence, Iowa, Oct. %, 1890
Editor Times Republican-Dear Sir,
We wish you would call attention to
what any thoughtful person must rec
ognize as very careless and thought
less practice of bicycle riders. not to
use the harsh name, recklessness, as
we feel that it is perhaps more FREE
quently from want of thought than a
reckless taking of a chance We refer
to the practice of very many bicycle
"a little in front of car moving in the
ing of a little stone or something that
would turn the wheel might throw
them in front of the car and so near
that the motorman could not possibly
stop before striking them.
broad enough and are paved to the
curb and all bicycle riders should exer-
else common prudence by riding near
er the gutter instead of SO near the
rails, particularly SO when moving in
the same direction as a car and lit
tie in advance of it.
And again, many bicycle riders will.
look toward the car and exchange a
glance with the motorman, as If to say,
II can make it, and deliberately cross
the track close in front of a moving
car. They may do it a hundred or
thousand times with no accident, but
suppose something did happen that
their wheel struck an obstacle or for
any other reason baked, they would be
thrown in front of the car and the mo-
torman would in some cases be blamed.
for the accident and not the bicycle
rider, who has taken unnecessary
risks and in consequence met with a
mishap and is to blame rather than the
company.
1--WE enclose a copy of a supreme
court decision bearing on the subject,
which you may wish to publish as an
item of interest to your readers. Yours
truly. c. d. JONES"
THE supreme court in the case of
BEEN VS.. the Tama & Toledo Electric
Railway and Light Company, held that
the plaintiff was not careful in crossing
the defendants tracks. and for that
reason it is not liable for damages.
The court says: 1T is true that it is
the duty of persons in charge of a street
car to be watchful and diiigent to avoid
injury TO others. but persons who cross
street railway tracks also have duties
to perform. They can not assume that
without care on their part they will be
seen and protected from harm and the
car stopped IL necessary to prevent a
collision. But street cars are usually
operated according to established time
schedules, and their efficiency and value
TO the public demand that they be so
operated To require, whenever per-
son approaches the track that they may
be stopped or their speed be slackened
until it is evident that the person will
not be endangered by the running of
the cars, would be to impose serious,
and in many cases an intolerable, bur-
lden upon the railway corporation. and
| to subject its patrons to annoying and
Injurious delays without any substan-
| tial reason for so doing, or benefit of
iimportance to any one. Ordinarily pc
destrian who approaches street rail-
way track may, and does, without APP
/ preciable effort or loss of time. ascer-
/ tain if a car be near, and it is his duty
! to do so.